Comments from aek316

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aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Showplace Vernon Hills 8 on Jun 25, 2021 at 6:58 pm

Drove by yesterday and saw it was demolished. Sad to see it go. Have a lot of great memories seeing movies here with my family.

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Showplace Vernon Hills 8 on May 15, 2019 at 2:48 pm

The theater looks virtually untouched since I last drove by there six months ago. There was supposed to be a spa going in there which is why they closed it in the first place. Wonder what happened? The building looks like a big eye sore now with the front entrance boarded up and the AMC signage either removed or scratched out. I took a few pics today which I will upload if I can ever log onto this site on my phone! Otherwise, I will upload them onto my computer later. I really wish this theater would’ve been kept open, the prices were low since it didn’t have the amenities of the adjacent Hawthorne 12.

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Showplace Vernon Hills 8 on Nov 8, 2018 at 11:16 am

Many great memories in this theater. Took my daughter to see inside out and beauty and the beast here. Loved this as an alternative to the crowded and pricey theater at Hawthorn Mall. When this theater became an AMC and nothing was done to update the seating or decor, I knew as usual they were running another older theater into the ground. They did the same to the retro Rivertree Court down the road. It looks like they’re already cutting the Showplace 8. Entrance is boarded up. I will try to post pictures when I’m next in the area.

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Norridge 6 on May 31, 2018 at 4:10 pm

The other half of the building (formerly theaters 1-4)is sadly being demolished as I type. Too bad, I was hoping AMC would rehab the rest of the original theater. I have very fond memories of seeing Tim Burton’s Batman in this building. The screening room was huge and packed and the seats rocked and were very comfortable.

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Norridge 6 on Sep 19, 2017 at 1:39 pm

Drove by the property today. The half that’s reopening as a theater soon has been completely repainted and looks great! Interestingly, the other building (which I believe is the original building) looks untouched other than the entrance being boarded up. Wonder what will be happening there?

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Norridge 6 on Mar 14, 2017 at 12:39 am

Uploaded a photo I took today of the front sign stripped to just its frame.

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Norridge 6 on Mar 14, 2017 at 12:27 am

I drove by the property today. The vintage Norridge sign that faced Harlem Avenue is sadly no more. They are in the demolition process in both buildings. I actually ran into a demo worker and he told me nearly everything has been gutted on the inside and that things were in rough shape inside before the demo work even started. It seems like there’s lots of work still to be done before it reopens.

aek316
aek316 commented about Rivertree Court Cinemas on Mar 14, 2017 at 12:22 am

With Gordmans declaring bankruptcy, this space will soon be vacant again. Barely made it 5 years, Makes me even sadder Rivertree Court closed.

aek316
aek316 commented about Vixen on Feb 7, 2017 at 3:06 pm

I just read the downtown theater will be renovated and reopened hopefully in the fall. DC Cobbs restaurant will also be moving in next door!

aek316
aek316 commented about CMX Arlington Heights on Jan 17, 2015 at 2:39 am

I came here tonight with my wife to see American Sniper. They did a wonderful job redoing this theater. It now has dining and drink options a bar in the lobby and comfortable seating. My tip to anyone who goes is to get to your show early. Seats fill up fast due to the reduced seating. But hey, you can always hang out at the bar!

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Oakbrook Center 4 on Nov 28, 2014 at 7:08 am

I read online in the Tribune that a proposal is on the table to build new cinemas at the mall. If this goes through, they will also reopen oak brook 1-4! Under the plan, 1-4 would show first run movies until the new structure is built. Once the new building opens, 1-4 would remain open as an art house. I really hope this happens. 1-4 was a nice theater from what I recall and it would bring an old cineplex odeon theater back to life!

aek316
aek316 commented about Deerbrook Cinema on Oct 7, 2013 at 12:37 am

The general cinemas sign was taken off the outside of the mall building recently :(. Is something finally happening with the theater I wonder?

aek316
aek316 commented about Bricktown Square Cinema on Jul 18, 2012 at 7:38 pm

I grew up in the area and went to this theater many times. The Bricktown Square was solely in the gym space. Sportmart and the theater were built and were opened at the same time. Cinematour is wrong. I would really like to see pictures of the Bricktown before it closed too, but I haven’t been able to find anything online. I remember seeing Back to the Future 3 here opening weekend. It played on 4 of the 6 screens! This was a great theater, but the area surrounding it did it in as well as it being sold to short lived Meridian Theaters. I am still surprised Loews didn’t acquire this theater when they bought out Cineplex Odeon-

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Norridge 6 on Jul 17, 2012 at 2:30 pm

I spoke to an employee at the theater as their number is still listed on Fandango and he told me AMC shut them down. No current plans for the building he said that’s strictly up to the landlords, but AMC is done with the theater. In a perfect world, someone like Classic Cinemas would step in and give it the new life it needs, but I’m sure some stupid big box store will be going there!

aek316
aek316 commented about AMC Norridge 6 on Jul 17, 2012 at 2:27 pm

I knew this was coming. Broan is right on, they ran this place into the ground which is a horrible shame. 40+ years in business! While renovations were sorely needed, this theater was very unique. It had big screening rooms unlike the ones you have at today’s multiplexes, comfortable seats and a look that recalled theaters of yesteryear. As usual, AMC let it rot into oblivion just like they did with countless other theaters they owned that were older. Classic Cinemas please step in before it’s too late!

aek316
aek316 commented about McClurg Court Cinemas on Apr 18, 2012 at 5:23 pm

Great picture!

aek316
aek316 commented about McClurg Court Cinemas on Nov 19, 2011 at 9:06 am

I’d love to see some pictures of the theater when it was still in operation. I remember there being 3 huge posters out in the front and the marquee being lit up at night.

aek316
aek316 commented about McClurg Court Cinemas on Nov 19, 2011 at 9:04 am

My wife and I were downtown last night and we’re going to catch a flick at River East. The bus let us off right by Mcclurg Court. We walked over and I peered inside a couple of the doors and everything is completely gone. Terribly sad. The only thing left is the ticket booth in front. It doesn’t look like there’s any plans or construction underway for the site so I am curious why everything would be ripped out if there’s no plans for the space. Again terribly sad. RIP MCclurg Court.

aek316
aek316 commented about Rivertree Court Cinemas on Oct 14, 2011 at 5:56 pm

White Sox fan,

Unfortunately, the Rivertree Court is no more. The building is still standing, but Gordman’s did buy the space and completely gutted it. I drove by the other day and the cinema sign was even replaced by a Gordman’s sign. I haven’t seen the building up close in awhile, but you probably wouldn’t recognize it from the outside. I am extremely bummed about RT’s closing too. I only was in there once a few weeks before it closed and it was unique in the fact that it was a Cineplex Odeon timepiece. The minute I heard AMC bought it I knew the end was near. After all, they closed it once before and AMC doesn’t give a damn about their older theaters (see Norridge, Webster Place or any of their other older theaters). Kerasotes was a good company that cared about its theaters and more importantly, its customers. How did AMC manage to monopolize Chicago area theaters with their crappy upkeep?!

aek316
aek316 commented about McClurg Court Cinemas on Mar 31, 2011 at 11:26 pm

Afraid I have some bad news for fans of Mcclurg Court. As some of you may have seen on this site, theater management was offering to sell seats and projectors, etc. to cinema treasures users. I inquried to the e-mail address today inquiring about one of the old Cineplex poster cases. I got a reply saying that the owners e-mail posted late on the Cinema Treasures site and they had a salvage company come in last weekend and remove virtually everything out of the theater! I wrote back to see what they planned to do with the theater space, but I haven’t gotten a reply yet. In any case, it looks like any hopes we had of a Mcclurg Court revival are now gone. I am bummed for 2 reasons: 1) I really would like a CO poster case (i also seemingly acted late when I tried to get one out of Rivertree Court, the realty company has yet to call me back)and 2) I never saw a movie here and based on all the posts above, it was an amazing experience. I held out hope someone would revive it so I could have such an experience. I doubt any new movie theater ever built will have a big room with a huge screen like Mcclurg. RIP Mcclurg Court!

aek316
aek316 commented about North Riverside Luxury 6 on Aug 20, 2010 at 4:11 pm

I was inside the mall for the first time in years a few weeks ago and took a peek inside at the lobby. My friend did me one better and walked right into the lobby (it was afternoon and we weren’t planning on going to a show). We looked around at the modifications and it’s largely the same as I remeber albeit new paint and carpeting. The concessions moved across the lobby from where they were and they have a fill station for popcorn and soda where the old concession stand was.It was good to see one of my childhood theaters still in business though it did look a little aged. Hopefully Classic will make a go with it. BTW, all Cineplex signage is gone. I guess all that’s left CO wise I think is Rivertree Court which I plan to see soon. All in all,the mall and theater seemed better kept up then I remember upon my last visit.

aek316
aek316 commented about Hillside Square Theater on Aug 20, 2010 at 4:06 pm

Hi, I was looking up info about the Hillside theaters online the other day and someone posted on a website thread remebering the Hillsdie Mall that the churches that are currently housed in both former Hillside Theaters are not really operating as churches. Can anyone elaborate on that?

aek316
aek316 commented about Hillside Mall Cinemas on Aug 20, 2010 at 4:06 pm

Hi, I was looking up info about the Hillside theaters online the other day and someone posted on a website thread remebering the Hillsdie Mall that the churches that are currently housed in both former Hillside Theaters are not really operating as churches. Can anyone elaborate on that?

aek316
aek316 commented about Lincoln Village 1-6 on Apr 8, 2010 at 8:31 am

Thanks for the info Cinemark. I will definitely check out Rivertree as I live near Vernon Hills. I’m trying to figure out where in the Hawthorne Mall they’d put a theater? I had no idea AMC is buying Kerasotes. That’s a shame, because Kerasotes had a lot of nice theaters and AMC seems to run their theaters into the ground.

Just a small correction: Add Bricktown Square to the list of fitness centers. The sportmart is next door. I frequented Bricktown and North Riverside in my youth. Bricktown was a great theater until the neighborhood and mall started to decline and it’s good to see the North Riverside revitalized by Classic Cinemas. Too bad they couldn’t preserve many of the theaters you mentioned above.

Good luck in your quest to purchase River Oaks and Mcclurg! Have you heard anything on either?

aek316
aek316 commented about Lincoln Village 1-6 on Apr 7, 2010 at 1:06 pm

These pictures are truly tragic and put the final nail in this theater’s coffin. All the vandalism and the marquee damage! Not only is this place not in shape to become a theater again, I feel sorry for the school that’s going in its place! Obviously the neighborhood is not so hot around there either.

Does anyone know if any theaters if any (open or closed) remain in the area with the Cineplex decor?