Illington Theatre

2118 W. Cermak Road,
Chicago, IL 60608

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Goodman & Harrison Theatres

Functions: Retail

Nearby Theaters

Illington Theatre

Located in the Pilsen neighborhood, the Illington opened in 1916 on 22nd Street (now Cermak Road) at Hoyne Avenue.

After closing sometime in the 60s, the building was converted to retail use and today serves as a dollar store.

Contributed by Bryan Krefft

Recent comments (view all 8 comments)

Adella1
Adella1 on January 4, 2007 at 1:06 am

This was our theater. I grew up in this neighborhood, we could watch 100 cartoons for a quarter. why does Chicago tare down our beautiful theaters, Chicago is not Chicago anymore our theaters were so beautiful, look at what they did toi the Woods and Chicago Theater and all them closed and torn down. this is sad, now you have to go to a shopping mall and sit in a ugly building with no class at all. GC

Yves Marchand
Yves Marchand on July 7, 2009 at 6:24 am

A recent visit revealed that the original (and relatively plain) ceiling still exists behind the store’s added ceiling :
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Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on December 14, 2010 at 10:33 am

I suspect it looked much more elegant with proper paint application.

Broan
Broan on March 7, 2011 at 12:26 pm

The “Y” symbol is known as the Chicago Municipal Device, a symbol of the city of Chicago.

Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois
Ret. AKC (NAC) CCC Bob Jensen, Manteno, Illinois on August 18, 2012 at 10:19 am

Seems to me I learned in the Chicago Public Schools that the “Y” is the for the Chicago River that splits into the North and South Branch.

chiportland
chiportland on February 24, 2013 at 11:46 am

I grew up in Pilsen in the 50’s and 60’s. We used to go to the Illington on Saturday mornings or Saturday afternoons. I remember that when it closed one of the movies that were advertised in its Coming Attractions display was for “The Guns Of Navarrone”. We didn’t know the theatre was closing for good.and used to walk by waiting to see the movie. It was a great old neighborhood theater as was the Milo just off Blue Island and 18th. The neighborhood was not the same after it closed.

ktsmith2557
ktsmith2557 on March 23, 2013 at 10:00 am

Saw “Land of the Pharaohs” there. My dad worked at The Little Flower Shoppe just around the corner at 21stbPlace and Leavitt. Wonderful memories just visiting this site!

Broan
Broan on February 28, 2017 at 4:26 pm

Margaret Illington was a popular stage actress who took her odd stage name from her hometown of Bloomington, Illinois.

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