Avon Theater
2204 SW. Adams Street,
Peoria,
IL
61602
2204 SW. Adams Street,
Peoria,
IL
61602
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Additional Info
Firms: Lankton & Ziegele
Previous Names: Imperial Theater, Circus Theater
Nearby Theaters
This theater originally opened as the Imperial Theater in 1914. It was remodeled in 1937 to the plans of architectural firm Lankton & Ziegele, and renamed the Avon Theater. It closed on April 18, 1956.
It was later reopened and by the 1970’s, was known as the Circus Theater. It it closed and remained vacant for many years, eventually being demolished.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
Here’s a shot of the Avon in it’s current state:
The roof is giving out and it’s scheduled for demolition any day now.
Such a shame to see this theatre in such a state of neglect now!
You have no idea … I was able to peek in the front window only to see sunlight shining through big holes in the roof. The interior is totally gutted, there’s not a single feature of it’s former glory left
But will it play in Peoria?
That at this (former) theater, it won’t.
Address and ZIP need to be changed to:
2204 SW. Adams Street, Peoria, IL 61602 United States
You can mark this one as demolished.
Circa 1935 photo added, photo credit Peoria Public Library.
Undated photo added as Faith Prayer League Revival Center Church, credit Peoria Public Library.
The Szold Family created the Southside business district of Peoria, Illinois in 1880 from corn fields to Szold’s & Son first retail store operated first by Joseph and son, Jacob followed by Jacob and son, Adolph - a commercial legacy of over 100 years. But Adolph liked movie theaters co-creating the Garden Theatre under the Apex Theatre Co. nameplate in 1913. The competing Imperial Theatre here was its contemporary and the Gem about a mile south were the silent Southside movie houses of Peoria.
In 1927, Szold purchased the Imperial and the Gem to rid the area of competition. And it was the Garden that transitioned to sound. Both the Imperial and the Gem scuffled during the Depression. But conditions improved in the latter part of the decade an Szold concentrated on updating the Imperial building with a major upgrade in 1937 to the plans of architects Lankton & Ziegele. It included a colorful foyer and unconventional lobby, Simplex projectors with Peerless lamps, and a name change to the Avon Theatre on May 6, 1937 with Clark Gable in “Call of the Wild.” Despite having a concession stand, some preferred Eto Monterastelli’s Roxy’s Sweet Shop or the Szold’s Department Store for the sneak-in snack variety.
Adolph W. Szold then became Peoria’s drive-in theatre champ creating both the Peoria Drive-In and the Bellevue Drive-In, the latter of which was so successful that it was expanded in size. But television was not the South Side’s movie friend. The Szold’s retail store across the street continued but he closed the Avon Theatre on April 15, 1956 with “Secret Venture” and “Sabuka.” The venue was turned into a house of worship in the 1960s as the Peoria Revival Center.
It then became The Circus in the 1970s, a nightclub that did have a few animated film matinees indicating that the projection capability was still there. As was its near foray into porno chic when the lightning rod of adult film exhibition, the Del-Van got approval to move to the location in 1986 only to be denied a permit to operate months later in a case decided by the Illinois Supreme Court.
The Avon became a short-lived, independent home video store, Avon Unlimited Video - a nod to its theatrical past. When Avon Unlimited closed, the building was offered at a “give away price" in 1985. The Szold’s store closed in 1987 after more than 106 years leaving the Jefferson/Adams/Western/Garden Southside commercial district as a greyfield area. The Avon Theatre building was demolished clearly to remove it from the tax rosters with the lot’s taxing valuation basis dropping significantly and - now - valued at just over $3,000 as a vacant lot in the 2020s.