[VIDEO] I'm sorry to have shared this with you all much later as this is old news. How many of you are glad that our local movie house on 87th is back open. That facility has gone from being ICE Theaters, Chatham 14 Theaters, Studio Movie Grill and now Cinema Chatham powered by Emagine. It has gone through many ownership changes since 2012.
It re-opened this past weekend as Cinema Chatham and this story by Jim Williams shows their first day back in action having been closed over the past year due to the pandemic. We learned this past spring that Studio Movie Grill who owned this venue since 2014 will not be returning to this location.
With the excitement of the Chatham Theaters reopening, it's in the news that they're also looking to bring a restaurant to the theater in the future. This is according to Wendell Hutson at Chicago Business Journal which unfortunately is behind a paywall.
Also they're hiring up there if anyone is looking. There are about 70 employees there and they are looking hire people aged 16 & up.
Also shoutout to Harlan Falcon Bryan who we see is the General Manager for the Cinema Chatham.
Chains such as Regal Cinemas, AMC Theatres, and even the Showplace Icon on Roosevelt have since reopened back in August. Some of you may have seen the latest anticipated release Tenet starring John David Washington - he's the son of the legendary Denzel Washington - and directed by Christopher Nolan who you may know from the The Dark Knight trilogy and Inception to name a few big ticket releases he's made.
Well what's happening to Regal Cinemas who does have two locations within the city limits aren't much different from what other chains are doing. The Logan Theater announced that they were closing after reopening. Another chain with a few locations within the area Classic Cinemas earlier this summer announced that they were closing temporarily. And as of Thursday, yesterday, Regal Cinemas will again shut down operations temporarily.
The concern is that there aren't movies available to get people out of the house as much as it might be the continuing restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic. I'm sure there is a reason why the 87th theaters remain close and it's exactly those two factors.
As a matter of fact if you're a James Bond fan you were probably anticipating that release in the near future. Unfortunately it has been pushed back due to this pandemic. Originally it was supposed to have been released in the spring when these stay-at-home orders were in effect, then it was supposed to have been released during this summer, then the fall, and now it has been pushed back into next year.
As I've stated over the past summer and it's true now, people want to get out of the house. Now is the time for entertainment. Thankfully we've finally gotten out of this tumultuous summer and at least so far this week in fall the weather has been nice.
Also stated at some point on this blog, this pandemic is temporary. We should continue to take our precautions with this tricky virus. I shared a video from the state about wearing face masks, my expectation is that we won't be doing that forever. I wish we could flick a switch and this pandemic is over.
As far as the 87th theaters, I'm looking to see what's going on with them. If you have any updates feel free to share.
[VIDEO] While this carnival will be leaving on July 2nd, we see a local resident concerned enough about the closure of Lafayette Avenue and the clearance for traffic going onto the Dan Ryan Expressway. We also see some aspects of the measures made by the company Modern Midways to insure the safety of those who choose to patronize this carnival.
This isn't the first time we've heard about a new theater coming to 71st/Jeffrey. I first got wind of it in 2016 and the plan was the preserve the former HQ of ShoreBank and the former Jeffrey Theater. Then later it was reported that those buildings would have to be demolished to build the new theater.
Now this new Cinegrill being developed by ICE Theaters owner Alisa Starks expects to open in June 2020. This is according to the Chicago Citizen:
Located inside the former Urban Partnership Bank Building, 7054 S. Jeffrey Blvd., will be Cinegrill, a 50,000-square foot development that will house a seven-screen theatre with chef-designed cuisine, a bar, reclining seats, and seating capacity between 38 and 75; Odessa’s
Kitchen, a Creole-inspired restaurant seating up to 105 people; AJ’s, a four-lane bowling alley, equipped with multiple big screen TVs, a lounge that serves alcohol and appetizers, and offers table games like checkers, chess and backgammon. The last component for the development will be Penthouse 71, an events venue that can accommodate up to 225 people, and will include an outdoor patio for up to 85 people. A parking lot for the multi-entertainment center will be built at the corner of 71st Street and Bennett Avenue.
Construction is expected to begin later this year with a goal of opening June 2020, according to Starks.
“ICE is launching a new development, blending a variety of entertainment and dining targeted to sophisticated, urbane adults and leveraging a fast, growing trend of successful ‘eatertainment’ brands from Dave & Busters to Punch Bowl Social,” explained Starks.
The video above from WBEZ is about The Rink at 1122 East 87th Street, in fact just across the street from the former stock car race track shared with you last week.
I hate to say it I've never been to The Rink. In fact I've never learned to even roller skate. I've been to a couple of rinks in my life especially to one on the north side that is no longer in operation (thanks a lot progress).
It's great to share on this blog places you should know about. Especially places that are important institutions for the community or at least to those who have patronized these places over the years. Also it's great to note places that are Black-owned and have remained successful over the years.
Perhaps one day I will visit The Rink and learn to roller skate, to be honest one of my early youthful goals had been to play hockey. It was one dream I never achieved because I never learned to skate let along take a wrist shot, however, now I know of one place nearby to learn to roller skate.
For the first time in years I went to the SMG Chatham theaters. I met up with fellow Sixth Ward blogger JP Paulus (whose birthday also fell on December 14th) to check out the newly renovated theaters. If you know the history the Chatham 14 was opened in 1997 under the ownership of ICE Theaters and managed in the beginning day to day by a company known as Cineplex Odeon. Of course as of 2014 the local cineplex is owned by Studio Movie Grill (SMG) and renovations were completed in 2017.
Usually I'm a matinee guy and always have been. But in meeting with JP Paulus on our respective birthday for the release of Spider-man: Into the Spiderverse I was going to the show later than normal. I had no idea according to JP that the concession stand would be closed by 6:30 PM. If you want food even if it was typical theater treats such as candy, popcorn or soft drinks you'd have to order them through a server in your respective auditorium.
I realized once I got to my auditorium that I needed to change my seat. I'm probably like a lot of theater goers don't like people sitting in front of you or don't want to sit near anyone. It was a seamless process by cashier in the box office area. Of course if you buy your tickets only you can just walk to a kiosk and use a bar code on your phone to get physical tickets.
What's I've also learned is that there will always be people who like to come to the theater at the last minute to buy tickets. Not complaining I'm often the same way and I'd prefer to pay for cash to buy movie tickets of course can't do that online. I was surprised that as I waited to change my seats in box office how gradually the line got longer and longer for those last minute moviegoers.
At least on this Friday evening the business wasn't great, it was a lightly attended night at least for the Spider-man film. I got some sliders to eat and they were great. The film was also great and to be sure it's a great movie to watch with your family or with children. It's a computer animated comic book film that often feels as if it was lifted from the pages of Marvel Comics.
Let's not forget that in the lobby is a full service bar where you could hang out before or after your movie. Perhaps you just want to drop in and not see a movie. It's there and probably a perfect place to watch the Oscars during that particular season of the year. There are big screen TVs at the bar.
If I have to rate this place, I'd give it 4 stars out of 5. I've been a customer of the Chatham 14 for years even through all the changes in the 21 years it has been in operation. I could say something about the seats in front of us in my auditorium that were covered in tarp because the roof leaked. I will also say I like how they stretched out the auditorium so that the servers could do their jobs. It seems as if they took out a row of seats to accommodate the vision of a full service dine-in movie theater.
Also I had no idea that you could pick up a menu where the greeter used to be. Usually a person that rips your tickets would be located in the hallway just before going to your respective auditorium. It was very easy to find your reserved seating as seats are lettered and numbered.
As stated in another post last year and again in our year end round-up. You need not go downtown to either Showplace Icon or AMC Block 37 Dine-In theaters to get the same amenities you get get at 210 W. 87th Street. Unlike at those two downtown theaters with similar amenities you don't have to pay to park on 87th Street.
BTW, shout out to Harlan Falcon Brian who was one of the managers on duty on that evening.
[VIDEO] If you recall Chance the Rapper bought Chicagoist (which was shut down in 2017 because the Ricketts family who owned parent DNA Info shut down all operations) and now we see the direction where he wants to take it. He's getting himself involved in the elections this years especially by endorsing one mayoral candidate.
Either way this video is quite hilarious and makes a few references to Ald. Ed Burke (Ward 14) who got his with a search warrant this past week. Either way while Chance himself plays a character he speaks to people out on the streets who either have no idea what an alderman does, how many wards are in Chicago, or even who their alderman are.
He even interviews many candidates for Alderman especially in the 9th and 15th wards. We see how difficult it is for someone to run for office in Chicago. What does it take to inject fresh blood into Chicago's city council? What does it take to make it easier to run for office in the city?
|Finally we see an hilarious performance by comedian Hannibal Buress who plays 51st Ward Alderman Al Duhrman (see what they did there). Anyway Al Duhrman is exactly what the stereotype of an alderman would be for many in Chicago or for sure outside of our city unfamiliar with what they do.
If this is the direction Chance is taking with Chicagoist, I'm looking forward to it! :P
Below for reference is a tweet that has a link to a Sun-Times article about Chance's vid.
Chance the Rapper dropped a 15-minute lesson in local politics. The video is his first work of journalism since he bought the online publication Chicagoist last July, @samjcharles reports. https://t.co/yvAqXOnVbP
The launch of Chatham Center Chicago last Wednesday gave me the opportunity to check out the new SMG Chatham 14 on Wednesday. Didn't get a chance to catch a show there on this day, however, I was there for that program and saw a lot of changes to the lobby since before the many changes that were finally complete last spring.
The last time I came to watch a movie here was in 2014 for the Seth Rogen & Zac Efron comedy Neighbors. At that point there was still no bar in what used to be the lobby and things really look the some from since the theaters ownership under ICE Theatres.
Bar in lobby SMG Chatham
Then I see the changes to the concession stand, a kitchen where the video games used to be, of course the bar and seating in the lobby, a stage where the fabled & often closed Chatham Grill used to be, and also there were more games in the hallway towards the auditoriums those are gone now. Now the theater is truly a great place to come watch a movie.
Hallway to auditoriums
Think about it, for those amenities you can expect to get in downtown Chicago such as AMC Dine-in Block 37 or Kerasotes Theatres Showplace Icon one needs not go that far. Just come to 210 W. 87th Street and you can have those same downtown amenities. Not just the bar, food service in the auditorium during the movie, reserved seating, even purchasing advance tickets online.
Purchasing tickets online is especially key for when the next hot release from the Marvel Cinematic Universe Black Panther hits theaters around the country February 16, 2018.
BTW, I know that with this new Chatham Center moving forward SMG Chatham is poised to be one of the main businesses. And I promise to come here every once in a while to watch a movie. Or perhaps come in and try some of the menu offerings also.
Reading the archived ICE Theaters website their three theaters were open for business on November 24, 1997. Meanwhile 20 years later we discuss some history and ultimately the future.
In October, Worlee Glover at Concerned Citizens of Chatham marked the occasion in the 1990s when Donzell & Alisa Starks - the couple who owns ICE Theaters - approached the community about opening their facility in Chatham. It's noted that while there have been many changes to the theater since opening in 1997 one aspect of their vision remains - we still need not have to go too far from our neighborhood to catch the latest Hollywood releases.
Wanting to see Tomorrow Never Dies - a James Bond film starring Pierce Brosnan - it was nice to not have to drive to the then General Cinemas and current AMC Theatres at Ford City to catch a movie. Just drive up the Dan Ryan to 87th Street to catch a show. It was something my mother and I had done faithfully for years. The Chatham community has a history of successful Black-owned businesses which included Seaway Bank and it was also cool that this theater was Black owned even if day-to-day management were actually performed by Cineplex-Odeon at the time.
[VIDEO] Enjoy this "Peanuts" special A Charlie Brown Christmas. And apparently it first aired on TV 52 years ago. I have been a "Peanuts" fan and hopefully you enjoy this on your holiday. Enjoy your gifts and your family & friends today.
[VIDEO] Today is Thanksgiving and I hope sincerely you're enjoying a great meal with your friends & family today. If you're looking for some entertainment before dinner or before football - assuming you're not boycotting the NFL this year - check out A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. Yes I am a fan of Charlie Brown, it wouldn't be a holiday season without the "Peanuts" crew.
Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving - especially if you're traveling to meet with family & friends!
Saturday, November 18th. Come join SMG Chatham as we host a free LIVE watch party of Saturday Night Live to support our friend and community partner, Chance the Rapper. He’s done so much for our community, so let's rally around him and celebrate his successes. Doors open at 9:00 pm with DJ performance in the lobby from 9:00 pm to 11:00 pm.
I had been a bit hard of Ms. Alisa Starks during this past summer. Back in 2015 Starks - who with her late husband Donzell Starks owned ICE Theaters - proposed a theater, restaurant, and retail to be located at the former main branch of Urban Partnership Bank. Incidentally that branch also contained the facade of the former Jeffrey Theater.
In any case there was nothing but questions with regards to her plan such as whether or not ICE Theaters was involved - since sometime that year that company had filed for bankruptcy. Then recently more news on bringing a development to 71st & Jeffrey:
Alisa Starks, who developed movie theaters in Chatham and Lawndale, said at Tuesday night’s 5th Ward meeting that she plans to demolish the former Urban Partnership Bank at 7054 S. Jeffery Blvd. and build an entertainment center
“When the architects got in they said we couldn’t use the building as is, so we’re going to demolish it,” Starks said.
While I'm disappointed that they won't use the building as is, the proposed new building looks great.
Going further:
The three-story building will be topped with an events venue designed by 555 International, the Chicago firm that designed Girl and the Goat and GT Fish and Oyster. The first two stories of the building will be focused on the theater, which will serve food and beer and wine, and the restaurant, which Starks said already is developing a Creole menu.
If it seems early to be thinking about the menu before any work has begun, it’s a sign of the aggressive pace Starks said she wants to hit after two years of planning the project.
Starks said she wants to open next summer. The next step will be to get zoning approval from the city. If there is a mild winter, demolition will begin sooner, Starks said.
Here's hoping that this concept does get off the ground!
Another press release from Studio Movie Grill Chatham. A series of events to celebrate the grand re-opening of our long-time local movie house which from 2012 onwards has gone through a couple of ownership changes. Now, it's featuring a brand new concept.
In addition to $1 million he's donating to CPS school after his meeting with Gov. Bruce Rauner to discuss the schools, Chance the Rapper is also donating $10,000 to these schools.
Charles Carroll Elementary
Clemente High School
Fenger High School
Hirsch High School
Juarez High School
Mahalia Jackson Elementary
Nathan S. Davis Elementary
Orr High School
Robeson High School
Oliver S. Westcott Elementary
These donations are from Chance's Social Works Chicago non-profit. According to WGN:
"The one million dollars is not meant to cure the $215 million
CPS funding shortfall, but to call attention to the political feud in
Springfield and how it affects communities."
You're also encouraged to visit the Social Works website and make a donation in addition to Chance's donations.
The concept you see above have come slowly, but has finally become reality according to this press release from Studio Movie Grill regarding our local movie house. And also this ig post we shared around Oscar time.
Having been under the ownership of Studio Movie Grill for three years we've been anticipating a refurbishment that will drastically change the theater with a bar, restaurant, new seats in the auditoriums, and even restaurant service in the auditoriums.
I haven't patronized the theater in a number of years, but it's time to check out some of the changes that we knew were coming for years under new ownership.
As you see in this IG post below, this is how the lobby looked during the Sunday night Oscar telecast.
[VIDEO] I really like how the officials at the Chicago Fire Department Academy literally had to kick Jahmal Cole out of their training exercise. That is understandable at they are in training and surely there is an element of danger in their training.
Either way that segment is fitting as we explore another meaning for one of the stars on Chicago's flag - the Great Chicago Fire. We learn that there wasn't a fire started by a cow, but several fires near Lake Michigan which due to the buildings of the city at the time with wood and tar just spread all over the city.
Also ironically the alleged farm where the Great Chicago Fire started is exactly at the Chicago Fire Academy located at 558 W De Koven St.
On Monday, we've learned that Donzell Starks - one of the owners of ICE Theaters with his wife Alisa Starks - has passed away. According to a fb status shared on Concerned Citizens of Chatham he died due to pancreatic cancer.
Also in that same status Alisa was referred to as his ex-wife, unsure if that could be verified independently of social media.
One of the main stories we covered during the past four years revolves around the change in ownership of the Chatham 14 Theaters. With a business dispute causing ICE Theaters to be evicted from the Chatham and operations taken over by new ownership. Currently, the Chatham is owned by the Texas based company Studio Movie Grill.
In 1997 ICE Theaters built and opened theaters in Chatham, Englewood, and Lawndale bringing movie theaters back into inner city neighborhoods. He without a doubt leaves behind a significant legacy that hopefully other entrepreneurs in our communities will also do something as groundbreaking.
How many of us will go to the Studio Movie Grill in Chatham to check this film out. There was lots of publicity generated by certain politicians hate for the film title. Here's hoping it gets the reception it deserves from Chicagoans and the rest of the world when it's released on Dec. 4th.
Spike Lee's controversial "Chi-Raq" movie that's a satirical look at Chicago violence will be released Dec. 4 in some theaters, Lee confirmed on Instagram.
The movie, which is set on the South Side and based on the ancient Greek comedy "Lysistrata," is about women withholding sex to get their men to stop committing violence. Lee drew backlash from Mayor Rahm Emanuel and some aldermen when he announced the title of the movie earlier this year.
Lee shot the movie, which is produced by Amazon Studios, from June 1-July 9. Amazon Studios has partnered with Roadside Attractions and Lionsgate for the theatrical release, according to Deadline, which was the first to report the news of the release date. It's unclear when the film will be available on Amazon's Prime Instant Video service.
