Patio Theater

Chicago, ah Chicago. Birthplace of Cracker Jacks, Aunt Jemima Pancake mix, the zipper, the Ferris wheel, automatic dishwashers, and Pabst Blue Ribbon Beer, just to name a few. One other trend that began in Chicago is the opulent movie palaces like the Chicago Theater and many, many others that are no longer around.  The first opened in October of 1917, sat 1,780 people, and was air conditioned – quite a novelty for the time. 

While most of those gorgeous theaters are now closed, they are a few sprinkled throughout the city that retain at least some of their original glory.  One in particular, the Patio Theater, still shows movies, rather than musicals.  Located on the northwest side, the Patio is the only movie palace still in operation in the community.  Among its other attributes are; the largest single screen in Chicagoland, a state of the art sound system, and a grand neo-Pompeian lobby restored to its original elegance.

One of the best parts – you can see movies for $5.00!  You may have to wait a couple of weeks to see the latest movies and you have to have a car to get there, but it’s worth the drive to sit under the flickering stars and moving clouds.  You can buy your favorite movie-watching treats in the lobby and enjoy the magnificent restoration completed by this now-family-owned theater.  It’s a real treat.  For movie and other information go to: http://patiotheater.net/