Historic Rogers Park Theater closes its doors after 111 years
CHICAGO (CBS) – A historic theater in the Rogers Park neighborhood officially closed its doors over the weekend.
The New 400 Theater, located at 6746 N. Sheridan Rd., announced on social media Friday that it was closing permanently and was grateful to the community it served for years.
According to the post, the theater also served as a COVID testing center, a banquet facility for local businesses, charities, and homeless shelters, and a home base for the Black Lives Matter marches in Rogers Park.
"We hosted Jazz bands on the patio and put kids names on the marquee for their birthday parties, to make them feel special. We did blood drives and had film festivals. We had morning movies for young mothers with babies, and trivia/game nights, summer camps outings, and so many other programs."
CBS 2's Noel Brennan visited the theater back in March where the manager said they weren't able to bounce back from the pandemic.
"I had my first date with my wife here. If this place were to go away, it's really, it's a bummer," said Aaron Lawson.
According to the theater's website, they will still host regular private events, and a silent film showing is scheduled for Sept. 12.
The New 400 Theater was built in 1912. It was one of the most affordable with millions of tickets sold without going over the $10 mark.
Farewell Rogers Park. The 400 served the community for 14 years : As home base from the BLM marches in RP, as a Covid testing center, as a banquet facility for local businesses, charities, and homeless shelters, as a restroom for the farmers market one year, and last but not least, as a 1st run movie theater. We sold over 1 million tickets, not a single one for more than $10. We hosted Jazz bands on the patio and put kids names on the marquee for their birthday parties, to make them feel special. We did blood drives and had film festivals. We had morning movies for young mothers with babies, and triva/game nights, summer camps outings, and so many other programs. Bella Tronou, of Togo, speaker of 3 languages, started as an usher at the 400 10 years ago, went on to become the GM of both The 400 and for about 8 years The Harper Theater as well, and I am so proud of her and the work she did. John Scaletta was also instrumental every step of the way and deserves to be mentioned by name. Sandi Price of RPBA was our MVP without which we would have most assuredly failed. A shout out to the memory of my great friend the late Tom Fencl whose wife Mary still runs The Davis Theater. That great man stepped up when the village theater had fallen into utter disrepair and opened up his world of contacts to so that The 400 had a shot at being successful, and for a time, thanks to him, it was. Likewise, for many years now, Maria Hadden has been an incredibly generous, loyal and active supporter of the theater. The Davis is the last small 1st run neighborhood theater in Chicago, and those of you who still like small neighborhood theaters to take up residence there, and to eat and drink and be merry because its perpetual existence is not guaranteed. Thanks to everyone who ever worked at the 400, or visited. Grateful to all.
Posted by The New 400 Theaters on Saturday, August 19, 2023