Classic Cinemas

Classic Cinemas

Company type	Subsidiary
Founded	1978; 46 years ago (1978)
Headquarters	Downers Grove, Illinois , U.S.
Number of locations	16 theaters with 141 screens
Parent	Tivoli Enterprises
Website	www.classiccinemas.com

Classic Cinemas is the largest Illinois based movie theatre chain. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, it operates 16 locations with 141 screens in Illinois and Wisconsin under Tivoli Enterprises ownership.^[1] Its first theatre and company namesake is the restored Tivoli Theatre, in Downers Grove, Illinois.

History

Classic Cinemas was founded in 1978 by Willis and Shirley Johnson, when after the previous operators of the Tivoli Theater, located in the Tivoli building owned by the Johnsons abandoned the theater, they decided to step in and run the theater themselves after they were unable to find another operator. ^[2] Throughout the 1980s and 1990s, the company continued to grow by purchasing historical single screen downtown theaters, restoring and adding additional screens to the complexes.^[3] Classic Cinemas was awarded the Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for “Stewardship” in 2011.^[4]

During a period in the 1980s when some major films were released with 70mm prints for select theatres, Classic Cinemas (then under the Tivoli Enterprises name) featured these wide-gauge prints at their flagship Tivoli Theatre for bargain prices once they had ended their first-run engagements. This might be the only example of a "sub run" theatre showing films in that format.

Classic Cinemas finished its technology overhaul in 2012 installing Christie CP4230 projectors, GDC SX2000AR servers, and Datasat AP-20 audio processors. Now all screens have 4K, High Frame Rate (HFR), personal captioning devices, descriptive narration, and hearing impaired systems. They are also installing micro-perforated screens for the ultimate picture quality. All theatres and auditoriums are equipped 7.1 sound. The chain has also introduced XQ, a Premium large format along with installing power recliners at every location.

Locations

Beloit Theater in Beloit, Wisconsin, 10 screens
Charlestowne 18 in St. Charles, Illinois, 18 screens
Carpentersville 12 in Carpentersville, Illinois, 12 screens
Elk Grove Theatre in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 10 screens
Fox Lake Theatre in Fox Lake, Illinois, 13 screens
Kendall 11 in Oswego, Illinois, 11 screens
La Grange Theatre in La Grange, Illinois, 6 screens
Lake Theatre in Oak Park, Illinois, 7 screens
Lindo Theatre in Freeport, Illinois, 9 screens
Meadowview Theatre in Kankakee, Illinois, 7 screens
North Riverside Luxury 6 in North Riverside, Illinois, 6 screens
Paramount Theatre in Kankakee, Illinois, 5 screens
Sandwich 7 in Sandwich, Illinois, 7 screens
Tivoli Theatre in Downers Grove, Illinois, 2 screens
Woodstock Theatre in Woodstock, Illinois, 8 screens
York Theatre in Elmhurst, Illinois, 10 screens

Former locations

Arcada Theater and Foxfield Theater (closed 2001) in St. Charles, Illinois
Barrington Square Theaters (closed October 2000) in Hoffman Estates, Illinois
Casino Cinema at Grand Victoria Casino Elgin (closed 2002) in Elgin, Illinois
Hinsdale Theater (closed 2012) in Hinsdale, Illinois
Ogden 6 (closed June 7, 2020) in Naperville, Illinois, 6 screens
Park Forest Theater (closed in 2004, later became Holiday Star Theater, theatre closed in 2013) in Park Forest, Illinois
Spring Hill Mall Theaters (closed April 17, 1998) in West Dundee, Illinois
Sterling Theater in Sterling, Illinois
Tivoli South (closed 2001) in Downers Grove, Illinois
Tradewinds Cinemas 1 & 2 (closed 2002) in Hanover Park, Illinois

References

^ "Giants of Exhibition 2024 - Boxoffice". www.boxofficepro.com. July 22, 2024. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
^ IRMA (May 12, 2024). "Classic Cinemas". We Are RetaIL. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
^ Arco, Paul (January 24, 2011). "Two Thumbs Up for Classic Cinemas". Northwest Quarterly. Retrieved August 16, 2024.
^ "2011 Award Recipients".