Esquire Theatre

58 E. Oak Street,
Chicago, IL 60611

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Showing 26 - 50 of 188 comments

CompassRose
CompassRose on February 20, 2011 at 5:36 pm

That’s what the original caption on the photo says…the image came from a Sun-Times archive.

CompassRose
CompassRose on February 20, 2011 at 12:10 pm

Ticket booth at Esquire, 1951: Esquire.

0123456789
0123456789 on February 1, 2011 at 8:14 pm

They still use the theatre for little things like boy scotts, and farmers market I know, becuase I live over there.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on October 14, 2010 at 7:00 am

I think the Urban Remains listing is inaccurate. That sign is not from the 30’s, if memory serves. I think it is a recreation installed at the time of the multiplex conversion.

Broan
Broan on October 13, 2010 at 7:17 pm

only if someone buys it

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on June 29, 2010 at 12:44 am

I just watched an episode of the late 1950s television series, M SQUAD, starring Lee Marvin. The exteriors were filmed in Chicago. In tonight’s episode, Lee Marvin can be seen getting into a car and across the street is the Esquire Theatre.

JudithK
JudithK on May 19, 2010 at 8:04 pm

I saw “Star Trek: the Motion Picture” at the Esquire. The theatre was better than the movie (I prefer “Star Trek II: the Wrath of Khan” myself).

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on May 7, 2010 at 6:22 pm

In reply to your query, in the 70s, that area was still a rather bustling area at night, with many restaurants, music and jazz clubs, singles bars, even a gay bar or two; many were quite famous in their time, although even then, it was little less than it once was a decade or so earlier. Now it’s becoming more of a “boutique” shopping area, much less a nighttime destination.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on May 7, 2010 at 5:22 pm

Most likely, if not certainly, she was coming out the Carnegie Theatre which which was in the next block west, facing Rush St. The Carnegie was at 1026 N. Rush; Faces at 940 N. Rush.

kg20
kg20 on May 7, 2010 at 4:16 pm

Dear Gentlemen (looks as if I’m the only woman on this board – ha):

In the movie, “Looking for Mr. Goodbar,” Diane Keaton is shown coming out of a theater in Chicago. You can clearly see Faces nightclub in the background, so it appears that she is looking South on Rush from Oak, but I’m not sure. Is she coming out of The Esquire and they’ve just edited the film, or was there another theater in the area during the mid-to-late 70’s? Also, if anyone would like to tell me more about this area in the 70’s, I would really appreciate it! Let’s just say that I’ve become obsessed.

Any information is appreciated!

Kelley

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on April 12, 2010 at 6:46 pm

Apparently Marilyn Miglin closed her Oak St. retail store for good, some time back. So any say she had in what went on with the Esquire is now possibly gone too. (See BWChicago’s 9/29/08 post) Unless she owns her building and is still an active Oak Street Council member.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on April 12, 2010 at 5:50 pm

Trust me, J.W.; they’ll never come to town. I wish they would gut the inside and restore it to it’s original theatre self. Of course, they would have to do live performances there; it could never be a full-time movie house again. Can you imagine going to a concert near the lakefront? Now that would be awesome.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on April 12, 2010 at 5:40 pm

Tim, I have heard that Willis Johnson has vowed NEVER to operate a theatre in the city of Chicago, mainly because of tax issues.

Broan
Broan on April 12, 2010 at 5:40 pm

I don’t think Classic wants to deal with the hassles of Chicago government.

telliott
telliott on April 12, 2010 at 5:38 pm

What about Classic Cinemas?

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on April 11, 2010 at 2:41 am

Perhaps Landmark might have considered taking over the Esquire in years past, but I do not think there’s any chance of that happening now; they seem content with the multiplex they built in the shell of the old Century Theater up north and their other operation further north in Chicagoland. Also the company seems to be in a state of contraction – it pulled out of the New Orleans and Columbus, OH markets during the past year and will leave Austin, TX in the fall.

telliott
telliott on April 10, 2010 at 4:43 pm

Looking at that lovely photo, it really is a shame that the Esquire has been just sitting there all these years. It really does fit in to the neighbourhood so well doesn’t it. It should be a Landmark or Angelika or something.

Life's Too Short
Life's Too Short on March 8, 2010 at 12:38 pm

It seems like a lot of high end retail has been closing in Chicago recently. I see more and more expensive store fronts around town for rent. My guess is that nothing will be happening here for a while.

Tim O'Neill
Tim O'Neill on March 8, 2010 at 12:31 pm

I liked it better when it was known as A Walter Reade Theatre.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on February 11, 2010 at 8:36 pm

AKA LOEWS ESQUIRE.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 11, 2009 at 12:18 am

Yes maybe. But the ability to maximize the space in a completely new structure, built from the ground up has to be more doable than renovating an existing space.
Even if they were to keep the mutiple floors currently at the Esquire, how big could each shoebox be to be viable? Versus new shoeboxes that can be built to spec in an open floor plan of their own design?

I would think they’d need many mores screens with potentially different pictures playing on each to make it work.

I remember how big the auditorium was at the Esquire back when it was a one screen. I still don’t envision it as workable as a multi story building they can build from scratch.

Broan
Broan on November 10, 2009 at 11:58 pm

Well, in fairness, the Block 37 theatres would have been shoebox-size, no bigger than the Esquire’s if not smaller.