Classic Cinemas

Classic Cinemas
Company type	Subsidiary
Founded	1978; 46 years ago;
Headquarters	Parent
Website	www.classiccinemas.com

Classic Cinemas is the largest

movie theatre chain. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois, it operates 16 locations with 137 screens in Illinois and Wisconsin (as of May 2022) under Tivoli Enterprises ownership. Its first theatre and company namesake is the restored Tivoli

, which has over 1000 seats in the original auditorium, in Downers Grove, Illinois. A second auditorium, with 33 seats, was completed in 2021.

Notable features

Classic Cinemas is known for its extensive and historically sensitive renovations of historic theatres some of which include painstaking recreations of plasterwork, glass, and marquees. Classic Cinemas founders Willis and Shirley Johnson are members of a number of preservation societies and were awarded the Landmarks Illinois Richard H. Driehaus Foundation Preservation Award for “Stewardship” in 2011.[1]

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

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 started to install dts:X object-based sound at several locations

Classic Cinemas has installed luxury power recliners in all of Beloit, Cinema 12, Charlestowne, Fox Lake, La Grange, North Riverside Luxury 6, Cinema 7, Paramount, Meadowview and York auditoriums. They also have added recliners to some of the Elk Grove, Kendall 11, Lindo, Tivoli, and Woodstock screens.

Classic Cinemas, based in Downers Grove, Illinois, is a family-owned company operated by Willis, Shirley and Chris Johnson. Established in 1978, Classic Cinemas operates 16 theatres with 137 screens in 15 communities in the northern Illinois and Wisconsin area. As of September 23, 2016, Classic Cinemas opened up Cinema 7 in Sandwich, Illinois.[2]

Locations

Beloit Theater in Beloit, Wisconsin, 10 screens
Charlestowne 18 in St. Charles, Illinois, 18 screens
Cinema 12 in Carpentersville, Illinois, 12 screens
Cinema 7 in Sandwich, Illinois, 7 screens
Elk Grove Theatre in Elk Grove Village, Illinois, 10 screens
Fox Lake Theatre in Fox Lake, Illinois, 9 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
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

^ "2011 Award Recipients".
^ "Classic Cinemas Movie Theatres, Digital Projection & Sound, Movie Parties". Archived from the original on August 3, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.

Landmarks Illinois. "Award for Stewardship" [1]

External links

[1] "2011 Award Recipients".

[2] "Classic Cinemas Movie Theatres, Digital Projection & Sound, Movie Parties". Archived from the original on August 3, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2016.