Remembering the Roxy theater |
By Reid Simmons
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Located at 111 W. Washington Street, just a few doors west of Fremont and Main, this single screen movie theater could seat a few hundred people. The theater opened in 1936. Most of us were about 11 years old when it closed in 1956.
The West Chicago Press, Thursday, August 4, 1949 Courtesy of Barbara Alm Mazzochi
St. Charles Chronicle, Wednesday,
November 1, 1950
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The Roxie Theater before it closed in 1956.
After the Roxie, there was the American Legion until the 1965 fire. (photo courtesy of West Chicago City Museum)
The Roxie Site in 2015 coutesy of Reid Simmons
The stone building to the left, in the top picture, is the Reque building, was the city's first bank. The store immediately to the right of the theater in the above photo, is an ice cream shop. Years later it was Charlie Kaelin's Barbershop.
After in closed, the theater was remodeled for use by the American Legion Post 300 until it was destroyed by fire in 1965. Over the years, this corner location was home to Louie Lyons five & dime, Hornsby Family Center and the Coast-to-Coast hardware store. The building was most recently used by the West Chicago Park District but was closed early in 2015. A very popular corner, it's currently vacant. 
The Roxy Theater site as of February 2015.
I can remember going to a few movies in this theater. Although I don't remember which movies, I do remember the long hallway from the Washington Street entrance ending with a 90 degree right turn into the theater seating area.
Other Local Cinema TheatersFor more history of movie theaters in West Chicago see the city museum's Cinema in West Chicago story.
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