Movie

Opened in 1971, as the single-screen Jerry Lewis Cinema seating 500, at the Grove Mall, the Elk Grove’s first go-around as a movie house was short-lived, as it was shuttered within a couple years of opening.

From 1973 until closing again in 1981, the Elk Grove Theater was operated under independent ownership.

After closing, the theater was gutted and was used for storage. Part of its parking lot was acquired to construct a Burger King restaurant.

In 1986, the owners of the Classic Cinemas chain, which operates several restored suburban Chicago movie palaces such as the Tivoli (Downers Grove), York (Elmhurst) and Lake (Oak Park), began to lease the old theater, and completely rebuilt it. The theater became a twin, with all new seating, projection equipment, concession stands, and new signage. The Elk Grove Theater reopened in 1987 as a bargain theater.

Ten years later, with the construction of the Elk Grove Town Center shopping center around the theater, Classic Cinemas purchased the Elk Grove Theater and added four more screens, refurbished the existing auditoriums, rebuilt the lobby and concession areas, and added a party room overlooking the lobby area. The six auditoriums are each equipped with Dolby Digital and SDDS sound processing and HPS 4000 Digital Surround Sound as well as loveseats.

In May of 2003, Classic Cinemas announced that the Elk Grove Theater was switching from a bargain house to a first run house, due to rising operating costs, starting with the films “The Lizzie McGuire Movie”, “Holes” and “X2: X Men United”.

In 2006-2007, the Elk Grove Theater underwent another remodeling project, adding two additional screens, two new party rooms, new carpeting and refurbished lobby areas.

Classic Cinemas plans on remodeling the six existing auditoriums in the near future.

The theater had a “grand reopening” ceremony May 18, 2007, featuring “Shrek the Third” and comments from the Mayor of Elk Grove Village, Craig Johnson and the President of Classic Cinemas, Willis Johnson.

Today, two of the auditoriums are equipped with digital projection and 3D. In November 2009, an additional 2-screens were added, making a total of 10.