CHATHAM — Cinema Chatham permanently closed this week, shutting down just days after hosting a screening with a local alderperson’s office.
Cinema Chatham officials posted a sign on the entrance this week saying the theatre was permanently closed. Shocked neighbors responded to the news on Facebook Tuesday.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude for your unwavering support and patronage,” the sign read. “It has been a pleasure serving you.”
Anthony LaVerde, CEO of parent company Emagine Entertainment, said in a statement that the theater at 210 W. 87th St was no longer “economically viable.”
“It is with deep regret that Cinema Chatham, a franchise operator under the Emagine brand, announces its closure,” Emagine leaders said in a statement. “The decision comes as a result of the business at this specific location no longer being economically viable. When our franchise partner reopened the theatre in 2021, they were hopeful they could to continue to carry on the legacy of serving this community, so we understand that this news may be disheartening.”
Jon Goldstein, owner of Cinema Chatham, did not immediately respond to Block Club’s request for comment.
Ald. Ronnie Mosley (21st), whose ward includes the theater, said it’s a “major blow to the arts and entertainment scene in the 21st Ward.”
“Despite the decline of the movie theatre industry in the U.S., further worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic and growing popularity of streaming services, Cinema Chatham made a valiant effort to stay open, and their efforts are appreciated,” Mosley said in a statement.
Worlee Glover, a longtime Chatham resident, learned about the closing after neighbors began texting him with pictures of the sign, he said. Most people found out about the closing only after visiting the theatre, 210 W. 87th St., Glover said.
“It looks to us like it was a last-minute decision,” Glover said.
Cinema Chatham opened in August 2021. Goldstein, an avid movie fan and Emagine Theatre franchisee, bought the 87th Street building in 2019 when it still housed Studio Movie Grill.
Studio Movie Grill filed for bankruptcy in 2020 and permanently closed in April 2021. Goldstein filled the vacant space with Cinema Chatham.
South Side moviegoers slowly flocked back to the theater in August 2021 while Goldstein worked to open all 14 theaters to the public and obtain a liquor license. The theater hosted a grand opening celebration in July 2022 with new renovations and a screening of Jordan Peele’s film, “Nope.”
“This might sound cheesy, but there’s nothing better than doing this,” Goldstein previously told Block Club. “Something about entertaining people and making people happy through entertainment has always been a real joy for me. The thought that I provided a couple of hours of escapism has always been something that just feels like my purpose. What a great business to be in.”
Glover used to visit Cinema Chatham often, he said. The theatre was known for partnering with local community organizations for special screenings. Ald. Stephanie Coleman (16th) hosted a 16th Ward Movie Day screening of “The Color Purple” on Jan. 25.
Cinema Chatham also often screened films by independent filmmakers and hosted festivals for up-and-coming artists, like the Cinema Soup Film Festival and the Indie Horror Film Festival.
“I’ve been a supporter since they first opened,” Glover said. “We’re losing out.”
Cinema Chatham joins a list of national chains that have abruptly left the 87th Street building. A Best Buy in the Chatham Ridge Shopping Mall closed in April 2013. A Toys R Us store occupied the building before that.
“National chains do this all the time to us,” Glover said. “We have to stop depending on them for our goods and services and start focusing on individual entrepreneurs.”
Cinema Chatham’s closing leaves South Side moviegoers with only two easily accessible theaters: The Harper Theater, 5238 S. Harper, and AMC Ford City 14, 7601 S. Cicero Ave.
Glover would like to see another movie chain set up shop in the 87th Street building, he said. Developers could pair the theater with a sit-down restaurant — another amenity lacking in the community, Glover said.
“Hopefully, another operator will come in and open it back up with a new plan,” Glover said. “I’d like to see something fast casual there, too, like a Chili’s. That would be a big improvement.”
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