Classic Cinemas

Classic Cinemas is the largest Illinois based movie theatre chain. Headquartered in Downers Grove, Illinois it operates 14 locations with 115 screens in Illinois and Wisconsin (as of June 2020) under Tivoli Enterprises, Inc. ownership. Its first theatre and company namesake is the restored single-screen Tivoli, which has over 1000 seats, in Downers Grove, Illinois.

Logo

Notable features

Classic Cinemas is known for its extensive and historically sensitive renovations of historic theatres some of which includes painstaking recreations of plasterwork, glass, and marquees. Classic Cinemas owners 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] Classic Cinemas is a major user of the HPS-4000 speaker system and acoustic/audio design.

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 Christie CP4230 projectors, GDC SX2000AR servers, and Datasat AP-20 audio processors. Now all screens have 4K, 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, North Riverside Luxury 6, Cinema 7, Paramount, Meadowview and York auditoriums. They also have added recliners to some of the Elk Grove and Lindo 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 15 theatres with 121 screens in 14 communities in the northern Illinois and Wisconsin area. As of September 23, 2016, Classic Cinemas opened up Cinema 7 in Sandwich, Illinois.[2]

Locations

Former locations

References
  1. http://www.landmarks.org/preservation-programs/richard-h-driehaus-foundation-preservation-awards/2011-award-recipients/
  2. http://www.classiccinemas.com/Content.aspx?page=6

Landmarks Illinois. "Award for Stewardship"

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