Rhodes Theater

You would have to search far and wide on the Cinema Treasures website for info on theaters that used to be standing in our ward. Rhodes Theater is one of those theaters that used to sit on 79th & Rhodes that was torn down back in the 1980s.

This late Rapp & Rapp designed movie house, done in Art Moderne style in 1937, was located in the Chatham neighborhood, at the intersection of 79th Street and Rhodes Avenue.

For most of the 30s and 40s (and into the 50s), the Rhodes was operated by the Warner Brothers (later Stanley-Warner) chain. From the mid-60s into the 70s, it was part of the Brotman & Sherman Theaters chain, which also acquired other former Warner houses such as the Avalon (New Regal), Capitol, and Met Theaters.

The Rhodes was open into the 80s, but, unfortunately, was demolished after it closed.

Check out some of the comments as well.

I also want to share with you the Google Maps view of the lot that once was home to the theater the lot is currently empty.

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The picture you see is of the Rhodes taken in August 1990. Taken from these set of pictures where there are other pics of the theater. I found this set in the comments on the page for Rhodes.

If I had the capital I wouldn't mind building a theater here where it was. It could be like a small arts center with an auditorium and a stage. It could be used for meetings, performances or film exhibitions. In addition to serving as a community center. An idea that you might have run across on this blog before, but not necessarily as an arts center.