The vacant Cinema Chatham Studio, once a popular destination for Black theatergoers on Chicago’s South Side, was sold Wednesday, December 17, for $1,150,000 to an undisclosed buyer.
Because the transaction was a receivership sale, it must still receive court and lender approval before it can be finalized.
Located at 210 W. 87th Street, Cinema Chatham closed in 2024 after years of declining attendance and ticket sales, mirroring challenges faced by movie theaters nationwide following the coronavirus pandemic.
The sale of the popular venue capped two days of bidding that began Monday, December 15, after local real estate brokerage firm NAI Hiffman placed the property up for auction. The auction officially concluded at 1:10 p.m.
A Chicago Crusader journalist viewed the auction online as it unfolded. Bidding remained slow and sporadic for much of the process. On Tuesday, December 16, a bid of $650,000 for the building went unchallenged for most of the day, with little visible activity from other bidders. By late Wednesday morning, the bid that ultimately won was placed and remained uncontested until the auction ended.
Though the final sale price was $1,150,000, the building’s sale does not reflect the scale of renovations completed in 2017.
It remains unclear whether the new owner intends to reopen the building as a movie theater. Photos and videos of the vacant building’s interior show that stadium-style theater seating, a bar, concession stands, and an entertainment area remain largely intact. Images also reveal that appliances in the kitchen have been removed, suggesting the space may be reconfigured for a different use.
The sale comes at a time when big-budget Hollywood films are once again drawing movie enthusiasts back to theaters across the country, following years of low attendance that began during the coronavirus pandemic and were compounded by production shutdowns.
Before operating as Cinema Chatham Studio, the theater served for decades as a popular entertainment destination within the Black community. Built in 1997, the venue—then known as Studio Movie Grill—received a $3 million makeover in 2017 that introduced luxury seating and an upscale menu, with meals delivered directly to moviegoers’ seats during films. The site also included a rentable entertainment area used by families, community groups, and organizations for parties and special events.
In 2018, the theater experienced record attendance during the premiere of the Marvel film “Black Panther,” which was screened on 13 of its 14 available screens and drew packed audiences throughout its run.
In 2020, the movie theater temporarily closed, and its parking lot was repurposed as a coronavirus testing site serving South Side residents.
In 2021, Studio Movie Grill permanently ceased operations after filing for bankruptcy. Later that year, building owner Jon Goldstein reopened the property in partnership with Emagine Entertainment. The renovation included a new façade and banners honoring Black movie legends displayed near the bar area. The venue reopened under the new name Cinema Chatham during the premiere of “Respect,” a biopic of the late Aretha Franklin starring Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson.
Under the new management, the luxury menu and seat-side food delivery service were discontinued. Admission prices increased, but attendance lagged as Hollywood’s production of new films—halted during the pandemic—was slow to recover.
Cinema Chatham closed again in 2024. At the time, Emagine Entertainment’s former CEO, Anthony LaVerde, said in a statement that the theater was no longer “economically viable.”
Emagine Entertainment has since been sold to a Belgian theater company.
Cinema Chatham’s closure left South Side moviegoers with only two remaining theaters: AMC Ford City 14 and the historic Harper Theater in Hyde Park.
Former mayoral candidate Ja’Mal Green told the Crusader in 2024 that he was interested in purchasing the building but said it would not continue operating as a movie theater under his ownership.
Shuttered and boarded up, the building sat vacant for nearly two years before it was sold Wednesday.
During the online auction, NAI Hiffman promoted the building’s features and assets through photos and marketing highlights. The firm noted the property’s well-maintained interior, high-end theater design, proximity to Interstate 94, and nearby retail neighbors such as Starbucks and an Aldi supermarket.
The sellers also emphasized the building’s location on 11.6 acres, its expansive parking lot, and its PD 566 zoning designation, which allows developers and the city to engage in site-specific negotiations regarding permitted uses, building dimensions, open space, and parking configurations.
Additional marketing materials highlighted the property’s access to public transportation, including CTA Red and Green Line stations and multiple bus routes.
Located approximately 10 miles south of the Loop, the property sits within a busy commercial corridor that includes Home Depot, Jewel-Osco, Planet Fitness, DTLR, Chipotle, Wendy’s, and McDonald’s.
