“Three years ago, the New 400 Theater went dark after more than a century-long run in Rogers Park. But on Friday, the projectors were back up and running, the popcorn was popping and excited moviegoers were lining up for showings of the latest ‘Spiderman’ sequel.
“‘It felt weird because people always say, “You can never go home again.” You can never relive an old memory,’ said Rogers Park resident Jesse Borrower, who was a regular at the theater before it closed. ‘But it felt like nothing had changed. We were just coming back, watching another movie.’
“Inside the theater, owner Jordan Stancil swept up popcorn before the next crowd poured in that afternoon. Stancil takes a hands-on approach to his job as the new operator of The 400 Theater, which it is now called after he dropped the ‘new’ from the name.
“The chaos of the movie theater business is familiar to Stancil, who operates three cinemas in Michigan, including the Rialto Theater in Grayling, Michigan, which his great-grandfather founded in 1915. His great-grandmother played the piano in that theater and Stancil learned how to play after they moved it to their family’s living room.
“‘We have a long historical memory of pretty much everything in this industry since its inception,’ he said.
“‘People are seeing that COVID didn’t kill these businesses and I think that there’s going to be a positive narrative because people are going to see that the public comes in here, as you’re seeing right now,’ he said, pointing to guests queuing up at the concession stand. ‘So it’s not really true that this is a dying thing, because the public doesn’t think that.’
“Isaac looked around at the vintage theater, gesturing at the curtains and terra cotta harp on the wall. ‘What I like about this theater is all the theaters like AMC are all so futuristic,’ Isaac Swartz said. ‘But this is just like basic, nice. And you can see, look at the architecture.’
“When The 400 shuttered in 2023, constituents implored Ald. Maria Hadden (49th) to help revive the space’s original purpose as a movie house.
“‘People loved it,’ Hadden said. ‘They loved the programming, they loved the memories, and “We didn’t want to see it go away,” that was what they told me.’
“He plans to work with Nicola McCafferty, who received a PhD from Northwestern University’s screen cultures program, on the theater’s programming, and in the coming months he’ll bring in a 35-millimeter projector.
“He’s also betting that his prices — $11 for evening shows and $6 for children under 11 — will draw a steady crowd in a K-shaped economy.
“‘If you turn this into a splurge, it’s just stupid. I love movies and I love movie theaters, but it’s just not a Taylor Swift concert,’ he said. ‘This is not a bucket list thing to go to this movie. But it’s one of those simple things that people always remember.’” (Giangreco, Block Club Chicago, 7/31/26)
Preservation Chicago congratulates Jordan Stancil, thanks Ald. Maria Hadden and the Rogers Park residents who insisted the space remain a movie house, and credits building owner Tony Fox and the Lord Companies for the long search that found an operator rather than a different use. Historic theaters survive when owners are committed to their success.
Built in 1913 and operating under the names Regent, the 400, the 400 Twin, the Village North, the Visionary and the New 400 across its history, this is the oldest movie house in Chicago. Its closure left the Chicago’s far northside without a neighborhood theater. We’re thrilled to see it reopened.
Read the full story at Block Club Chicago
- The 400 Theater Reopens To Lines Of Moviegoers In Rogers Park: ‘Like Nothing Had Changed’; When The 400 shuttered in 2023, neighbors called for it to be revived and preserved as its original purpose as a movie house, Leigh Giangreco, Block Club Chicago, 7/31/26
- Rogers Park’s Historic 400 Theater, Closed Since 2023, Reopening This Month Under New Owner; Tickets for the July 31 opening of the theater — which had a 111-year run as Chicago’s oldest movie palace — will be on sale soon, Madison Savedra, Block Club Chicago, 7/22/26
- The next iteration of the 400 Theater; The New 400 Theaters closed in 2023, leaving the far north side without a cinema. This year, the historic Rogers Park institution will reopen, Rob Silverman Ascher, The Chicago Reader, 1/30/26
- Rogers Park’s New 400 Theaters Is Reopening As New Operator Revives 113-Year-Old Movie House; The operator of three historical movie theaters in Michigan has leased the shuttered Rogers Park theater, which was the city’s oldest continually running movie theater when it closed in 2023, Madison Savedra, Block Club Chicago, 12/1/25
- WIN: The 400 Theaters in Rogers Park Will Reopen With New Ownership; Preservation Chicago, 1/31/26
- The 400 Theater