In the age of the multiplex, not to mention Netflix and downloadable movies on demand, the traditional movie theatres, particularly the single screen movie palaces, have had a tough time surviving. Many of them have been converted to venues for live theatre or music. And many have simply been abandoned.
That's not the case, though, with some theaters scattered across Chicago's suburbs. This summer, Shirley and Willis Johnson are celebrating the 30th anniversary of their chain of movie houses, Classic Cinemas.