After being closed for over two years, a  beloved La Grange spot was remodeled and renewed. 

The La Grange theater, located at 80 S. La Grange Rd., closed in March of 2020 due to COVID-19. It reopened in May of 2022, and is now owned by Classic Cinemas. 

The theaters have all been updated, remodeled, and now have new features. I had been to the theater many times before the remodel, and being able to go and experience the theater’s upgrades was a very positive and exciting experience. 

I went to see the 1:20 p.m. showing of “Top Gun: Maverick.” It was a matinee showing, and the ticket was $9. Night showtime tickets are $9 for children and seniors, and $11 for adults. These are the standard ticket prices for every day of the week, except for Tuesdays, when all tickets are $7. They had many snack options available; I got a large popcorn, which was $8. I shared it with two of my friends, which was plenty for all of us, but there was an option to refill the bucket if we wanted to.

I was able to go online to purchase tickets for this movie a few days in advance, and was able to select any available seat in the theater. This made it easy to avoid the usual movie theater stress of being early to get tickets and having good seats. I could take my time when arriving and getting snacks, and I didn’t have to worry about sitting right in front of the screen, or having to sit with my view blocked. 

Upon arrival, I saw that the interior of the theater building looked just about the same as it previously had before closing. The decorations consist of chandeliers along the hallways, red and cream colored walls and carpets. The overall decorations are very old fashioned yet alluring, which creates a very inviting atmosphere. 

The main renovations took place inside of the actual theaters. There is new carpeting, lighting, screens, and most noticeably, new seats in the theater. The seats are spread out from each other, and are large, comfortable, leather recliners. They feature buttons that make it easy to recline and allow you to adjust your chair position. The seats also feature a heater button for maximum comfort. Everything is perfectly placed, and spread out in a way that makes the screen visible at all times, so I didn’t have to worry about my view being blocked. 

One negative aspect to the theater upgrades was the inevitable price increase. Tickets to this theater used to be around $5.50 each. They have now increased to being $9 for a matinee showing, and $11 for a night-time showing. Another negative to these renovations is the number of seats available inside the theaters. Due to the old seats being replaced with larger reclining chairs, and things becoming more spaced out, there are less seats available within each theater. 

Overall, my experience at the newly renovated La Grange movie theater was very relaxing and enjoyable. The upgrades made to the theater were very much-needed, and they will definitely help to increase business. The theater location is very convenient. I will definitely be visiting this theater again many times in the future, and anticipate repeated positive experiences. The way that this spot has been upgraded, while still keeping much of its classic charm, makes it the perfect place to go to enjoy a movie.

Paw Rating: 4.5/5 Paws