Cascade Drive-In Closes After 57 Years In West Chicago
The Cascade Drive-In Theater located in West Chicago will not be opening for another season, and is permanently closed for business.
According to a recent Facebook post, the drive-in's owner, Jeff Kohlberg, said that the landowner decided not to permit the theater to remain open anymore, and was not given a clear reason why. The post described that the land has not been sold and is not under contract. The owners claimed that the land will remain vacant.
"I can only surmise that the landowner believes he has a better chance to get any future development approval from the city of West Chicago and surrounding community if the business is closed," the post said. "It's devastating to us but we always knew the sale would be imminent one day but this scenario of closing with no other use for the property was totally unexpected."
The post went on to say the theater will sell Cascade-themed merchandise after 4 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, "so come on out and get a piece of nostalgia," Kohlberg wrote. The theater is also selling equipment including popcorn poppers, food warmers, freezers, grills, a hot chocolate machine and a golf cart.
The closing comes as the Kuhn family works to sell the Cascade property and adjacent land on which it once operated Harry Kuhn Construction. The 53-acre site is zoned for residential construction within West Chicago, but Stephen Kuhn and the real estate broker his family hired say they are seeking retail uses for along North Avenue and light industrial uses farther south.
As one of the only outdoor theaters in the region, the owners thanked their loyal customers for their 57 years of patronage. "Thank you so much," his post said. "Our hearts are broken!"
Photo Credit: Courtesy of History Grand Rapids
