Daily Herald opinion: Plans for Pickwick sale offer new opportunity to integrate nostalgia into a strong future

This editorial represents the consensus opinion of the Daily Herald Editorial Board

Just two months ago, we had occasion to reflect on the special charm of an iconic suburban theater on the cusp of transition, expressing support for the possibility that Barrington businessman Brian Long will find a way to maintain the historic character of the Catlow Theater.

Now, we find ourselves in a similarly hopeful mood as Dino Vlahakis, owner of the Pickwick Theater, announced plans to sell the art deco entertainment palace in Park Ridge that has been showing movies since 1928.

As he prepares to retire, Vlahakis told our Russell Lissau that he has been approached by various potential suitors interested in helping write the next act in the Pickwick's long story.

As with the Catlow, nothing is certain yet. Indeed, the Pickwick hasn't even been sold, but Vlahakis remains confident.

“This story is not yet finished,” he said.

Let's hope he's right.

Times and tastes always change and grow, of course. It is both useless and stifling to hope otherwise. But futures are also enriched by memories and icons of the past, and what unique reflections on our culture and our spirit are packed into the architectural bones of such venues as the Pickwick and the Catlow — and, elsewhere, as the Arcada in St. Charles, the Des Plaines Theater in Des Plaines and the Paramount in Aurora.

Nostalgia on its own serves little purpose. But woven into the fabric of new times, it provides added strength for a culture. It brings the perspective of who we were to who we are and, if we are lucky, to who we will be.

At Des Plaines and Arcada, entertainment entrepreneur Ron Onesti has begun demonstrating how such a transition can work, breathing new life and contemporary appeal into spaces where charm alone could not provide a sustainable attraction. Aurora's Paramount has established itself as a highlight in the vibrant Chicago-area theater landscape for musicals, plays and live entertainment.

It is a testament to our respect for the past that the Pickwick has seen a sudden rush of interest since moviegoers learned of its imminent sale. Vlahakis' plans to cap the current run of the Pickwick in January with the same blockbuster that launched his ownership tenure 41 years ago — “Gone With The Wind” — will surely also bring a surge of interest.

But it will likely not be the last, and hopefully will be simply a sentimental handoff to a new era for the graceful old theater.

“There's somebody out there,” Vlahakis said.

We look forward with hope and anticipation to see who that will be and how they will extend the legacy of a community jewel.