>>> MOVIE THEATERS HAVE STRUGGLED SINCE THE PANDEMIC TO BRING PEOPLE BACK TO THE BIG SCREEN.

SURVIVING THEATERS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO INNOVATE THE SAME BUSINESS, FOR THIS WEEK, JOANNA HERNANDEZ IS IN ROGERS PARK WHERE ONE OF THE CITY'S OLDEST AND LONGEST-RUNNING MOVIE THEATERS IS ON THE BRINK OF THE END.

JOANNA JOINS US NOW.

>> Reporter: I HAVE TO SAY, I THINK I HAVE THE BEST ASSIGNMENT OF THE NIGHT, I GOT FREE POPCORN, WE ARE INSIDE THIS REALLY COOL MOVIE THEATER, THIS HAS BEEN OPEN MORE THAN 100 YEARS, AS I MENTIONED, IT SURVIVED THE PANDEMIC BUT, NOW THE OWNER IS LOOKING FOR SOMEBODY TO KEEP THIS LEGACY ALIVE.

TONY NEVER PLANNED TO OWN A MOVIE THEATER.

>> I WILL NEVER FORGET HAVING CUSTOMERS AROUND THE BLOCK, IT WAS REALLY EXCITING.

>> Reporter: HE BOUGHT THE ENTIRE PROPERTY IN 2007 AS A REDEVELOPMENT PROJECT, TWO YEARS LATER, HE BECAME THE OWNER OF THE NEW THEATER ON SHERIDAN ROAD.

>> I WOULD ALWAYS STOP HERE FOR COFFEE, AND I REALLY LIKED THE BUILDING, I THOUGHT IT HAD A LOT OF POTENTIAL.

AT THAT POINT, THE ENTIRE PATIO WAS COVERED WITH THEATER SIGNS, SO THE FIRST THING I DID WAS GET RID OF ALL OF THOSE SIGNS AND REDEVELOP THE PATIO, AND WE DEVELOPED THE THEATER.

414 YEARS AND THOUSANDS OF TICKETS LATER, FOX SAYS HE'S READY TO GET OUT OF SHOW BUSINESS.

>> ALWAYS UP-AND-DOWN AND SOMETIMES WE ARE COMPLETELY SOLD OUT.

IT GETS YOU EXCITED, AND THE NEXT WEEK, IT IS EMPTY.

>> Reporter: THE MOVIE THEATER IS IN JEOPARDY OF PERMANENTLY CLOSING, THIS RESIDENT KNOWS ALL ABOUT THE THEATERS LONG HISTORY.

>> IT WAS ORIGINALLY CALLED THE REGENTS THEATER, WHEN IT OPENED IN 1913, AND WHEN IT OPENED, IT SHOULD SHOW ALL OF THE SILENT FILMS, YOU PROBABLY HEARD OF THE PERILS OF PAULINE.

>> Reporter: THE PICTURES AND STORIES OF A THEATER THAT ALSO SERVED AS A COMMUNITY HUB.

>> IN WORLD WAR I, WE USED TO HAVE THIS THING CALLED THE FOUR MINUTE MAN PROGRAM WHICH WAS A LIVE PERSON FROM THE GOVERNMENT WHO WOULD COME DURING INTERMISSION, IN THE THEATER, AND GIVE PEOPLE AN UPDATE ON THE WAR.

>> Reporter: THIS THEATER IS THE ONLY ONE LEFT.

>> IT WOULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR THE THEATER IF WE COULD KEEP IT GOING AND OPERATING.

I SOMEBODY ELSE OUT THERE WILL DO THAT.

>> Reporter: THAT IS WHAT FOX IS BANKING ON.

A POTENTIAL BUYER FOR THE PROPERTY.

>> I'M HOPING ONE OF THE OTHER THEATERS WILL BECOME THE OPERATOR, AND KEEP IT AS A MOVIE THEATER, BUT WE CAN'T GUARANTEE THAT OF COURSE.

>> Reporter: THIS INITIATIVE IS A GROUP OF LOCALS HOLDING A COMMUNITY MOVIE NIGHT TO KEEP THE MOVIE THEATER IN BUSINESS.

>> IT IS IMPORTANT TO SHOW THE NEXT OWNER, THIS IS A BELOVED TREASURE AND WE WANTED TO STAY AND THERE IS SUPPORT IN THE COMMUNITY FOR THIS BUSINESS TO SURVIVE.

>> Reporter: RESIDENTS ARE CONCERNED THE BUILDING WILL BE DEMOLISHED BUT THE AREAS OLDER WOMAN SAID FOX HAS BEEN WORKING WITH HER TO MAKE SURE THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN.

>> IT'S ALSO A PROTECTION ZONE, SO THEY ARE A LOT MORE STRINGENT ON WHAT CAN BE BUILT AND WHAT COULD BE CHANGED.

>> Reporter: THE SMALL, INTIMATE THEATER STILL HAS HIDDEN GEMS OF ITS PAST, YOU CAN STILL FIND A COLUMN FROM 1912, ONE OF THE MANY REASONS FOX SAYS HE LOVES THE THEATER.

>> I JUST LOVE ROGERS PARK, AND I'M SO GRATEFUL TO EVERYBODY WHO EVER CAME TO THE THEATER.

>> Reporter: YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO COME OUT AND CHECK OUT A MOVIE HERE, THE OWNER SAID THEY ARE HOPING TO STAY OPEN UNTIL AT LEAST THE SUMMER, AND I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE STREAMING SERVICES OUT THERE BUT THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT COMING AND SIPPING ON A SODA, EATING SOME POPCORN AND ENJOYING THE ATMOSPHERE.

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