WOODRIDGE, Ill. (WLS) — An iconic cinema in suburban Woodridge is counting on its past to help with its future. Hollywood Boulevard Cinema held an auction of movie memorabilia Saturday in an effort to help bring new life to the theater. ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch For one day only, the Hollywood Boulevard Cinema in Woodridge gave people a chance to participate in a live auction to own movie memorabilia. The auction is taking place in-person and online. “There’s costumes here from original movies,” Donley Auctions owner Randy Donley said. “We just sold a Whitney Houston outfit that was fabulous.” The theater has been around for more than 40 years and has been collecting iconic pieces, including The Bluesmobile sign sitting on the theater’s roof. Theater owner Dana Pobanz says the Hollywood Boulevard Cinema is not going out of business. Instead, they are planning for a massive renovation. Money raised from the auction will help speed up the project. “All of the money is going right back into the business,” Pobanz said. “We’re doing all of this to be able to renovate the building upgrade all of the seating technology, our whole lobby. Bring it a lot more to life than current.” SEE ALSO | Our Chicago: New film office commissioner wants to keep talent in the Windy City There’s something in the auction for everyone. “There’s a lot of people that just find this sentimental, because they’ve been coming here so many years and they’ve seen it, they’ve fallen in love, so now here is their chance,” Donley said. “But there’s lots of investors here people that are buying for their own collections, not only here, but also online. So we’ve got one gentleman right now who is bidding from Seoul, South Korea.” As far as what moviegoers can expect in the near future, the owner says the Hollywood Boulevard Cinema will still keep its charm, while also sporting a new design. “So we’re just making sure everybody has what they want to see here, so everyone can have some Hollywood magic,” Pobanz said.
https://abc7chicago.com/post/hollywood-boulevard-cinema-woodridge-illinois-auctioning-movie-memorabilia-make-renovation/18798084/