The Belpark Theatre opened on March 13, 1927 with 5 acts of vaudeville and on the screen the short subject “The Perch of the Devil” starring Mae Busch. It was part of the Lubliner & Trinz circuit. It was located on N. Cicero Avenue near W. Belmont Avenue in the Belmont Cragin neighborhood.

This 2,000-plus seat theatre was designed by E.P. Steinberg and once contained a 3/17 Barton theatre organ which was opened by organist Bill Bennett. In spring of 1930, the Belpark Theatre was taken over by the Balaban & Katz chain, which operated it for the remainder of its career as a movie house.

The Belpark Theatre closed as a movie theatre in the mid-1950’s and after periods of use as a warehouse and later, a banquet facility, the building became a bingo hall, which was closed around 2014. It was converted into the Chicago Tabernacle church which opened March 15, 2015.

Contributed by Ray Martinez