The Avalon Regal Theater in South Shore pays homage to two old venues that served as entertainment hubs for Black Chicagoans. From the 1920s to the 1960s, the Regal Theater was where the biggest names in music, from Louis Armstrong to Aretha Franklin, performed. The Bronzeville venue closed in 1968, and the building was demolished five years later. And, the Avalon Theater in South Shore has been everything from a Church to a movie theater. Jerald Gary is the entrepreneur and neighborhood booster who is trying to bring the excitement of those former spots into one, new destination for music, comedy, and live theater. It’s a pricey venture, but Gary tells us why he thinks it’s so critical.

Guest: Jerald Gary— Owner, The Avalon Regal Theater

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