CHICAGO -- A historic venue in Bridgeport reopened on Friday after almost 40 years.
The Ramova Theatre marked the official reopening with a sign lighting ceremony Friday evening.
The South Side theatre opened in 1929 as a single-screen movie palace. It had shut down by 1985 and was spared demolition. The Ramova Theatre was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.
Developer and co-owner Tyler Nevius bought the property and an adjacent lot from the city in 2017 for $1, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
The re-opening follows a multi-year renovation of the space, which features a 1,500 person live music venue, a craft brewery, beer garden and a restaurant headed by a James Beard nominee.
Jennifer Hudson, Chance The Rapper and Quincy Jones are among 49 people who invested in the Ramova Theatre.
The Ramova Theatre will host their first concert as Barn Dance Apocalypse Featuring The Golden Horse Ranch Band will rock the stage on Saturday. Tickets are on sale now.
The venue is located at 3520 South Halsted Street in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood.
The Associated Press contributed to this article.