The Avalon Theatre, located at 1645 E. 79th Street in Chicago, IL, was designed by architect John Eberson. Eberson was credited with pioneering the design of "atmospheric" movie palaces that borrowed heavily from foreign cultural styles, including the Avalon with its many Persian details.

The Avalon was owned and constructed by the National Theatres Corporation of Illinois. Plans for construction were announced as early as November 1924 and initially called for a 2,000-seat movie palace with a "completely equipped stage." The theater took its name from the Avalon Park area of southside Chicago, where it was built. The Avalon was originally scheduled to open in 1926, but was delayed until 29 August 1927. The first film shown at the theater was Paramount's Soft Cushions.

The Avalon closed in the 1970s and found new life as a church. In 1987 it was restored and reopened as a performing arts center called the New Regal Theater, which closed its doors on 30 June 2003. The theater reopened in October 2007 as a venue for concerts and other live performances.

"$650,000 movie for 79th and Stony Island," Chicago Daily Tribune, November 9, 1924

Emily T. Cooperman, "Eberson, John (1875-1954)," Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Project, http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/ar_display.cfm/45607 (accessed June 17, 2005).

Maudlyne Ihejirika, "New Regal awaits new glory South Side greets its 'dream theater'," Chicago Sun-Times, August 16, 1987, Sunday three-star edition, ProQuest Newspapers, via UM Library Networked Electronic Resources, http://www.lib.umich.edu/eresources/

New York Times, "John Eberson, 79, architect, is dead," March 7, 1954, ProQuest Historical Newspapers The New York Times (1851 - 2001), via UM Library Networked Electronic Resources, http://www.lib.umich.edu/eresources/