Digital Marquee for Lake Street Theater in Oak Park IL.

YESCO Chicago, a division of Omega Sign & Lighting of Addison IL., was recently contracted by Lake Street Theater in Oak Park IL., to bring their 1936 style marquee into the 21st century.  Omega was contracted to remove the old manual changeable slip-on letter faces, which was typical of that era, and replace that with a tasteful digital display that did not disturb the feel and elegance of the existing marquee sign. 

The Oak Park Community Design Commission approved a proposed new digital marquee to replace the historic analog one that has fronted Lake Theatre in downtown Oak Park for more than eight decades.

The marquee proposal was approved in a 6-1 vote at the commission’s Aug. 28 meeting (2019) at Oak Park Village Hall.

Lake Theatre owner Willis Johnson told commissioners that the familiar marquee was erected in 1936 and hasn’t changed much over the years.

Johnson said that one of the advantages of the new marquee would be its ability to share a variety of community announcements. The theater regularly posts community announcements such as events sponsored by the village.  

Check out the time-lapse video of the historic transformation of the Lake Street Theater Marquee.