Co-founder of Classic Cinemas who restored Tivoli, other suburban theaters dies at 86
A Downers Grove man known for saving beloved theaters across the suburbs died Wednesday at the age of 86. Willis Johnson, a co-founder of the Class...
A Downers Grove man known for saving beloved theaters across the suburbs died Wednesday at the age of 86. Willis Johnson, a co-founder of the Classic Cinemas theater chain, got his 'accidental' start in the business in 1978 when he took over the iconic Tivoli Theater in downtown Downers Grove. Today, Classic Cinemas, which celebrated its 45th anniversary this year, has 16 locations, including the York Theater in Elmhurst, Cinema 12 in Carpentersville, Elk Grove Theatre in Elk Grove Village and Charlestowne 18 in St.