Annoyance Theatre Moving to Prominent Vacancy in Lake View

Uptown’s The Annoyance Theatre is planning a big move to Lake View, filling a prominent storefront that’s been vacant for just a few months.

Jennifer Estlin, the theater’s owner and executive producer, announced on her Facebook page she plans to move from 4830 N. Broadway to 851 W. Belmont Avenue. J. Toguri Mercantile, a Japanese marketplace, formerly occupied the space near Clark Street before closing in February after 65 years in business.

“Very pleased to announce that as of today, it's official...we'll begin build-out of a new home for The Annoyance at the end of the summer,” Estlin wrote on her Facebook page. “Our new space will be on the 2nd floor and basement in the former Toguri Mercantile Building at 851 W Belmont.”

Estlin notes the new location is just a block and a half away from where she started the theater 25 years ago. She also wrote she’s been looking for a new space for two years.

“Many thanks to Chris Irwin for patiently showing us nearly every empty large building in Chicago over the last 2 years.”

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The theater signed a 10-year lease for the 13,000-square-foot space, allowing the comedy playhouse to both perform and hold its classes in the same space, the Chicago Tribune writes.

It also sits perfectly in the heart of the newly formed Belmont Theater District, which was recently placed on the national stage for the American Planning Association. Organizers are planning its unveiling in the upcoming months to put an emphasis on the Lake View theater scene, similar to Off Broadway in New York City.

The Tribune adds that The Annoyance’s leave from Uptown is a blow to the community’s entertainment district. Sitting on the same block as the Uptown Theatre, the Annoyance Theatre and bar was an anchor.