Bijou Theater

      It was in 1969 that the company that founded Bijou (along with many other Adult Theaters and businesses) was formed. Steven Toushin, one of the orginal people in this endeavor, is still actively running the buinesses today.

      In January of 1970 the Bijou Theater opened it's doors on the first floor of a four story Victorian building. The first film that played on it's screen was Ricard Nixon's Checkered speech, name after the Nixon dog Checkers; the film that followed was a gay porn film. The Bijou quickly became the place for men to meet men in Chicago, from tourists to conventioneers, from suburbanites to Chicagoans. In 1980 the Bijou expanded to the second floor, where a sexual playground was established, along with a renovated back yard for the summer months where the customers could enjoy sexual activity in the great out doors. The Bijou was now open 24/7,  the party never stopped. It was in 1984 that the bijou expanded again, taking over the third floor of the building for more depraved sexual debauchery. The Bijou was now firmly established as the Mecca for sexual activity in Chicago, for there was sex on the stairways, in the theater, bathrooms, hallways, slings, bathtubs, orgy spaces, backyard and glory hole booths the Bijou was a 24/7 party. 

      Now nothing was all fun and games. There was a price to pay for all this fun and freedom: numerous Police raids, obscenity busts both local and federal, bomb threats, pathetic self-serving homophobic politicians, bad economic times, the Internet. But through it all the Bijou never skipped a beat; we produced numerous parties with Carols Speakeasy and Touche's. We had our porn stars,  the Bijou Boys stripper shows, as well as Bijou's Erotic Cabaret which consisted of sexual/sex skits with the performers having sex to original music on our stage. We also presented Special movie nights and hosted club parties. The Bijou is now celebrating 42 years of sexual/erotic business. Yes we've gotten a little older but we are very experienced.

      The Bijou can proudly boast, shout to the heavens that it has sexually served over five and half million men from January 1970 to Dec 2010 withgreat satisfaction. So whenever your are in Chicago, please drop by the Bijou for a quick snack or a full dinner.

Steven Toushin