ðə kˈʌmpəni wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪn, wˌɛn ɡˈʌs kˈɛɹɐsˌoʊts, ɐ ɡɹˈiːk ˈɪmɪɡɹənt, ˈoʊpənd ɐ stˈoːɹfɹʌnt nˌɪkɪlˈoʊdɪən mˈuːvi θˈiəɾɚɹ ɪn spɹˈɪŋfiːld, ˌɪlənˈɔɪ.
The company was founded in 1909, when Gus Kerasotes, a Greek immigrant, opened a storefront nickelodeon movie theatre in Springfield, Illinois.