Paris Theatre
119 N. Central Avenue,
Paris,
IL
61944
119 N. Central Avenue,
Paris,
IL
61944
1 person
favorited this theater
Related Websites
KJB Theaters (Official)
Additional Info
Operated by: KJB Theaters
Previously operated by: AMC Theatres, Kerasotes Theatres
Functions: Movies (First Run)
Previous Names: Lincoln Theatre
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Feb 15, 2011 — AMC closes another former Kerasotes theater in Illinois
Opened in 1924 as the Lincoln Theatre, this movie house sat about 700. It closed in 1967. Four years later, it was taken over by the Kerasotes chain, which renamed it the Paris Theatre. (The first Paris Theatre was built in 1926, and closed in 1957, and was later razed. It, like the Lincoln Theatre, was located on Central Avenue).
In the early-1990’s, Kerasotes had the Paris twinned. It continued to screen first-run features until February 2011, when it was closed by AMC.
It was re-opened by KJB Theaters in December 2011.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
That’s a little much, isn’t it?
AMC closed this theater on February 6, 2011: View link
I’m not surprise that AMC closed this theater too. AMC spent huge amount of money on theaters,that they end up closing only a few months after they obtain them. It appears a theater has to be a multiplex for AMC to keep it open. Hopefully some other chain will reopen these theaters that AMC has toss away. Wonder what the grand total is at the moment, for the number of theaters that AMC bought from Kerasotes then closed a few months after operating them ? What theater will be the next one that AMC closes ?
The Justin Scott/AMC standard PR statement that one of their former sites was closed because it “no longer competed effectively in the marketplace” doesn’t exactly hold when the nearest competition is located several miles away.
I clicked on the photo and was suprised at how Atomic Age the place looked; any photos from earlier in its history? Is there some plaster roccoco (sp?) masterpiece hiding behind the shiny chrome?
Hopefully AMC wont sit on the place to long and a theater friendly buyer will emerge.
As a former Parisite it’s sad to hear that the ‘Stinkin’ Lincoln' isn’t operating. In a town of 10,000 with the nearest competition 20ish miles away I’d think an independent owner should be able to make a profitable go of it. No not me, but someone!
AMC closed this theater in Feb, 2011. It was purchased and re-opened in Dec, 2011 by an independent operator. It continues to screen first run movies, as well as the popular “Free Summer Kids Films”, thanks to many generous local sponsors. Plans are underway to upgrade to digital projection and sound in early 2014.
The Paris Theatre is still open and has converted to digital projection. I can’t find an official web site, but there is a Facebook page.
There’s probably little, if anything, remaining of the old Lincoln Theatre. An article about the remodeling of Kerasotes' Broadway Theatre at Cape Girardeau in the October 19, 1970, issue of Boxoffice said that Kerasotes Theatres had also completely rebuilt the Lincoln Theatre in Paris, Illinois before reopening it as the Paris Theatre the previous May.
Actually it is the same building. Kerasotes did a complete interior and exterior renovation in 1960, as well as another remodel in the early 90’s when it was twinned. We actually found some old photos of its original exterior (the space age facade simply covers the old frontage) as well as interior pics from its condition before it closed in 1957 to its re-opening in 1960. These pics were just laying in the filing cabinet believe it or not. If you go upstairs, you can see the boarded up windows that used to face Central Ave. Now I just need to load these photos up:)
Now operated by KJB Theaters. Website: http://kjbtheaters.com/