Lincoln Mall Cinema

This was my theatre. Yes, this theatre was “concrete-ey”. Yes, this theatre’s sound system was probably more mono than Dolby. But it was my theatre. You cannot miss something you never had, and when I was a kid, this was my theatre. Do I miss this theatre or the me that first experienced the cinema during my formative years? Yes.

Correct me if I’m wrong but I believe two screens were mono to the end. No excuse for that a quarter century after Dolby Stereo allowed for inexpensive stereo on every movie, every print.

That’s why, despite living just minutes away for the duration of this place’s existence, I only attended movies here two or possibly three times. And one of those was only because it was a freebie.

Didn’t like this theatre at all; the chairs were uncomfortable and there was a LOT of concrete used on this project. No wonder it took years for them to demolish it.

Loved this theater. Grew up in Richton Park & between 1981 & 2001, I must’ve seen well over 100 movies at the Lincoln Mall cinema. It wasn’t anything fancy, beautiful or extraordinary, but it was simply a pleasant place to see a movie & I was sad to see it go. It sat vacant for a couple of years before it was demolished & a new Target store was built on that site. However, a new multiplex is planned & was in the midst of construction just 100 yards away inside Lincoln Mall (on the old Montgomery Ward site) until the recession hit 2 years ago & now it’s on hold (for now). However, the old Lincoln Mall General Cinema will always be my ‘first love’ of the cinema. -BQ (Minooka, IL)

I think this has been domolished; a 14-to-16 is supposed to be built on the site of the JC Penney