Paris Theatre

119 N. Central Avenue,
Paris, IL 61944

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KJB Theaters (Official)

Additional Info

Operated by: KJB Theaters

Previously operated by: AMC Theatres, Kerasotes Theatres

Functions: Movies (First Run)

Previous Names: Lincoln Theatre

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News About This Theater

Paris Theatre

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

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on October 4, 2007 at 7:38 pm

That’s a little much, isn’t it?

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on February 10, 2011 at 10:15 pm

AMC closed this theater on February 6, 2011: View link

soybean
soybean on February 11, 2011 at 8:38 am

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 ?

br91975
br91975 on February 15, 2011 at 12:04 pm

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.

Dramatrauma
Dramatrauma on February 16, 2011 at 3:19 am

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.

kkeys147
kkeys147 on December 14, 2011 at 9:58 pm

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!

ParisTheater
ParisTheater on June 23, 2013 at 8:32 am

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.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 26, 2014 at 1:58 pm

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.

KJB_Theaters
KJB_Theaters on July 1, 2014 at 4:30 pm

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:)

Trolleyguy
Trolleyguy on May 19, 2016 at 7:28 am

Now operated by KJB Theaters. Website: http://kjbtheaters.com/

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