Final day as the Regal Cinnebarre Movieland 7 was May 11, 2025. Regal’s lease expired and had been unwilling to convert the venue to modern recliner seating due to the impending lease expiry. Regal left the Salem Center just over a month following Macy’s departure as an anchor tenant in March of 2025. The Cinnebarre was taken over by the Center to be operated independently along with a pledge to renovate the aged theater for its relaunch later in 2025.
The Vineyard Twin Cinema was built by two “lucky” United General Theatres franchisees Herb Bilton and Al Cooper. But during that build-out, United General Theatres was uncovered as using fraudulent business practices leading it into bankruptcy in April of 1973. The competing Network General Cinema, the parent of Jerry Lewis Cinemas -a similar scheme, had filed bankruptcy just one month earlier.
The two identical, automated auditoriums seated 250 patrons each opened on July 3, 1974 launch of the Vineyard Twin with “The Three Musketeers” and “What’s Up, Doc?” That ad is in photos. The jail terms for United General’s executives including Joseph Kosseff were handed out the next year.
Edwards Theatres acquired the venue downgrading it to discount, sub-run status. It closed on April 12, 1999 at the end of a 25-year leasing agreement with “Stepmom” and “Office Space” splitting one screen and “Prince of Egypt” and “Varsity Blues” splitting the other.
Architect of the original triplex - Jeff Pilling of St. Cloud. The theater transitioned to a dollar house which was closed on April 26, 2001 as the Parkwood ramped up from a 10-screen house to an 18-screen megaplex.
The 491-seat New James Theatre opened on March 18, 1938 with “High, Wide and Handsome” by James E. Falls. Falls had gotten into the theater business when out of work as a young man taking on the Unique Theatre in Walton. Falls would also operate the New Kentucky Theater in Dry Ridge, as well as theaters in Williamstown and Berry. The venue was built as a streamline moderne movie house replacing the Unique and it retained that look through closure by the same family 35 years later.
The James did get new ownership briefly in the 1960s though closing in 1963. The venue reopened twice; the first time was in 1965 operating into the early 1970s on weekends only closing in 1971. It then reopened in 1974 by the - then - late Mr. Falls' widow, Alva Falls, who had handled the booking of the theater back in the 1950s. The James Theatre closed on Oct. 6, 1974 with “Devil’s Angels.” The Walton I.G.A. grocery store moved into the space in 1975. It has since been demolished.
James E. Falls of the theater in Walton opened the New Kentucky Theater on April 24, 1936 with “Thanks a Million.“ The theater scuffled after the War closing as a movie house on September 19, 1948 with "I Walk Alone.” It continues with some live country music events and a community center whose use is discontinued in the 1950s.
The venue was called the Ideal Theatre and prior was the Dry Ridge Opera House. It gave away a brand new Ford Sedan in a 1921 contest and its de facto concession stand was the Clements Confectionery next door. The 1927 fire that took out ten buildings in downtown started at the dry cleaner, spread to the wood framed buildings taking out the Carlsbad Hotel, then the theatre next door along with the Clements Confectionery, the post office, and others.
The Idle Hour Theatre was the town’s first main floor movie theater location. It replaced the second floor Williamstown Opera House which had shown movies since the turn of the century and regularly during World War I. The first Idle Hour was located 203 South Main Street with 250 seatsand operated by Mr. Curran as a silent-era venue.
The second operator, the Taylors, transitioned it to sound. They then moved to get a larger seat count reopening as the “New” Idle Hour on December 3, 1937 just two blocks away as a streamlined movie house at 146 North Main. The final operator was the Cahakeres Circuit which transformed the venue into the Grant Theatre at its September 14, 1946 relaunch. It opened on a grind policy with “Rainbow Over Texas” and “The Big Noise.” They operated to its last showing on June 26, 1960. The Taylors converted the space to the new, second location for Powers Home and Auto Supply.
Ralph Taylor built the ozoner naming it after his daughter, Judy Taylor. It launched June 9, 1956 with “The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing” and “Fort Yuma” supported by the Casper, the Friendly Ghost cartoon, “Red, White and Boo!” Fred and Marjorie May managed the venue and took over its ownership. (Tom P. and Lula Littleton Sutton operated the Mt. Sterling Judy Drive-In.)
Commonwealth Theatre Circuit’s Lyric Theatre “#3” was dedicated on April 24, 1930. The $100,000 venue was the sound era version of the Lyric. It completed 60 years of leasing closing on May 6, 1990 with the venue being transferred to the local university which had been hosting classes in the building. “The First Power” was the last film shown. The theatre was then relit primarily as a performance space but also playing some major Hollywood hits after making the conversion to digital projection.
The Studio One Ultra-Vision Theatre launched on July 1, 1971 with the wide-formatted “Skies Over Holland” and “Shoot Out.” The auditorium featured 682 rocking chair seats. Studio One used automated projection equipment allowing it to have up to 6 showtimes for some features. “Star Wars” was shown with multi-channel surround sound becoming the theater’s biggest hit. In 1980, it was twinned becoming the Studio 1 & 2.
On January 9, 1987, Carmike Cinemas took over the venue as the Carmike Studio Twin Theatres. They closed the twin on January 29, 1989 with “Things Change,” “Tequila Sunrise” and “Hellhound: Hellrasier II.”
The Capri Twin opened June 24, 1977 with “Islands in the. Stream” and “Sorcerer.” Carl L. Patrick, Sr. acquired Martin Theatres from Fuqua Industries in February of 1982 becoming Carmike Cinemas . (The company’s name was a combination of the first names of Patrick’s two sons, Carl Jr. and Michael).
Regal Cinemas took on the venue beginning January 14, 1994. Regal would later demote it to a discount, sub-run policy closing on February 18, 2001 with “Proof of Life” and “Antitrust.” It had a very brief run as a live stage venue ending on November 17, 2001 with the play “Three Days of Rain.” The theatre was auctioned on December 11, 2001. In 2002, the building was expanded and converted to office space.
Princess Theatre #1 was opened by the Breeze Amusement Company of Flemingsburg in 1914. It was equipped with sound to remain viable in 1930. It suffered a major fire closing the venue January 4, 1942 with the print of “Sergeant York” dishonorably discharged from the theatre.
The Princess Theatre reopened in the high school auditorium temporarily on January 24, 1942 conceptually as Princess Theatre #2. Plans for a new Princess Theatre “#3” were made. It launched on July 2, 1942 with Rita Hayworth in “My Gal Sal” likely using some element of the original structure (foundation and potentially a wall). The venue appears to have ended with “Alaskan Safari,” a four-wall film on February 19, 1968.
Grand opening ad for the Central Cinemas 1 & 2 on April 19, 1973 with George, the St. Bernard in “George!” and Terrence Hill in “They Call Me Trinity” in photos.
The Midco 6 launched on April 25, 1995 as the second theatre in Kandiyohi County’s Kandi Mall replacing the former United General Kandi Twin Theatres that had operated as an original tenant of the Kandi Mall in 1973. That theatre had expanded size under new operator Midcontinent twice in 1981 as a triplex and 1983 as a quad.
As original 20-year leases were coming due, the Kandi Mall lost its Sears as an anchor and a number of interior retailers. The theatre re-upped seemingly on a 30-year term with a promise of an improved and expanded space. The venue was indeed moved to a new spot relaunching as the Midco 6 on April 25, 1995 with"Bye, Bye Love" and “Rob Roy” opening joining the moved Midco 4 moved prints of the continuing “Bad Boys,” “A Goofy Movie,” “Jury Duty,” and “Tommy Boy.” The original cinema closed the previous day on April 24, 1995.
On September 13, 1995, Carmike bought the 14-venue/67 screen Midco with venue eventually renamed as the Carmike Kandi Mall Cinemas 6. AMC bought Carmike on December 15, 2016. On May 13, 2017 the theatre was renamed as the AMC Classic Kandi 6. The Classic designation was used to relabel the vast majority of inherited properties in the Carmike, Kerasotes, and other AMC acquisitions. These were locations which generally received very minor upgrades and were often run to the end of existing leases to closure.
At the Kandi, AMC took an opt out at the 15-year mark closing February 22, 2018. The Mall reached greyfield status having shed its Kmart, Herbergers, Sears Hometown and JCPenney anchors. Reel-Lux Theatres took on the location equipping it with recliner seating, new bathrooms and more amenities in the concession area. It relaunched March 30, 2018 as the Reel-Lux Kandi 6 with Mall attracting Kohl’s and Harbor Freight Tools, as well.
The venue’s remodeling continued under its final name as the Golden Ticket Kandi 6. The COVID-19 pandemic twice closed the venue - first on March 16, 2020. The Mall reopened and was rebranded as the Uptown Willmar Center. The Golden Ticket reopened June 19, 2020 but governor’s orders shut down the venue until January 15, 2021 when it reopened once again. The theatre continued into the streaming era of exhibition.
A salvage sale including the Rialto’s 440 theater seats took place followed by a 1959 demolition that also took out the Palmer Hotel and the Kentucky Theatre. The Cleveland Wrecking Company demolished the theater along with the historic Palmer House Hotel and the Kentucky Theatre for a parking lot and J.C. Penney’s department store.
Cinemark’s new facility opened behind the Mall on May 16, 2002 with this venue converting to a discount, sub-run dollar movie. That operation lasted six weeks with the lease terminated mutually on June 30, 2002 with demolition starting the next month.
Closed August 27, 1957 with a double feature of “Three Violent People” and “An Affair to Remember" after being unable to resist a sweet deal by the operators of the Yam. It was demolished along with the Inn in front of it and later replaced by an insecticide factory.
Final day as the Regal Cinnebarre Movieland 7 was May 11, 2025. Regal’s lease expired and had been unwilling to convert the venue to modern recliner seating due to the impending lease expiry. Regal left the Salem Center just over a month following Macy’s departure as an anchor tenant in March of 2025. The Cinnebarre was taken over by the Center to be operated independently along with a pledge to renovate the aged theater for its relaunch later in 2025.
The Vineyard Twin Cinema was built by two “lucky” United General Theatres franchisees Herb Bilton and Al Cooper. But during that build-out, United General Theatres was uncovered as using fraudulent business practices leading it into bankruptcy in April of 1973. The competing Network General Cinema, the parent of Jerry Lewis Cinemas -a similar scheme, had filed bankruptcy just one month earlier.
The two identical, automated auditoriums seated 250 patrons each opened on July 3, 1974 launch of the Vineyard Twin with “The Three Musketeers” and “What’s Up, Doc?” That ad is in photos. The jail terms for United General’s executives including Joseph Kosseff were handed out the next year.
Edwards Theatres acquired the venue downgrading it to discount, sub-run status. It closed on April 12, 1999 at the end of a 25-year leasing agreement with “Stepmom” and “Office Space” splitting one screen and “Prince of Egypt” and “Varsity Blues” splitting the other.
Announced a closing date of June 1, 2025.
Architect of the original triplex - Jeff Pilling of St. Cloud. The theater transitioned to a dollar house which was closed on April 26, 2001 as the Parkwood ramped up from a 10-screen house to an 18-screen megaplex.
The 491-seat New James Theatre opened on March 18, 1938 with “High, Wide and Handsome” by James E. Falls. Falls had gotten into the theater business when out of work as a young man taking on the Unique Theatre in Walton. Falls would also operate the New Kentucky Theater in Dry Ridge, as well as theaters in Williamstown and Berry. The venue was built as a streamline moderne movie house replacing the Unique and it retained that look through closure by the same family 35 years later.
The James did get new ownership briefly in the 1960s though closing in 1963. The venue reopened twice; the first time was in 1965 operating into the early 1970s on weekends only closing in 1971. It then reopened in 1974 by the - then - late Mr. Falls' widow, Alva Falls, who had handled the booking of the theater back in the 1950s. The James Theatre closed on Oct. 6, 1974 with “Devil’s Angels.” The Walton I.G.A. grocery store moved into the space in 1975. It has since been demolished.
James E. Falls of the theater in Walton opened the New Kentucky Theater on April 24, 1936 with “Thanks a Million.“ The theater scuffled after the War closing as a movie house on September 19, 1948 with "I Walk Alone.” It continues with some live country music events and a community center whose use is discontinued in the 1950s.
The venue was called the Ideal Theatre and prior was the Dry Ridge Opera House. It gave away a brand new Ford Sedan in a 1921 contest and its de facto concession stand was the Clements Confectionery next door. The 1927 fire that took out ten buildings in downtown started at the dry cleaner, spread to the wood framed buildings taking out the Carlsbad Hotel, then the theatre next door along with the Clements Confectionery, the post office, and others.
The Idle Hour Theatre was the town’s first main floor movie theater location. It replaced the second floor Williamstown Opera House which had shown movies since the turn of the century and regularly during World War I. The first Idle Hour was located 203 South Main Street with 250 seatsand operated by Mr. Curran as a silent-era venue.
The second operator, the Taylors, transitioned it to sound. They then moved to get a larger seat count reopening as the “New” Idle Hour on December 3, 1937 just two blocks away as a streamlined movie house at 146 North Main. The final operator was the Cahakeres Circuit which transformed the venue into the Grant Theatre at its September 14, 1946 relaunch. It opened on a grind policy with “Rainbow Over Texas” and “The Big Noise.” They operated to its last showing on June 26, 1960. The Taylors converted the space to the new, second location for Powers Home and Auto Supply.
The building was demolished in the early 2010s.
Ralph Taylor built the ozoner naming it after his daughter, Judy Taylor. It launched June 9, 1956 with “The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing” and “Fort Yuma” supported by the Casper, the Friendly Ghost cartoon, “Red, White and Boo!” Fred and Marjorie May managed the venue and took over its ownership. (Tom P. and Lula Littleton Sutton operated the Mt. Sterling Judy Drive-In.)
Demolition in 1983
Closed May 1, 2025
Commonwealth Theatre Circuit’s Lyric Theatre “#3” was dedicated on April 24, 1930. The $100,000 venue was the sound era version of the Lyric. It completed 60 years of leasing closing on May 6, 1990 with the venue being transferred to the local university which had been hosting classes in the building. “The First Power” was the last film shown. The theatre was then relit primarily as a performance space but also playing some major Hollywood hits after making the conversion to digital projection.
The Studio One Ultra-Vision Theatre launched on July 1, 1971 with the wide-formatted “Skies Over Holland” and “Shoot Out.” The auditorium featured 682 rocking chair seats. Studio One used automated projection equipment allowing it to have up to 6 showtimes for some features. “Star Wars” was shown with multi-channel surround sound becoming the theater’s biggest hit. In 1980, it was twinned becoming the Studio 1 & 2.
On January 9, 1987, Carmike Cinemas took over the venue as the Carmike Studio Twin Theatres. They closed the twin on January 29, 1989 with “Things Change,” “Tequila Sunrise” and “Hellhound: Hellrasier II.”
The Capri Twin opened June 24, 1977 with “Islands in the. Stream” and “Sorcerer.” Carl L. Patrick, Sr. acquired Martin Theatres from Fuqua Industries in February of 1982 becoming Carmike Cinemas . (The company’s name was a combination of the first names of Patrick’s two sons, Carl Jr. and Michael).
Regal Cinemas took on the venue beginning January 14, 1994. Regal would later demote it to a discount, sub-run policy closing on February 18, 2001 with “Proof of Life” and “Antitrust.” It had a very brief run as a live stage venue ending on November 17, 2001 with the play “Three Days of Rain.” The theatre was auctioned on December 11, 2001. In 2002, the building was expanded and converted to office space.
Princess Theatre #1 was opened by the Breeze Amusement Company of Flemingsburg in 1914. It was equipped with sound to remain viable in 1930. It suffered a major fire closing the venue January 4, 1942 with the print of “Sergeant York” dishonorably discharged from the theatre.
The Princess Theatre reopened in the high school auditorium temporarily on January 24, 1942 conceptually as Princess Theatre #2. Plans for a new Princess Theatre “#3” were made. It launched on July 2, 1942 with Rita Hayworth in “My Gal Sal” likely using some element of the original structure (foundation and potentially a wall). The venue appears to have ended with “Alaskan Safari,” a four-wall film on February 19, 1968.
Opened July 8, 2000 and closed at the expiry of a 25-year leasing agreement.
Opened June 9, 1954 with “Honey Chile”.
Grand opening ad for the Central Cinemas 1 & 2 on April 19, 1973 with George, the St. Bernard in “George!” and Terrence Hill in “They Call Me Trinity” in photos.
The Midco 6 launched on April 25, 1995 as the second theatre in Kandiyohi County’s Kandi Mall replacing the former United General Kandi Twin Theatres that had operated as an original tenant of the Kandi Mall in 1973. That theatre had expanded size under new operator Midcontinent twice in 1981 as a triplex and 1983 as a quad.
As original 20-year leases were coming due, the Kandi Mall lost its Sears as an anchor and a number of interior retailers. The theatre re-upped seemingly on a 30-year term with a promise of an improved and expanded space. The venue was indeed moved to a new spot relaunching as the Midco 6 on April 25, 1995 with"Bye, Bye Love" and “Rob Roy” opening joining the moved Midco 4 moved prints of the continuing “Bad Boys,” “A Goofy Movie,” “Jury Duty,” and “Tommy Boy.” The original cinema closed the previous day on April 24, 1995.
On September 13, 1995, Carmike bought the 14-venue/67 screen Midco with venue eventually renamed as the Carmike Kandi Mall Cinemas 6. AMC bought Carmike on December 15, 2016. On May 13, 2017 the theatre was renamed as the AMC Classic Kandi 6. The Classic designation was used to relabel the vast majority of inherited properties in the Carmike, Kerasotes, and other AMC acquisitions. These were locations which generally received very minor upgrades and were often run to the end of existing leases to closure.
At the Kandi, AMC took an opt out at the 15-year mark closing February 22, 2018. The Mall reached greyfield status having shed its Kmart, Herbergers, Sears Hometown and JCPenney anchors. Reel-Lux Theatres took on the location equipping it with recliner seating, new bathrooms and more amenities in the concession area. It relaunched March 30, 2018 as the Reel-Lux Kandi 6 with Mall attracting Kohl’s and Harbor Freight Tools, as well.
The venue’s remodeling continued under its final name as the Golden Ticket Kandi 6. The COVID-19 pandemic twice closed the venue - first on March 16, 2020. The Mall reopened and was rebranded as the Uptown Willmar Center. The Golden Ticket reopened June 19, 2020 but governor’s orders shut down the venue until January 15, 2021 when it reopened once again. The theatre continued into the streaming era of exhibition.
Became the Willmar Cinema Twin Theatres 1 & 2 on June 4, 1971 in a naming contest won by Mrs. Clarence Von Zee.
Opened as a United General Theatres location originally with 500 seats. Under new operators, the seat count was reduced.
A salvage sale including the Rialto’s 440 theater seats took place followed by a 1959 demolition that also took out the Palmer Hotel and the Kentucky Theatre. The Cleveland Wrecking Company demolished the theater along with the historic Palmer House Hotel and the Kentucky Theatre for a parking lot and J.C. Penney’s department store.
Cinemark’s new facility opened behind the Mall on May 16, 2002 with this venue converting to a discount, sub-run dollar movie. That operation lasted six weeks with the lease terminated mutually on June 30, 2002 with demolition starting the next month.
1800 seats
AMC Paducah Cinemas I & II closed November 20, 1986 - likely at a 15-year leasing clause opt out - with “Tai-Pan” and “Trick or Treat.”
Closed August 27, 1957 with a double feature of “Three Violent People” and “An Affair to Remember" after being unable to resist a sweet deal by the operators of the Yam. It was demolished along with the Inn in front of it and later replaced by an insecticide factory.