LINCOLNTON COUNTY, N.C. — The Cinema Twin Movie Theater in Lincoln County was the go-to spot for the community when it opened its doors in the 1970s.
What You Need To Know
The only theater in Lincoln County has closed its doors
AMC owned the theater in Lincolnton and said employees were offered the opportunity to remain with the company, and those that chose to do so were reassigned within the market
According to the Lincoln County Economic Association, the land is owned by Stewart & Everette Theater
No plans have been made for the building or to sell the land
The theater has since changed hands over the years. Carmike Cinemas took it over in the '80s, and AMC bought it in 2017.
But the theater closed earlier this year, turning off the lights to the county's only big-screen venue.
"It's sad, it really is, it's a big downfall for the town," said Mike Murphy, who had worked at the theater for decades.
Murphy was a projectionist. He first fell in love with theater when he was 16 and begged for a job at the Century Theater in downtown Lincolnton.
"I know when we had "Jaws," it came out on a Wednesday at 3 o’clock, and the manager came up, I was having trouble with the film, and he says 'Mike, you got to get this thing working, we have people lined up plum around the court square,'" said Murphy.
He then went on to work for Carmike and AMC, and he also worked at some Hickory theaters.
“When I first started movies, back in 1973 I think, they (tickets) were a dollar and a quarter," Murphy said.
He says going to the movies for families was almost like a vacation.
“I felt like I was giving people a two-hour vacation, they come to forget their cares, they could dump their kids at their grandparents and say, 'We’re going to movies!'" Murphy said.
He hopes the county doesn't stay without a theater for long, but for now, there are no plans for the empty location, and there is not a for sale sign posted.
AMC said this about closing the Lincolnton location:
"AMC routinely reviews the theatres in our circuit, as well as opportunities outside of our circuit, and makes decisions on a theatre-by-theatre basis based on what will best strengthen the Company going forward. All associates at that location were offered the opportunity to remain with AMC, and those that chose to do so were reassigned within the market."