It’s Hard to Find a Second-Run Theater in Kentucky — They Feel Obsolete — But I Do Remember Owensboro’s
Do you ever stop and think about what has become obsolete. I'm talking about things or types of places that sort of faded away over time, and so slowly that we didn't even notice.
'OH, THAT'S OBSOLETE'
For example, do you do even a mild double-take when you see a working phone booth? For that matter, is it even POSSIBLE to see a working phone booth, these days? And what about landlines? They aren't obsolete, but the phone books sure do get thinner with every new edition.
Look what happened to Radio Shack. We had two in Owensboro--Wesleyan Park Plaza and Towne Square Mall. But as we moved farther into the digital age--and I think it's safe to say there's no turning back--the merchandise that iconic chain had to offer was no longer needed.
SECOND-RUN THEATERS
I bring this up because of a conversation I had with someone recently who thought he'd heard that Owensboro was getting a discount or second-run theater. And since there really may be enough of you who don't know what I mean, I'll explain. They are simply theaters that show movies that have completed their initial run and you can see them on the big screen for a discounted price.
There was one in Bowling Green when I was in college and the movies were like two dollars. And we didn't care to wait. That strong desire to see something on opening weekend hadn't really set in yet.
OWENSBORO'S OLD SECOND-RUN THEATER
And in Owensboro, I believe the old Mall Twin Cinema in the former Lincoln Mall became a two-dollar movie theater. Or maybe it was just a dollar. They were great, and they were welcome.
Anyway, back to that conversation. It's just a rumor and one that I can't substantiate by searching online. And it doesn't make any sense anyway. Good Lord, a great many movie fans aren't even going to the theater to see long-awaited FIRST-RUN movies like they used to do, so why would anyone put up a SECOND-run movie house?
More and more viewers have proven that they are content watching new movies in the comfort of their living rooms, and I am one of them. Thanks to the beauty of the Fire Stick, a projector, and a big blank wall, we have our own little theater at home.
DO SECOND-RUN THEATERS STILL EXIST?
Yes, I do enjoy the movie experience, but I'm a big fan of convenience too and I don't mind watching movies that I can pause for a snack or bathroom break.
And when films finish their initial runs, they become immediately available on any of a number of streaming services.
But I guess there ARE enough purists out there. While Kentucky has no second-run theaters, they do still exist. In fact, CinemaTreasures.org has a list of where to find them.
But for now, I'm fine on the couch.