Downtown Lexington is home to an overlooked gem, the Kentucky Theatre, that the city’s younger generation seems to be missing out on.

The Kentucky Theatre, which first opened in 1922, is an elegant movie house located at 214 E. Main St., boasting stained glass fixtures and richly decorated walls to create an inviting impression to its guest. 

Kentucky Theatre manager, Fred Mills, said he believes it is one place in Lexington where people can “come in here and step back in time,” which helps separate them from “chain theaters in the area.”

“It gives me an old-time feeling. There’s almost a nostalgic sense to it in a way,” said Nicole Bacha, a junior agricultural and medical biotechnology major and a former customer of the Kentucky Theatre. 

With the theatre having been open nearly a century, it holds plenty of historical significance to the Lexington community.  The building was damaged by a fire in 1987 but was repaired and reopened by 1992. Lexington movie-goers were eager to appreciate the business after the restoration.

Though the theatre offers a selection of films, they tend to feature older movies as well as documentaries as well as current films. Current showings include: Us, Apollo 2, The Mustang, The Aftermath and Amazing Grace.

In the lobby of the theatre, patrons can choose from a selection of typical movie theatre concessions or even indulge in a glass of wine or a cocktail for the showing. 

The manager of the Kentucky Theatre stated that the average age range of most theatre patrons is between 24-60 years old.

Thought the Kentucky Theatre has lacked attention over the years, programs like “The friends of the Kentucky Theatre” are bringing the theatre to light once again.

The Kentucky Theatre is still pegged as one of Lexington’s landmarks and has been for generations. Residents of the area are always encouraged to attend showings and experience the awe that is one of the last remaining movie palaces in the United States.