Story & Photos by Kathleen Kaiser
Contributing Writer

What were you doing back in the 1940's or 1950's? Maybe you were enjoying a matinee at the Lincoln Theatre in Downtown Belleville. The Ladies of the Lincoln - Betty Wright, Sandy Wright Schoenborn and Kathy Wright Going took a few minutes to sit down and answer questions about their historic Theatre.

Q: Can you share with the Readers of LIPSTIK a little history about the LINCOLN?
A: Betty: I would love to! The Theatre itself was built in 1920. It has always been a movie theatre, but stage and vaudeville acts also graced the stage. From Ginger Rodgers to the Three Nightingale's (The Marx Brothers), there was always something to see at the Lincoln Theatre. Harpo Marx even states in his memoir that he stole his famous "horn" from a taxi cab while entertaining here in Belleville.

Q: How long has your family owned this establishment, and who owned it previously?
A: Betty: We have owned the Theatre for almost 32 years now. Our family purchased the Lincoln back in April of 1980 when both of my girls were in high school. My husband Richard started working in the movie industry at age 14, and his entire career was in "the Movie Business". When the opportunity arose that the Lincoln was going to be for sale, we jumped at the chance to own our very own Theatre. Before that, the Lincoln was run by Mann Theatres out of California. It's funny to think about it now, but our daughter Sandy was the first Wright to work at the Lincoln, since she worked for the Mann Company prior to our purchase.

Q: Sandy and Kathy, what are your thoughts about the "Movie Business" being such a large part of your lives, and what memorable experiences have you had?
A: Kathy: I remember working with my sister at first when we purchased the Theatre when I was in high school, and I still remember the movie that was showing when we opened back in 1980. It was Little Darlings, starring Tatum O'Neill and Kristy McNichol. Even though my sister Sandy and her husband Dave run the Theatre now, I enjoy working at our jewelry store next door, so I am still involved with the business. One of my most memorable experiences at the Theatre was meeting my husband while working in the box office in 1984. I sold him and his friend tickets to the movie Streets of Fire and we started dating after that. We were married three years later. We decided to have wedding pictures taken outside the box office and included his friend that was with him the night we met. Sandy: I can tell you, it has actually been a fulfilling career move to be a part of the "Family Business". I started out as Mom said, working at the Theatre for the Mann Company. When my parents purchased the Theatre, I learned all aspects of the business. I worked in concessions, was a cashier, and became the full-time projectionist when our projectionist suffered a heart attack. Another memory that stands out in my mind was the BIG Snowstorm of 1982. Even though we were not open for business, we still had to go to work. I remember trudging down the middle of Main Street to get to the Theatre to check on the building. Of course, just checking on it was not the only thing on my Dad's agenda. There was always something to clean or fix, once we were here......so there went our Snow Day! When I was in college, I had to take a break from the Theatre for a few years to concentrate on my computer/business degree. I went to work for a little while outside the business, but as they say in the movies "they drew me back in!" It has been exciting being a part of the evolution of the theatre for the past 30+ years.

Q: Speaking of the evolution of the LINCOLN, what are your thoughts on how you have managed to thrive over the years?
A: Betty: Initially back in 1980, key to our success was adding 2 more screens. We also featured a Saturday & Sunday Matinee series. For years, we saw hundreds of local children for 10 weeks in a row. It was a great way to give the kids something to do on a weekend afternoon, and it helped us increase and build our family customer base. Sandy: In today's economy, our success is due to the type of movies we choose to show and our concession prices. With the addition of larger theatres locally, picking the right "family friendly" films to show our audience is as important as trying to keep our concession prices affordable. I always make a conscious effort to book movies that are going to bring in the entire family. That way they can enjoy a movie together and not break their budget coming to visit us.

Q: The LINCOLN is also known for having a beautiful organ in the main theatre. Was the organ original to the building and is it still being played today?
A: Betty: It was not original to the building. My husband Richard and I used to go to St. Louis to hear Stan Kann on the organ at the FOX and at Ruggeri's. Since we enjoyed that type of music so much, we thought it would be a great addition to the Theatre if we added an organ. Many professional organists have graced the stage of the Lincoln over the years playing in one of our limited engagement Organ Shows, and the organ is played every Friday and Saturday night before the movies. Back in 1996, to celebrate our 75th Anniversary and the first public concert on our organ, Bob Heil packed the house. Since then we have had many guest organists who have entertained over the years.

Q: We have seen many changes to the LINCOLN both inside and out over the years. Can you tell us a little about your other business ventures?
A: Sandy: A few years ago, I began making jewelry as a hobby. My sister Kathy and I began having in-home parties with the beautiful creations we were making. Dad was trying to decide what to do with the corner of our building and that is when we decided to make that corner Bracelets and More. We opened it the February right before the first Art on the Square, so we are about to celebrate our 11th anniversary. This past April, we decided to embark upon another business venture and opened Abe's Gourmet Popcorn. It seemed like a natural fit for the Theatre business, to expand upon the types of popcorn our customers can enjoy, both at the show or to take home. We now offer 30+ flavors to choose from and we also offer gift boxes and multiple size bags, so that we have something for everyone. Kathy: Yes it is true, she sucked me into her jewelry world, but it has been an exciting ride for the last 10 years. When we started out, we only sold our own designs, but as the economy has changed, we have found that we needed to offer other gift items and commercially made jewelry for our customers to enjoy. This way, we can broaden our customer base and make sure that we have something for everyone. Just like the Theatre, this portion of our business is ever changing and growing. We love seeing new customers daily, and having "our regulars" come in to either see the latest film or purchase a gift for a friend or loved one. I think that I can speak for our whole family when I say that we are excited to have been a part of our community for the last 32 years.

If you would like more information about the Lincoln Theatre, please visit Lincolntheatre-belleville.com or for more information about Abe's Gourmet Popcorn, please visit www.AbesGourmetPopcorn.com . You can also visit the Lincoln Theatre or Bracelets and More on Facebook.