1/21/2024 0 Comments Lory theater highland illinoisThe frozen custard shop will be able to expand its operation into 7,000-plus square feet of current building and eventually utilize seven acres of land. The building, originally built as a church, was the home of dance instruction company “Dance House” from 2007 until recently vacating with the sale of the building to the McLaughlins, which closed May 31. The concept of Mac’s is not a new one as the couple has been planning for the new company since 2018. The two products will act as a cornerstone to what will ultimately be a family entertainment center. This knowledge acted as a spring board into a new business venture. Lory Theater owners Justin and Hillary McLaughlin found a silver lining to the pandemic closure of their Highland business: They learned how to make frozen custard and gourmet popcorn. Showtimes can be found on its website at or by calling the showtime hotline at (618) 882-4977.Frozen custard sold at The Lory Theater while it was closed due to COVID now has a new, permanent home and name: Mac’s Family Fun Time The Lory Theater has been in downtown Highland since 1912, located at 810 Main Street. Do those guys even know what sacrifice and hard work actually is? I can tell you that she does know, and can speak to that.” I can guarantee that whatever time she is allotted, the knowledge she shares will be far more helpful logistically to another small company as opposed to some corporate big wig who has never laid it all on the line for a labor of love. Hillary’s husband Justin is immensely proud of her” “I’m just happy someone finally got wind of her expertise and experience and requested her to speak. We feel a responsibility to be good stewards of this little piece of history and to do it in our own fun way.” We have families who have been coming to The Lory for many generations. That is really what sets us apart from other cinemas or watching movies at home. They deserve the credit for the creative and fun experiences that we provide for each guest. We are so proud of our staff who often have experience performing in dance, band or theater. “We make our own silly promotional videos and gloriously cheesy advertisements for local businesses. “The Lory started over a hundred years ago as a live theater and it inspired me to infuse some theatrical elements into how we exhibit first run films now,” Hillary said. The mother of three stays very busy juggling her responsibilities, but she is always happy to offer advice to women getting into business. This story might sound familiar to local residents, but what readers might not know is that she achieved all of this after surviving a stage four breast cancer diagnosis in 2018. When the movies came back 18 months later, Hillary took both of those concepts and moved them to a full second company - a family entertainment center called Mac’s Family Fun Time. The front of the main auditorium was turned into yet another kitchen where she figured out how to make gourmet popcorn flavors such as caramel and cheddar. Once the forced covid closures hit, it was her leadership and creativity that saved the theater once again, turning the lobby into a temporary kitchen where they made and served frozen custard out the front door. In the pre-pandemic first eight years, Hillary’s leadership took the Lory from condemnable building to one of the highest grossing “twins” (a theater with only two screens) in the country. McLaughlin and husband Justin have owned and operated the Lory Theater in Highland, Ill., since Dec. Lory Theater’s Hillary McLaughlin has been asked to participate in a panel discussion on the subject of marketing with a limited budget, specifically focusing on the perspective of the small independent theaters like The Lory. (Source: The Lory Theater website)Ĭinema Con is being held at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nev., from April 24 through 27, 2023. Hillary and Justin McLaughlin, owners of the Lory Theater in Highland, Ill.
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