Coming soon: West Cinema’s re-opening
Remodeling at historic theater almost complete for Cedartown landmark with expected return to business in November
There’s only one word that comes to mind for the transformation underway at the West Cinema Theater in Cedartown.
“Wow!”
Owner Michael Tinney is keeping much of the work under wraps for the moment, but what he did show off in a brief tour of the historic movie house that is getting closer to completion, and will definitely be a surprise for patrons when the doors open again.
After many months of closure due to a roof leak and waiting for an insurance settlement, Tinney has spent much of the summer and into the fall preparing the theater for a re-opening and completing what will end up being a major overhaul of the interior of the building.
Some changes on the outside are already noticeable. For instance, the front doors got a fresh coat of paint in the past weeks to a much more vibrant red, and the theater’s also got a new side entrance to help ticket goers get into their seats faster in the near future.
“We’re thankful the public has been patient with us while we are in the middle of our remodel,” Tinney said. “We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone back and showing off what we’ve done.”
He’s done a lot, but he’s not ready yet to reveal it all to the public. Some items – like new seats to be installed within the screening areas since the old ones were sold off in small rows to the public as keepsakes – along with a repainting of the front lobby are hard to hide.
Tinney has also invested in new technology for the concession stand area including a whole new payment system, digital advertising he’ll have for sale to local businesses while patrons wait in the lobby for a show to start, and has upgraded bathrooms that were among one of the big complaints of patrons in the past.
The West Cinema Theater doesn’t yet have an official date to re-open its doors to the public, but Tinney said he’s hoping to have all the work wrapped up by early November.
“I think everyone is going to be real excited by what we’ve achieved here,” Tinney said.
The historic theater first opened its doors in 1941 and greeted patrons with a screening of “Three Sons o’ Gun,” a western starring Wayne Morris, Majorie Rambeau and Irene Rich, among others.
The family-owned theater kept their original projectors running through the 1980s, when the Browning’s who previously owned the business split the screening area in two, and closed off the upper balcony.
In the years proceeding, upgrades in technology and in expectations from moviegoers have included the addition of 3D films, surround sound and many other advancements for the screening areas before the family sold the business in 2017.
Tinney’s same commitment to the historic theater he made when he purchased the business last remains steadfast, and when the public purchases their tickets from the box office in weeks to come and steps inside, he hopes everyone has the same reaction.
“I hope they all say ‘wow!’” Tinney said.