If you're going to see a film of great cinematic scope like "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" (3-D), you should see it in a theater that places great import on imagination. And when it comes to imagination, as my wife and I discovered on a Christmas break outing, Cinemark Huntington Mall (CHM, Barboursville, WV) does not disappoint: Beautiful rich colors, simple lines, high ceilings, long hallways, art deco lighting, large movie screens, and large leather chairs all make the statement that the golden era of movies and movie theaters may not yet be dead after all.

Prior to entering the auditorium showing “Dawn Treader”, I took particular note of CHM’s ample refreshment area and served up my ice-cold soda at the theater’s beverage island. There’s something Willy-Wonka-magical about being able to pour your own beverage -- soda or shaved ice variety -- from a very clean and well organized refreshment stand before paying; not to mention this is a novel approach to serving customers at a movie theater.

Didn't partake of popcorn and sweets, but took comfort, and further immersed myself in the life of fantasy, knowing there was an ample selection of ice cream, sweets, and salty snacks awaiting any customer's request.

The beauty, organization, and cleanliness of Cinemark Huntington Mall would not mean as much, were it not for the professional team who manage and operate the organization. One would be tempted to think of movie theaters as typically run by teenagers who possess no vested interest in the long-term success of the business. If that is typically the case then the crew at Cinemark Huntington Mall is definitely atypical. They are clean-cut, enthusiastic, polite, and efficient.

It is the local Cinemark management that most amazes me. How else to account for CHM's continuing the vision of Cinemark’s founder Lee Roy Mitchell? This from a Cinemark press release of July 2009:
"Cinemark was founded in 1984 by theatrical exhibition pioneer Lee Roy Mitchell. Mr. Mitchell’s initial vision was to bring high-quality, modern movie theatre entertainment to underserved markets in the US. ...'What has always set Cinemark apart is the level of importance that we place on our employees, customers, vendors and studio partners,' states Cinemark’s Chairman, Lee Roy Mitchell."

CHM stands head and shoulders above other theaters because the management and employees at CHM understand their founder's vision and continue the legacy as if to say "we've worked here all week, all year, etc, and have seen all these movies, some more than once, and have put up with our share of customer issues; but we know that for you, the customer, this may be your first night out in a long time, you've paid a lot of money to see a great movie, to get lost in a fantasy, and we're here to help make that happen."

The leadership at CHM must surely understand what Kouzes and Posner highlight in The Leadership Challenge (2007):
"Exemplary leaders also communicate what makes us -- our work group or organization -- and our product or service singular and unequaled. Compelling visions set us apart from everyone else. ...The late Edward Goeppner, former managing partner for the Podesta Baldocchi flower shop...one of the oldest, continuously operating floral-design businesses in the United States, offered a simple yet eloquent response to the question of 'Why should people want to buy from you?' He said, 'We don't sell flowers, we sell beauty'."

At Cinemark Huntington Mall, they don't sell movies and popcorn. They sell imagination and the opportunity to escape from the day-to-day. And they do it well.

Mark Hissong
President
The Holston Forum

Would you recommend this theater to others? Yes!