That brings a total of 382 new seats in the movie theater off Tenth Street after refurbishments last year in theater II added 119 seats.

“We’ve gotten great reviews,” said cinema owner Blaine Given in a recent interview. “When we bought the cinema in 2013 we realized seating was high on the priority list.”

The digital upgrade in both theaters and repairing a collapsed sewer line delayed the seating project.

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With completion of the theater II project and the recent completion of the theater I seating project, “The stars aligned,” he said. “We wanted to have it done in time for the summer blockbusters and we did.”

With the installation of seating in the larger main theater, there are other projects ahead, including new curtains, remodeling of the smaller bathrooms and new aisle lighting and other food options, something which is still being studied. “Our intention is to make small improvements so it doesn’t become stagnant,” Given said. “That’s what happened previously.”

Given said his wife, Janelle, is a perfectionist as is new cinema manager Jay Shell. “We want to make it better so people will come. The awesome thing is with these renovations we have seen faces we haven’t seen before who are regularly coming out and supporting the theater.”

Said Janelle: “People are proud to come here now.”

Blaine said the cinema has become a good place for families to come. “Families need a place they can go and make memories that they’ll cherish for a life”

With the premier of Ocean’s 8 tonight at 7, there is an opportunity to experience the refurbishment of theater I. “If you haven’t come and seen the updates we hope you will come and see Ocean’s 8 tonight or Incredibles 2 which begins next Thursday,” Given said.

The completion also means the new seats will be available for the Summer Movie which begins June 12 and runs through August 16. The Summer Movie Club schedule is included in the photo gallery.

The projects the Summer Movie Club screenings will benefit are Angel’s Closet, Sheriff Wes Tripp’s Benefiting the Children of Halifax County and Project LIFT.

Given said he and Janelle wanted to do something to give back. “The community been extremely supportive of us. We feel we’ve been very blessed and we recognized there are many not as fortunate as we are. We want to see everybody have a better life and want to contribute to seeing people having a better life.”