In one decisive move, the Wetzel County Convention and Visitors Bureau saved date night in New Martinsville and the surrounding areas.
That’s because the former Valley Cinema 3, home to the only movie theater in the surrounding area, was in danger of closing after more than three decades of providing memorable movie-going experiences. It’s located at the New Martinsville Plaza, just north of the Bridge right along WV 2 in town.
Attendance was not the issue. But the then-owners were ready to retire after operating the cinema for the last 11 years. The facility went on the market. But there were no interested parties.
So, in effort not to see the movie theater go the way of the town’s skating rink and bowling alley, CVB made a call to purchase the facility.
“There weren’t any buyers, and the CVB decided to purchase the business so there would still be things left for the community to do (in town),” said Holly Morgan, president of the Wetzel CVB and also president of the newly dubbed The Movie House. “There isn’t a bowling alley anymore, no skating rink. The theater still gives kids and families a place to go and spend their time.”
This came about during the summer of 2020. The CVB opted to some internal remodeling to improve the aesthetics and give it a fresh look for its debut for the public.
A target date grand opening date was set. The Movie House page on Facebook announced during the first week of November that Christmas Day would be the grand-opening celebration.
A month later, it needed to be postponed, factoring in community health amidst the pandemic.
Other theaters were open during this time, but given Hollywood’s lack of first-run releases in that span, the move made sense on multiple fronts.
“We were able to weather the lengthy delay as we just had the bills for utilities and stuff, and it gave us more time to complete the remodeling ,” Morgan said. “We hoped to open around Christmas, but it just wasn’t the time. COVID was really bad at that point, and we wanted to wait for a safer experience for all.”
That Wait Is (Finally) Over
The wait ended on April 16, when The Movie House officially reopened with a slate of movies including the new Tom & Jerry film, Godzilla vs. Kong, and Wonder Woman 1984.
The reception, and attendance, thus far has been encouraging.
“We’ve been really busy the first few weeks and had great turnouts,” Morgan said. “There’s been a lot of teens, lots of kids and families. It’s been busy.
“It’s nice to welcome the community into our theater and show off the work that we’ve done.”
Thankfully that work didn’t require upgrading the projectors and sound systems as the previous owners already took care of that cost. The aesthetics, however, did get a fresh brush up.
The look features a lot of blacks and golds and reds, with an art-deco, retro-feel. The main feature of the lobby is a display created by Pop Art Parties in New Martinsville.
It features a large container of popcorn, with a movie reel that runs the length of the lobby.
“Not being able to open until April, we used that time to remodel. We were helped by the Wetzel County Commission with some funding. We redid the entire lobby area, adding new carpeting and paint. We jazzed it up a bit.”
Morgan explained the CVB ventured into the movie business to provide the kids a safe place to go to see films and spend time with their families. The theater was going to close completely, but the CVB stepped in to make sure that didn’t happen.
It’s a move that also benefits the businesses in town.
While the theater was closed, New Martinsville residents and those in neighboring towns and counties had to travel to Marietta, Parkersburg, Wheeling or St. Clairsville to see a movie. That meant their dining and shopping dollars also went with them.
Now, when adventure calls for family movie night, or date night at the theater, residents don’t have to leave town. And if the theater is in town, logic dictates the dining and shopping money will be spent there as well. It’s a win-win for both the town and the business community.
A New Experience
The CVB also organizes and puts on the highly successful Back Home Festival. But there’s a big different in putting on a festival, and running a successful movie theater.
The staff certainly waded into unfamiliar waters.
“As a board, none of us have run a theater before, so there’s a learning curve for us, everything from booking films, concessions, etc.”
But the staff Morgan said has been knocking it out of the park. A big reason for that is the leadership and know-how of Tish Rhodes. An employee of the former Valley Cinema 3, Rhodes agreed to come work for The Movie House as well.
Her expertise has been invaluable.
“She’s just been a godsend, showing us what we need to do and how everything operates,” Morgan lauded. “We’re concert promoters, so this is a new arena for us. She’s been invaluable, and the entire staff has been really great.”
So far, the theater is only open on the weekends, Friday through Sunday. Presently, the three films are still Godzilla vs. Kong, plus Mortal Kombat, and Raya and the Last Dragon, a somewhat recently released animated film from Disney, but obviously not fresh out of the box.
Morgan noted that nationally, film studios are still slow to release new films, waiting to maximize attendance when less restrictions are in the play. That’s making it somewhat difficult to get a variety of films at The Movie House, particularly the family-friendly and animated films.
She admitted the board is still tossing around ideas, possibly going with the retro movie available either on a certain day or the entire week. There are also other discussions in the works as well, including the possibility of a movie pass where you could see multiple movies that weekend for one cost. If the interest is there, that too is a possibility.
The good news is the theater is back open, and the triplex is just the right size to support the surrounding area.
“It’s the only theater between Wheeling and Parkersburg,” Morgan said. “We get a lot of people coming over from Woodsfield and Monroe County and Tyler County; this is a good location.
“I don’t know if the area could sustain a multi-plex with a dozen screens. But with three, it more than serves its purpose and provides a great entertainment option.”
