Business Profile: Carmel Cinemas, Carmel

Carmel Cinemas has seen some major changes since 2010 and the reaction from local residents and from those living in surrounding areas has been a very positive.

“People are just discovering us for the first time. It’s been wonderful,” Candice Sciarrillo, manager of Carmel Cinemas, said.  “They hear about us from friends. Word of mouth is our best marketing tool.”

Patrons who went to the theater prior to 2010, are now walking into an entirely new  facility.

After the original theater company Cinema North saw a great decline in business that ultimately led to the company going out of business, the Carmel mainstay was sold to Ursteadt Biddle.

That was a temporary fix, as Sciarrillo said, until the theater was ultimately bought by Gary Goldring, who stills owns the building today.

Under Goldring’s stewardship, Carmel Cinemas went through  a million-dollar overhaul of the theater.

The renovations included new screens for each of the eight theaters, as well as a new projector for each, new high-back rocker chairs, and a new, revamped concession stand for patrons looking for something to snack while they watch a movie.

The most important change the Goldring has brought forth, however, has nothing to do with the building or the equipment therein.

When asked about what was the  best part of working with Goldring and his staff, Sciarrillo said, “Definitely having an owner and corporation that cares about their entire staff, everyone from the cleaning crew to those working concession, whose thoughts are heard and valued. Every idea counts.”

It’s that commitment to every aspect of the theater that has helped the once struggling business flourish today, she said.

In addition to the remodel, the renovated cinema  has provided more jobs for young people in and around Carmel, many of them high school students who are working at their first job.

They too, Sciarrillo said, are valued members of the Carmel Cinemas family whose ideas are considered and respected. Sciarrillo counts Goldring’s leadership as one of the key components to the now thriving theater.

“Gary comes by once a month or so. Things are taken care of as they come, rather than after a few months, which used to happen,” she said.

In addition to Goldring, Meredith Cleary acts as building operator who checks in on Sciarrillo and her team once a week, making sure all is running smoothly.

Aside from the renovation, Carmel Cinemas has seen a steady increase of regular customers and new patrons who come to enjoy the theater.

“It’s really been great for the town, and great for the other businesses in the complex,” Sciarrillo said.

With the belief in giving back to the community, the Carmel Cinema staff will, on occasion,  open the doors before normal time, or stay open later, in order to accommodate various groups throughout the community.

“We do special screenings for Girl Scouts on Saturday mornings, and we’ll do special events for special needs groups. And of course, school groups as well,” Sciarrillo said.

As for what the future holds for Carmel Cinemas, Sciarrillo promised plenty of new improvements in the months to come.

“New restrooms are the next project we have scheduled. Hopefully new carpeting soon, too,” she said.

Sciarrillo invited the community to come enjoy themselves at the cinema located on Route 52 in Carmel.

“Let’s leave the negative thoughts in the past. Everything, the movie quality, and the nature of the staff has changed greatly. Give us a try now and see what we’ve changed,” she said.

By Aileen Collins