Live Like A Native Our Town Cinemas In Davidson

Davidson’s Movie Theater:

No Need for Twenty Screens

Our Town Cinemas Offers More Than Popcorn and Junior Mints

by Becky Aijala photography by Lisa Crates

At the age of 16, Curtis Fainn’s very first job was tearing tickets at the door of a one-screen movie theater in Alabama. Luckily for Davidson and the Lake Norman area, that wasn’t his last job in the motion picture industry. For the next 40 years, Fainn, Managing Partner of Our Town Cinemas, learned every aspect of the business by working in theaters, with roles ranging from doorman to usher to projectionist to manager and, later, in film distribution, culminating in the realization of his dream — owning an independent theater.

“Our Town,” a name chosen to reflect its place in the local community, strives to offer a welcoming, hometown atmosphere. To that end, employees (16-20 at any time) are taught the art of customer service. “Guests should be greeted by friendly people who want to serve them,” says Fainn. And they are. “It’s small, friendly, clean and close to home,” says a Davidson couple getting their popcorn and soda for an afternoon movie. “We’re huge movie buffs, and we’ve been coming here since it opened.” They like “Big John,” who takes care of them at the concession stand, too.

Located in Sadler Square, a small shopping center on Davidson’s Griffith Street, the space isn’t typical, but worked ideally with a prototype Fainn had been developing in semi-retirement. At the heart of the complex, 9,750 square feet of retail space sat empty, including a closed discount drug store and an out-of-business pizza parlor. Driving by with a friend one day, Fainn took note.

Lights dim before the next showing

struck and a long-time vision came to life. Construction started in mid-August 2009 and Our Town Cinemas, with four screens and each theater furnished with comfortable, adjustable seats and bistro tables, opened on Christmas Day that same year.

Since then, Fainn meets with his staff every Monday to handpick upcoming movies, which he says he loves. Of course, not every film is exactly to his personal taste — his all-time favorite is the classic “Gone with the Wind” — but they try to consider an “audience from nine to 90,” along with the business aspect of it, he says. That means something charming for the kids and a balance of mainstream, blockbuster and indie films to round it out.

About eight years ago, Our Town added “Cafe & Taphouse” to its name, reflecting the trend of theaters offering more food and drink choices. On tap, you can choose from 16 rotating selections of hard ciders and beers such as pale ales, red ales, pilsner, stout, porter and more. How about a Lost Worlds Emmer Cherry Wheat, or a Red Oak lager, Big John’s favorite? There’s also a wine menu with a dozen choices. On the food side, in addition to Junior Mints and popcorn for the traditionalists, the cafe offers pizza, burgers, wraps and quesadillas, as well as kid favorites like cheesy nachos and chicken tenders. For busy folks, “this is becoming the new dinner and a movie,” says Fainn.

When COVID came along, Our Town closed in March 2020, as did all theaters, and reopened on Thanksgiving Day 2021. It would be several more months before things got back to normal. At one point, the cafe had 50 pounds of popcorn — enough for a couple of slower weeks — but no containers to put it in, thanks to supply chain problems. Through it all, “no full-time employee missed a paycheck,” Fainn says, “thanks to Federal PPI Grants, the Shuttered Venues Operators Grant (SVOG) and the North Carolina MURR Grant.”

Memorial Day weekend of 2022 was a turning point. The blockbuster hit “Top Gun: Maverick” was released, and folks showed up to see it. “That was a 200 pounds of popcorn weekend,” says Fainn, “and we’ve been going full force, full time ever since.”

For more information about Our Town Cinemas, visit www.ourtowncinemas.com, or call 704.237.3226.

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