The ticket and coin machines have been in place since the 1920s. Even the snacks are vintage. Fresh popcorn is made in a 1940s machine. They built them so the smell goes out into the theater. Despite the age of the equipment, breakdowns are unusual.
West oversees theater operations and gives spontaneous tours to people who drop in unannounced.
There aren't very many still in operation. Indeed, the Mineola theater is due to receive a historical marker this summer and state officials say the business is one of the oldest in the nation. As the only movie theater in Wood County, the 300-seat auditorium often overflows with residents and visitors, West said. The theater functions as more than a movie house, though. Dear and his partner Truman Thomas donated the movie equipment to a local theater group when they retired in 1986.