The LoveSac Theater, a radically new movie experience

Completing this theater may very well be the 3rd proudest event of my life.  I actually got to design an entire movie theater!?  To see this old, retro, soulful movie theater become something legendary - filled with my inventions that hopefully will make people's lives more comfortable, is something to behold.  The world's first LoveSac Theater is up and running!

It has been a long time in the works, but Mark Cuban and crew at Landmark Theaters finally got up the guts to go really "out there" on one of their Theaters.  They chose the Inwood, Dallas, TX.  The Inwood  Theater was built in 1947, and has become a Landmark in Dallas.  The auditorium is huge, and it was certainly a task to get the layout right, using only LoveSac original inventions as seating.  

There really is nothing quite like it in the world.  Landmark Theaters purchased more than 200 of our Sactionals Bases, 320 Sactionals Side PIeces, custom Bella (Velvish) Covers, 2 dozen Sacs, and a bunch of U-tables.  Of course the entire Theater is 100% changeable, modular, and machine washable.  Every single cover of every single piece of LoveSac furniture can be taken off, washed, and changed around.  Every unique style of seating (other than our Sacs) was actually built from only two pieces...Sactionals Bases and Sides, which hook together with no tools in just seconds, and can be re-configured endlessly. 

There are many different "rooms" and configurations in the Theater, but mainly there are two types of Sactionals seats. Those that are "deep" and those that are standard.  "Deep" Sactionals is when the Base Piece is turned so that the long dimension runs back - placing the back of it further from the front edge.  You sit in it far more reclined.  Deep Sactionals are actually great near the front of the Theater, where typically you have to strain your neck to see the screen.   

The Sacs are really the icing on the cake though, and the funny thing is, they make what are typically the worst seats in the house the best ones.  20 minutes before the first midnight showing, ever, in the LoveSac Theater last night, every Sac on the front row was taken, leaving plenty of prime seating for everybody else. 

After 4 grueling days of very little sleep, we finished the install at 6am on Friday morning.  Shower, shave, and back to the Theater later that day to promote it.  It was actually a lot of fun.  We brought out the Sacs Machine, the LoveSac bus, and parked it in front of the Theater.  We actually set up a LoveSac lounge right in front of the Inwood Lounge (Martini Bar connected to the lobby).     Every single person who walked by couldn't help but take a flop in the Sac.  When we explained that the etirety of the legendary first floor 400 seat auditorium at the Inwood was set from this furniture, people went nuts.  Many of them claimed they had not been to the Inwood in years - just passing by, getting ice cream next door.  Now they plan to come back.

Just by luck, one of Dallas' longstanding movie critics, Pilip Wuntch, who has 30 years writing about movies, just showed up with his classic southern belle of a wife, Mimi, to see the independant film now showing.  He was blown away by the new digs.  He promised to blog about it. (Philip & Mimi below) 

Another great family, Jose and his nearly overdue pregnant wife drove 45 miles to check it out, because they had heard about it at our Stonebriar location, just out of town.  They didn't even care what the movie was!  It did not disappoint.

Then there was Andrea and her daughter Blake.  Once I showed them the furniture, and let them peek into the actual Theater, in between showings, I honestly thing Blake bounced like she had a pogo-stick.  The screamed, and instantly proclaimed that she expected her mom to book the theater for her birthday.  She began texting her friends to get the word out about her upcoming LoveSac Theater party.

We basically just hung out all night in front of the Theater, until we were overrun by mostly intoxicated regulars from the Inwood Lounge. They just could not resist the power of the Sac.  Risking being sited for public intoxication, they were piled on the little lounge out front.  So I took my installation crew to dinner....man did they deserve it.  We worked multiple 21 hour days, trying to get it all done, and by the end, we were all thrashed.  A sincere and massive thanks to Travis, Alex, Jon, Ben, Charles, Fernando, Curtis, Dustin, Bianca Kimberly, Beau, Alex, Jeremy, and even crazy Mike for all y'all did to make it happen.  It was not easy.  The good news - it worked!

We came back at midnight for the Theater's first midnight movie, Rushmore.  I needed to get some photos of the Theater, so I asked everyone to stick around and become a part of history.    I tried to explain to everyone how the seating worked before the movie.  There is even a handicapped section. 

One of the biggest hits were the PIllows and blankets.  They just kind of float around the theater.  There are bins full of them as you walk in the door.    It is definately going to be quite a lot of work for the staff to keep up with it, but it will definately be worth it.  Also, did I mention that there is actually a bar in the Theater!?  Right in the back corner, partially glassed-off, you can avoid even having to leave the movie to keep the juices flowing. This, of course, one of the most important features of the theater, to some. 

The entire Theater boasts Ocean Velvish and Merlot Velvish fabrics.  It is one of our softest fabrics, yet, amazingly, it is our absolute toughest fabric!  It cleans right up, and wears better than even suede.  You will notice LoveSac U-tables and U-drinks scattered throughout.  These simple inventions afford you a nice wood surface on which to place the beverage of you liking.  These "deep" U-drinks were developed especially for the theater, to help avoid spills.  They actually hug the cup tightly.  Another simple LoveSac original invention.     The U-Tables halves fit nicely over ottomans in each room, forming a sort of coffee table - only you can actually just slide it to the side when you want to kick your feet up on the ottoman (base).  2 U-Tables together work as end-tables, in select spots throughout the Theater.

During Rushmore, the midnight movie, I was just glad to see people figuring out, on their own, how to "use" the furniture.  Some had their feet up.  Others sat sideways.  Some layed down lenghtwise in their Lover's lap.  One couple snuck up to the Movie Lounger in front with a FootSac blanket.  U-drinks got moved around - some on the arms of the furniture, some on the backs (same thing really - just a Sactionals "Side).

The Theater, as it stands, is really, pretty functional - even practical....just different.

So in 2 weeks, May 22nd, the Theater is planning a sort of "Grand Opening" around the new Indiana Jones movie, which will be opening that night.  If you are at all in the Dallas area for that, I'm sure it is a party that you won't want to miss.  Party in Dallas, at the LoveSac Theater!  That should be a packed house.  I am excited to see what that looks like. 

Well, it is almost 2 pm the next day - having been up all night running the photo-shoot, and just making some finishing touches.  I have to say - I'm proud of this little company.  I still have 3 stores to open or finish opening in the next 4 days.  I have to do one of them in the next 12 hours, before I get to fly home.  I need to grap some sleep, desperately.  I'm already sick as a dog.

I still find it amazing that our furniture, originally designed for home-use, is actually well-built enough to work, without hesitation, in a commercial environment like this.  Sactionals will become the biggest furniture phenomenon in America.  You just wait....and I'll just keep saying it until it happens.  There is no doubt in my mind. 

From Mark Cuban's Landmark Theaters to your home theater, Sactionals are the answer.  I can't wait to get back home to mine.  I know that Hollywood is just sitting there, on that back cushion, waiting for me/us to get home.  (FYI, it was Tiffany and Lucky that take the spot for my first two most proud acheivements....and I miss them most of all).

Livin' the dream.  You know this whole thing started when Mark Cuban saw our Sacs, thought they'd be cool in some of his theaters, and told his guy, Bill to call me.  Well, in all the years it took to figure out a deal, we invented Sactionals, and that made us able to not just throw some Sacs on the front row - we created an environment.  Bill was still on the fence.  Finally, Bill was sitting in his own LoveSac PillowSac Rocker, when he caught a re-run of my reality TV victory on The Rebel Billionaire.  He heard me BACK THEN, 2005, after I had just won one million dollars, about how there would one day be LoveSac stores, LoveSac limos, LoveSac Theaters.....So he picked up the phone, taking it as a sign, or fate, and made the call.  The Theater was born!

I think that is the thing I love most about my job.  My opportunity to create environments for people, whether it be stores, theaters, promo buses, or LoveSac Headquarters, that influence p eople for good.  This theater is DEFINATELY one more step towards making people's lives more comfortable.  Get your own.

The world's first LoveSac Theater is finally here, I can't believe it....but it won't be the last.   

Lovey'all. Love Texas.  Love our great people here at the Sac.  They don't stop for nothin'.   

- Shawny D.

[FOR HI-REZ PHOTOS OF ALL OF THESE IMAGES, GO TO PICASA, AND DOWNLOAD THEM THERE - LINK BELOW]    http://picasaweb.google.com/chairmansac/TheLoveSacTheaterAtTheInwood

Comments

[Lucy Tatam]

This is wicked, every cinema should be like this!! Please bring your wonderful ideas on comfort to our stiff UK cinemas... please!!

[Kevin King]

Shawn, are the velvet covers a limited-edition thing or do you anticipate mass-producing them? Or are they already a specialty cover that can be custom-ordered?

[Jeff Sinelli]

Sean: Just saw HANCOCK at the Inwood last night....what a difference a LOVESAC makes, especially for my pregnant wife. Would you like to do some LoveSac's in WHICH WICH (www.whichwich.com)?????
-Jeff Sinelli
Founder/CEO

[Courtney Sinelli]

Shawny,
Jeff Sinelli's pregnant wife here. Sorry he spelled your name wrong (I'm the detail oriented one). Anyway, loved the SACS at the Inwood last nite. Genius!
Courtney

[Chris Sandberg]

What a great idea. I'd love to watch a movie there.

[Amy]

I just wanted to thank you for doing this in Dallas and not in Utah!