Creativity Matters More than Ever: Atlas Cinemas Thrives Despite Challenging Market

(Left to Right) Christopher Baxter, Director of Operations and Gabriel Saluan, Co-Owner of Atlas Cinemas at the Made in Cleveland premiere in Euclid.

There is very little in this world which cannot be accessed through creativity and hard work. Leveraging the creative process to find solutions to business challenges is essential for the long-term viability of small and mid-sized businesses.

Atlas Cinemas certainly proves that the creative process can be used to give your business a leg up on the competition.

In 1976, the first movie theatre in the Atlas family opened in Euclid, located at 22624 Lake Shore Boulevard.

Today, the theatre is truly a destination in the City with various upgrades and amenities including the premier digital 3D system in the industry. But the success of the theatre cannot be attributed to capital investment alone.

Now under the leadership of Gabriel Saluan, the theatre has remained a staple in Euclid at a time when household budgets are tight. This has been accomplished largely thanks to Gabriel Saluan’s sweat equity (read: hard work) and creative problem solving.

So, what exactly is creative problem solving?

Strategic alliances, endorsements, revenue sharing arrangements, bartering and joint ventures are all creative problem solving strategies which can be used to help your business grow.

Owner Gabriel Saluan lives and breathes creative problem solving.

A local favorite, dinner and a movie, patrons can enjoy dinner at Beach Club Bistro and then go see a discounted movie thanks to the joint venture orchestrated by Saluan. In so doing, both Atlas and Beach Club Bistro are exposed to a larger market overall though shared access to one another’s marketing resources and audience. He has similar arrangements with other restaurants for all of his theatres throughout the region.

More famously, Atlas Cinemas is known for its strategic alliance with the Ohio Independent Film Festival. This summer, thousands of people, including local celebrities, streamed into Euclid for the Grand Opening of "Made in Cleveland." The show was a complete sell-out and a total success for the theatre and for the Ohio Independent Film Organization.

What is the take-away? When time is short and money is tight, there are a plethora of resources available to business owners to ensure success. Negotiation, bartering and partnerships between your business or organization and other entities can help to make the most of those resources which are available.

Atlas Cinemas’ creative use of resources has not only helped his cinema to thrive but has also helped Euclid be a better place to call home.

For more information about Atlas Cinemas please visit www.atlascinemas.net.