Bethel mall, theater set to open July Fourth

BETHEL, Alaska (AP) - A new movie theater in Bethel and the two-story mall it will be located in will have traditional Yup’ik names.

KYUK reports (https://kyuk.org/26372/) the $18 million, two-story Kipusvik (gee’-BUZ’-vik) Building will open July Fourth. Kipusvik is a traditional Yup’ik word which means “a place to purchase.”

Bethel Native Corp. President Ana Hoffman says the theater will be named Suurvik Cinema. Suurvik means “show hall” in Yup’ik.

The native corporation will operate the two-screen movie theater while OMNI Enterprises will operate the mall and have as a major tenant its Swanson’s grocery and department store.

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Information from: KYUK-AM, https://www.kyuk.org