| At Sommerville Theatre in Boston , eligible patrons are now allowed to order their popcorn with a chardonnay. The Davis Square theater's new beer and wine license makes it one of just a handful of theaters in the state that sell alcohol at the movies, reports boston.com
General manager Ian Judge, who got a liquor license from the city last month, said offering wine and beer fits the personality of the theater. The five-cinema, family-owned business charges a $7 admission and often has movies playing at the same time it features a live concert.
The theater partnered with a beer company to sell beer for $4 a pint, and offers a 5-ounce glass of white or red wine for $6. The drinks may be consumed in any of the five cinemas.
"We have a very upscale audience. It's a mature crowd who can enjoy one or two beers or wine with their movie," Judge said. "It's a sign of respect to the audience that we feel they can handle it."
To control alcohol consumption, he said, each customer who buys a drink is carded and given a bracelet.
Moviegoers are permitted to buy one beverage at a time, although there is no limit on the total number during a show. If someone seems to be buying too many drinks, the theater will refuse to serve him or her. Judge said he once refused to sell a second beer to a patron who drank his first one in 10 minutes and came back for another. Beer and wine sales end at 11 p.m.
The Somerville Licensing Commission said a police officer will check the theater periodically. Judge said he plans to be vigilant about having ushers patrol to make sure no one is sharing alcohol with underage drinkers.
He said he doesn't expect underage drinking to be a big problem because the movies he shows for the most part do not appeal to teens.
Since starting to sell drinks April 6, the theater has sold more than 1,800 beers and 100 glasses of wine. The beverages were a hit at the Independent Film Festival of Boston, which featured movies at the theater last weekend.
For full story, click http://www.boston.com
|
