One of our local independently owned theatres, The Rio Theatre, just got a liquor license a few years ago. It was quite an ordeal. You see, just about every theatre chain in Canada has been bought up by Cineplex Odeon. Cinemark, Famous Players, even some of the art house cinemas, they're all Cineplex theatres now. The Rio is one of the very few independently owned theatres still standing. The owner, Corinne, (who I've become friends with) uses a number of tricks to keep from being squashed by the big corporate machine that is Cineplex Odeon. One is The Rio's midnight movies every Friday night. It used to be Fright Night Fridays with a midnight horror double feature. Then they dropped the double feature, because most people left after the first movie anyway. Then they changed it so that there's a different theme every Friday (one week horror, next week comedy, next week sci-fi, etc).
Corinne decided that in order to continue to compete with the big boys, she needed to have something they didn't. . .booze. So she applied for a liquor license. As is often the case, getting licensed isn't as simple as going down to City Hall, filling out some forms and paying a fee. There was a mountain of paperwork to go through and a sea of red tape to navigate. Finally it was done and she had her liquor license. Only the city turns around and tells her that she's no longer allowed to show movies at The Rio, because it's apparently against the law to drink beer and watch the latest Hollywood blockbuster at the same time. She was only allowed to host live events (concerts, etc) that were for adults only. She pointed out that sports arenas sold beer, and that unaccompanied minors were allowed to attend sporting events. Also restaurants that are licensed to serve alcohol were allowed to serve food to unaccompanied minors. City Hall didn't care. "You can't serve alcohol and show movies!"
Rather than shut down The Rio and see her hard work and money flushed down the toilet by a law that made no sense, she rolled up her sleeves and fought back. She started petitions, letter writing campaigns, arranged public hearings, got her friends, customers, and neighbors to voice their opinions. And not just with City Hall, with the local MLA, even the Premier of the province. To make a long story short, she fought the law and she KICKED ITS ASS!
Today, The Rio Theatre is open for business, where you can crack open a nice cold beer and enjoy whatever major Hollywood movie is playing there that week. Or whatever midnight movie is showing that Friday night. Or possibly World Cup Soccer if you're into that (she also shows the games on satellite). And it's all legal.
Now if only she could start serving hot dogs and nachos at the concession stand so that you're ingesting something a little more filling than popcorn and chocolate along with your ice cold brewsky.
They call it MacGuffin's. Full alcohol variety too—beer, wine, mixed drinks! They let you order and take your drink into a movie too.
