West Mall 7 Theatres revisits plan to add beer

Sept. 17, 2020

Beer at the movies, take two.

West Mall 7 Theatres is bringing back a plan to add beer sales to its offerings for movie-goers.

The movie theater at 2101 W. 41st St. is reapplying to the Sioux Falls City Council for a license that would allow it to sell malt beverages and South Dakota wine. The council denied the application in 2018 saying it needed more of a security plan.

This time owner Todd Frager said he has that worked out.

“We want to section off an area at the concession stand or the lobby, and then we’re going to have basically a beer-only line, almost like a beer garden type thing — where you go there, get carded, get a wrist band — so it will be separate from the rest of the concession line,” he said.

Hours will be limited and “we’re going to do extremely strict carding, so if you don’t have a wristband you can’t get it, and if you’re buying two both people have to be there,” Frager continued.

Inside the theater, staff will be checking for the fluorescent wristbands if they see customers with containers, he said.

“Our movies are two hours long, so we’re not looking for multiple sales,” Frager said, adding beer is a high-profit item that might make customers choose his location because they can buy one there.

“Soda drinks have changed. People drink different things now, they just do, and we all know popcorn goes good with beer,” he said.

“So I just think the industry has changed a little bit where what we’re seeing in all the large cities is every new theater that opens has a liquor license — if not, at least a beer license.”

His license is scheduled for a vote Oct. 6, and if approved the hope is to begin selling the beverages within a month.

It might not come at a better time, as West Mall 7 like other theaters has had a challenging year.

“We’re extremely down. 80 percent down is pretty average right now,” Frager said.

“It’s a little bit of everything – COVID, September, lack of product, and this is pretty important to us to just try to keep moving forward. It puts us out there that we’re open and we’re still trying to do things. But we’re struggling, and the real test will be when the holidays come if we bounce back at all. If we don’t, our future is definitely in doubt.”

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West Mall 7 Theatres revisits plan to add beer

West Mall 7 Theatres is bringing back a plan to add beer sales to its offerings for movie-goers.

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