Want a beer with your movie? You could have one soon at the Grand

More and more movie theaters are turning to alcohol as a new source of revenue to counter falling ticket sales.

The Grand theater in Alexandria could soon join them.

The theater on North Mall Drive has applied for a permit to serve beer, wine and liquor. The theater is required to display the notice until Saturday.

The permit notice drew a range of reactions on social media. 

Most posters were at least neutral, noting that alcohol is already served in theaters in many cities, and the Grand has a right to do so, too, to help its business stay viable. Some were worried about teens and younger children being in close proximity to alcohol. More than a few joked about how much a beer or glass of wine will cost.

MORE: Does South Alexandria have too many stores selling alcohol? | CC's Coffee House coming to Pineville | See the big changes coming to Copeland's | See when and where Huddle House is opening in Alexandria

Messages left with Southern Theaters, which operates the Grand, were not returned.

Theaters make their money on concessions. Most people associate that with popcorn, soda and candy, but alcohol is fast becoming a staple at theater chains. As other entertainment options, such as streaming video services, make it tougher for theaters to get customers in the door — the number of tickets sold annually by U.S. theaters went down by 22 percent between 2004 and 2017 — new revenue streams are becoming a necessity. 

Industry giants AMC, Regal Theaters and Cinemark all have more than 100 locations that serve alcohol.

"It is the fastest-growing amenity in our industry," George Patterson, senior vice president of food and beverage at AMC, told the Hollywood Reporter last year. "Dollar for dollar, alcohol doesn't cannibalize candy, soda or popcorn. If I put a bar in, I can almost guarantee my food and beverage revenue will go up."

In addition to the state, the Grand would also have to get approval from the city of Alexandria in a separate process before a permit is approved.

If anyone registers opposition to the permit, it will trigger a hearing of Alexandria's Alcoholic Beverage and Drug Abuse Control Commission.

The burden of proof in such a hearing is on the opposition. If a majority of commission members feel the complaints have merit, they can recommend that the application be denied (that decision is made by the mayor).

Or the commission can dismiss the complaints, allowing the Rapides Parish Sales and User Tax Office to issue the permit.

Openings, etc.

In other local restaurant news: 

►CC's Coffee House in Pineville will open Saturday. The Pineville store is located across from Kees Park on Louisiana Highway 28 East. It's the second location in the area for the popular South Louisiana-based chain, with the first on Jackson Street Extension in Alexandria.

►Copeland's Brass Pearl held a ribbon cutting for its newly renovated restaurant this week. The restaurant, formerly Copeland's of New Orleans, rebranded as part of a company-wide initiative to tailor each Copeland's location to its local community.

The signature part of the remodel is a large oyster bar, where customers can enjoy the delicacy raw, charbroiled, stuffed, Rockefeller-style and other ways.

Copeland's has been on South MacArthur Drive since 2005.

►Nearby, the recently opened Huddle House on South MacArthur Drive held a grand opening last week. The restaurant is holding a "First Responder Day" next week where law enforcement officials, firefighters and EMTs in uniform or with a valid ID will receive a free double stack of pancakes from 6 a.m. Feb 16 to 6 p.m. Feb. 17.