Beer here! Get your beer here!

Board OKs license that will allow Saukville movie theater to serve brews

    Cedarburg’s Pam Campbell usually only drinks water at movie theaters.
    But she has no problem that Marcus Saukville Cinema will soon be selling beer.
    “I’m sure other people will be happy about it,” said Campbell while sitting outside of the theater on Monday. “My 23-year-old son will probably like it. He doesn’t say he’s only going to (Marcus) North Shore because they serve alcohol. We come here way more often because it’s less crowded.”
     The Saukville Village Board approved a Class B Beer License for the theater at its Dec. 12 meeting, and that also pleased another Cedarburg resident who was at the theater earlier this week.
    Bob O’Neil usually visits Marcus North Shore because of its food offerings like Zaffiro’s Pizza. Even though the Saukville theatre will not have that, the beer is a big enough draw for him.
    “Yeah, for sure,” O’Neil said. “It would put (the Saukville theater) into my rotation more than it was before.”
    Mari Randa, the Director of Communications of Marcus Theatres, hopes the beer will be sold at movies by Christmas, give or take a few days.
    “But we certainly have to get some training and some things in place before we’re actually serving,” she said. “We do not have a hard date on the calendar.”
    What is known is six different kinds of beer will be available for purchase in aluminum bottles at the concession stand.
    Randa estimates the beer will range from Miller Lite, Bud Light, Blue Moon and whatever else Marcus decides. Because it is a “B” Beer License, no hard liquor will be sold.
    “We want to provide an overall movie-going experience based on our guests’ feedback, and that has what has led us to expand the offering at our Saukville location,” Randa said. “We are always trying to add to the consumer experience and give additional offerings. And folks have been extremely receptive in areas we’ve been able to add food and beverage.”
    Most Marcus theaters already sell beer since the company evaluates each one for the feedback they get from guests and what amenities make sense for that community.
    “And so that’s how essentially the decisions are made,” Randa said. “One of the pieces of feedback helped lead us to exploring a ‘Class B’ liquor license for our Saukville location. We certainly are expanding our offerings for our guests. And what we’re finding is when people go to movies, they want more than just a movie. So we’re adding a lot of different amenities, and some of that is food and beverage.”
    Could food such as Zaffiro’s Pizza be in store for Saukville?
    “Quite frankly, I can’t predict the future,” Randa said. “All I can tell you is right now, this is what’s coming up next.”