The Regal Cinemas movie theater at The Shops at Atlas Park, located at 80-28 Cooper Ave. in Glendale, is seeking a beer, wine, and cider license.
The Regal Atlas Park cinema has officially filed an application with the New York State Liquor Authority and is currently undergoing a lengthy vetting process in order to gain approval.
Community Board 5 announced the movie theater’s application during a board meeting on Feb. 7, and has yet to make a recommendation with the SLA. Until vetted and given approval, Regal Atlas Park will not be permitted to serve alcoholic beverages.
The movie theater chain was awarded a temporary license in January, according to records from the SLA. The temporary license allows the theatre to sell alcohol for a limited time, but the license is set to expire in April.
Businesses are required to provide community boards 30 days’ notice in advance of filing an application for a license to ensure boards get time to evaluate a proposal. However, community board recommendations are merely advisory, with the SLA making the final determination.
The Shops at Atlas Park is an outdoor mixed-use center in Glendale offering retail stores, restaurants and entertainment venues. The Regal Atlas Park opened its doors at the shopping center in 2006 and has remained a neighborhood go-to theater for about 18 years.
With the decline of movie theaters in the city and the recent departure of Multiplex Cinemas locations in Queens, Regal Cinemas is taking steps to adapt to the challenging business with the addition of wine and beer to its offerings.
At the beginning of 2022, the SLA made it possible for movie theaters to sell wine and beer. The conditions set forth by the liquor authority allow movie theaters to apply for a license as long as their primary source of revenue is from movie ticket sales and snacks.
There are currently five Regal Cinemas locations serving beer and wine in New York, including one in Flushing, Lynbrook, Staten Island, and two in Manhattan. Beer, Wine and Cider prices vary from $7.99 to $11.99 according to the Regal bar menu.
An update to this story has included the approval of a temporary license, which has allowed the theatre at Atlas Park to begin selling alcoholic beverages in January.
