Socializing at The Clyde

We recently got this email from a patron:

“My first visit to the Clyde years ago started when I arrived at 7 PM . I saw a woman sitting in a row by herself. A patron walked in and started talking to her and then sat next to her. Eventually the whole row was filled with people who stopped to chat. I was so impressed with the “Clyde Spirit”. Although I don’t have any part in running the Clyde, I am so very proud of the Clyde that I can’t wait to bring newcomers and visitors to our theater to show off the pre-movie experience. The show always starts at 7 for me.”

It’s not the first time someone has commented on the social aspects of going to The Clyde, but it reminded us of how much more welcoming a theater feels when space is left for visiting before the film. I hate going to a screening or a show at the multiplex and being force-fed cheesy pre-show advertisements. We would make more money if we showed ads, but Blake and I see our patrons as guests, not ATMs to be punched again and again for more income. We don’t try to over-sell at the snack bar (in fact we’ll cut a kid off if we think he’s ordered too much candy), and we sure don’t force you to sit through a bunch of advertising just so we can go to Hawaii next winter.

So bring a friend and enjoy a chat before the film, or circulate among your friends in the audience as so many do until the lights start to dim. Introduce yourself to a nearby stranger and make a new friend. Wander out to a local bar, pub, or tasting room for a post-movie discussion. A night at the movies can be so much more when you look for ways to make it a social occasion too.

The photo illustrating this post is by Ross Chapin.