The original FilmBarPHX location will hold a grand reopening event after its signature theater closed for nearly half a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
FilmBar management decided to reopen a few months ago for micro-rentals which allowed people to reserve their own private theaters and have movie parties. The theater reopened its doors on May 11.
Kelly Aubey, the owner of FilmBar, said the official grand reopening will be on this First Friday, June 4 at around 5 p.m. While no films will be showing at that time, there will include a DJ playing music, a coffee shop called Fever Dream Coffee — a new addition to the original FilmBar — and First Friday participants will be allowed to walk around and check the place out open-house style.
“Even though we’ve been here more than 10 years, we have to kind of approach it like we’re a new business,” Aubey said. “We want to bring people to this place and help them understand what we do.”
While original Filmbar location was closed temporarily, FilmBar opened a second location, an outdoor theater and bar concept at the Pemberton PHX at 1121 N 2nd St.
The idea sparked because customers didn’t want to watch movies in an enclosed room, so they started airing movies outdoors due to COVID-19 restrictions. Aubey said FilmBar at Pemberton PHX found success during the pandemic because they were exposed to people who may not be familiar with them.
“It has introduced us to a whole new crowd, we’ve seen a lot of people,” Aubey said.
Aubey said FilmBar is not geared toward a certain demographic or crowd, but that it is a place for people who look for something different in their films, such as socially conscious movies that get people to talk about issues that are important.
FilmBar is designed to be a family-friendly, light-hearted and fun environment with movie showings for anyone who is interested, as they cater to all walks of life.
“The films that we show here can appeal to a lot of different people,” Aubey said. “There is no age, race or gender orientation that we shy away from. It’s a place for everyone.”
Don Navignon is a regular customer at FilmBar who said his favorite spots are sofas on the patio and at the bar. But Navignon said the coolest thing about FilmBar are the people because they also are film fanatics just like him.
“You can sit at home in your apartment or dorm room or whatever and stream a movie, or you can come down here, meet all kinds of cool people and talk about stuff,” Navignon said.
Haley Ritter is also a regular at FilmBar and has been going for about seven years. Ritter heard about FilmBar through a friend, and the theater quickly became one of her favorite spots.
“They show unique films here that I’ve never seen before,” Ritter said. “It’s good entertainment. I also like coming out here on the patio with my friends just to chat about the (movies) afterward.”
FilmBar often shows older films from the 80s or 90s, or classic movies people haven’t seen in a long time. They also show up-and-coming indie films when they are released.
The environment at FilmBar is very trendy as the owner strives to attract anyone who finds the theater interesting.
Aubey wants to continue to promote and expand his business and survive the pandemic struggles that impacted FilmBar. He said he hopes to bring the community together and with his plans to use the theatre to benefit the city.
“We can fulfill our mission of helping affect some form of social change in a better way,” Aubey said. “Hopefully, the city will support our efforts.”
Contact the reporter at alavino@asu.edu.
