Pandemic relief bill offers lifeline to independent theaters such as Greeley’s Kress Cinema & Lounge

By Gabriel Allen

While many have discovered DIY mixology during the pandemic, Kress Cinema & Lounge manager and bartender Justin Ghofrani is taking a break from cocktails.

“I love cocktails, but I don’t drink them at home,” he explained. “I’d rather drink whiskey or mezcal or beer.”

Ironically, he often sips these unadorned beverages while fingering through a copy of “The Happy Hour Handbook” — a recently-published collection of cocktail and appetizer recipes from Denver’s most lauded bars and restaurants. While he isn’t currently able to man his post behind the bar at Kress, he’s hunting for new recipes to use when it reopens.

Since Ghofrani and his partner Margaret Thompson took over management from Thompson’s parents in 2014, the Kress Cinema & Lounge saw steady growth in business, Ghofrani said. 

“As much as I want to take credit for that, Downtown Greeley has been picking up steadily overall,” he said.

Since taking over, Thompson and Ghofrani added a speakeasy bar and an extensive cocktail menu to the theater. In September of 2019, they made a big investment by installing a second screen in the theater. Just six months later, the pandemic shuttered entertainment venues across the country.

“It was brutal timing, but I’m very glad we got our Oscar season in,” Ghofrani said.

In September 2020, Warner Bros. Pictures pushed out the latest Christopher Nolan epic, “Tenet,” to tentatively open U.S. theaters. It was one of the only films not simultaneously released to streaming services this fall, and Ghofrani and Thompson decided to reopen Kress in order to show the film. They bought hand sanitizer dispensers, blocked off every other row of seats and restocked the fridge, but locals were hesitant to take the risk.  

“We just weren’t getting enough people,” Ghofrani said. “We tried it for a month and realized it just wasn’t sustainable.”

In October, they tried another tactic. For $100, people could have the theater to themselves for two hours. A few private parties rented out the space for birthdays.

Come November, the theater shut down again after cases surged and Weld County reached Level Red on the state’s COVID-19 dial. 

But the winter solstice brought a glimmer of hope. On December 21, Congress passed a pandemic relief bill that included $15 billion in relief to in-person entertainment venues. The bill outlines a grant program that specifically benefits independent movie theaters — those that have less than 500 full-time employees, operate in less than ten states and operate only in the U.S. 

Theaters such as the Kress can be awarded up to 45% of the revenue they lost between April 1 and the end of 2020, as compared to their revenue in 2019.  Businesses that have lost 90% or more in revenue will be first in line to receive stimulus funding, followed by businesses that have lost 70% or more. 

“The National Association of Theatre Owners put out something saying that they think there’s enough money to go around to all of the independent theaters,” said Ghofrani. “I think it’s going to be huge for us and places like the Moxi and other independent, local venues.”

Now that Weld is back to Level Orange, the Kress is once again open for private party rentals. But for the most part, Ghofrani and his staff are biding their time until the theater can reopen again for good.

“I’m really just trying to get the timing right,” Ghofrani said. “It costs so much just to fill up our fridge. We don’t want to open and have to close again.”

Once they do open, Ghofrani can’t wait to apply tactics from his pandemic reading list at the speakeasy.

“I’m really looking forward to getting behind the bar and making some drinks for people,” he said.