Responding to more than a decade’s worth of customer requests, the Vashon Theatre is now licensed to sell beer and wine full-time.

Theatre owner Eileen Wolcott explained in an email that patrons had been asking for this for the last 12 years.

“We pursued licensing several years ago,” she said. “But the regulations then would have required people to sip their drinks in the lobby before going into the movie, so we dropped the idea.”

Recently however, the state adjusted its regulations in an effort to help small town theaters stay in business, as the sale of wine and beer provides them with another income stream.

Wolcott emphasized that as a community-centered business, they have moved slowly and carefully into this endeavor.

According to the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, to hold a license to sell beer and wine, a theater must have no more than four screens and require all servers of beer and wine to attend a mandatory alcohol server training program. There are also multiple requirements aimed at ensuring that alcohol is not served to those under the age of 21, such as requiring identification from anyone appearing to be 30 years-old or younger, the use of containers (cups) for alcohol that differ significantly from those used for non-alcoholic beverages, requesting identification from anyone seen consuming an alcoholic beverage who appears to be of questionable age and checking the identification of all parties if one individual wishes to purchase drinks for others.

Wolcott said that she began working with the state again last October, and this summer has been able to start the new service, though the theater is still working on meeting the state’s lighting requirements for the new license.

Right now, beer and wine service is offered at evening shows Thursday through Sunday, as well as at non-movie screenings such as the National Theatre Live series, Bolshoi Ballet and other special events.