ICONIC TOWER THEATRE REOPENS

Sacramento's iconic Tower Theatre reopened its doors Thursday for the first time in seven months, according to a report from KCRA 3 News.

“It’s pretty exciting to be back open,” General Manager Dave Parker said.

When the novel coronavirus pandemic hit California, prompting officials to establish public health restrictions as a way to mitigate the spread of the virus, many entertainment industries, including movie theaters, were forced to close.

Since the state shutdown, Parker has been the only staff member at Tower Theater. Now, the theater has been able to bring back about half of its staff.

“I’ve been doing this for several decades, and I’ve never gone through anything like this,” he said.

From the box office to the auditorium, guests will notice new safety protocols in place, including a mask requirement, plexiglass dividers at ticket sales and the concession stand and every other row in the auditoriums blocked off. Under state guidance, movie theaters in Sacramento County can only fill a quarter of their seats.

“And there’s three seats in-between each person -- so lots of space,” Parker said.