Small Business Saturday: The Avalon

Originally posted to The ACE on blogspot on 5/20/18.

I meant to draft this last night, but had a boy over (nothing to get excited about, believe me) and it had to wait until today (because he was so bored he actually left - says something about me, I suppose).

So here's the deal: I'm going to try and write something every day. Not because I have a lot to say, but because I need an outlet and I think that getting back into writing/sharing would be good for me. So, there may be days of the week that have designated topics, like today (er, yesterday): Small Business Saturday.

I've resided near Bay View for nearly three years - the entirety of my adult life. Without small businesses, this little city would absolutely not be the same. SBS is a day that people make a point to choose small business over big brands, but I personally try to shop small all the time, often choosing to go somewhere like Sparrow Collective for a gift instead of Wal-Mart, things like that. So every Saturday, whether I have visited the business on that particular Saturday or not, I'm going to try and review/talk about a small/local business (I am based just south of Milwaukee). Some may be restaurants, some may be coffee shops, whateva.

So for this week, I chose to take my date to the Avalon, an adorable dinner theater in the heart of downtown Bay View. I drive past it every single day and I'd still never been there. We saw Deadpool 2 (review may be coming for today's actual post, it was incredible ftr), and we didn't get the whole "Avalon experience" because we were running behind on time, but it was still great regardless.

Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Magazine online, Erin Gosch

The Avalon itself is classically cute from the outside, and the theatre was adorable too. The ceiling was black with small lit "stars" that stayed on throughout the whole movie and were much less distracting than I thought they'd be.

The chairs were comfy but each seat has a swinging board in front of it, like a desk. I should have expected this. I should have gone to a theater with reclining seats for this reason alone. If you want to curl up with someone at a movie, the Avalon is the wrong place for ya. Take a bunch of your pals here instead. The boards are nice because every other seat has a menu, and every seat has cup holders. Everyone else in the room had a beer or something else to drink, some people had ordered dinner or food too. It really does offer a very unique "dinner and a movie" literal experience. I wish we would have gone earlier so we could have gotten something to eat before the flick, so maybe I'll have to go back again with a group instead of a date?

I know this is a short, sort of quick review but overall, I was super happy with this place. It was a little weird how often the staff walked up and down the aisles, but whatever. Super classic looking space, very easy to walk around, incredibly friendly and helpful (and QUICK) check in process - it was a good time, honestly. The theater itself, at least. The date, not so much, but hey. Avalon pulled through as much as it could.

The Avalon easily earns 5/5 stars in my book. Atmosphere, staff, food choices, ticket/food/drink costs... It really does deliver. I've wanted to go for their RHPS and anime weekends before but have never found the right time or day. I'm glad I finally went!

Until next time.