Proudly Local Business: Manning's Aurora Theatre

Vision Credit Union • May 30, 2020

Brandi and Ian Fedorowicz's famous popcorn is keeping them connected to their community during the COVID-19 pandemic

“We have a strong following for popcorn.”

It’s opening night of a big blockbuster. You wait in line, anxious to get to the concession and make it to your seats before the previews start. Tickets in hand, the lobby buzzes with sounds; people chatting, popcorn popping, a symphony of booming noise coming from the auditorium. You juggle your fountain pop and snacks as you navigate the crowds. Safely in the theatre, you push down the foldaway seat, taking in the feeling of excitement and the familiar smell of buttered popcorn in the air. Then, the lights go down.

Since COVID-19 has altered our normal day-to-day lives, it’s nearly impossible not to feel nostalgic about the social experiences we’re missing. But, realistically, traditions like “going to the movies” have been slipping away for a while. Brandi and Ian Fedorowicz own Aurora Theatre in Manning, Alberta; a local institution since 1949. They’ve been operating the theatre since 2011, unable to ignore the correlation between their decline in foot traffic and the explosion of at-home streaming services and direct-to-digital releases.

“We have our steady customers, our usual ones that come to visit, bring their families and everything. But there have been times that it's been tough. There'll be some weekends that are really slow, and we just get by. And then the popcorn is what keeps our doors open,” says Brandi. “We have a strong following for popcorn.”

Die-hard popcorn fans are the reason that the Aurora Theatre has remained operational during the pandemic. Initially they debated closing the concession as well, but the high volume of popcorn inquiries let them know that there was still demand—a lot of it. “We’ve had a line-up down the street. It was a little crazy, but it was awesome to see,” says Brandi. “So that kind of opened up our eyes, that maybe we do need to stay open. As long as the two of us are healthy, we'll continue.”

Brandi and Ian started off just offering popcorn on certain evenings at the theatre. Now, they’re also making their famous popcorn available to neighbouring communities, like Deadwood and Hotchkiss, through deliveries. “It's been a huge success. It's just comfort food, I guess,” says Brandi. And community members agree, Brandi and Ian have received donations to deliver those striped bags of comfort to places like small businesses and their local senior’s lodge. “They’re pretty excited…It gives them something to smile about,” Brandi says.

Brandi and Ian have something to smile about as well, with the overwhelming community support they’ve been experiencing. The Aurora Theatre isn’t just a part of Manning’s history, it’s also a big part of Brandi and Ian’s family story. Like many in Manning, they had their first date at the theatre. But unlike many, they also had their wedding there. They purchased the theatre shortly after. Now, their six-year-old son, Marek, helps out with vacuuming and taking tickets. Brandi and Ian hope to pass the theatre on to him someday.

Brandi’s hopeful that the pandemic has shown us that our historic, small local businesses need us—and we need them. “We've just got to stick together,” she says. “And we've really noticed more commitment to shopping local…That makes a big difference and we'll see changes, hopefully. We need to rely more on our own community and our country…we’ll see.”