Nitehawk Cinema in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, New York, officially opened on June 24, 2011, The independently-owned movie theater was founded by Matthew Viragh, a former regular attendee of the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema while living in Austin, Texas, and later working at the Commodore Theatre in Portsmouth, Virginia, the first first-run movie theater in the United States to serve alcohol.

When Viragh began the process of opening the theater, New York state had a Prohibition-era law barring movie theaters from serving alcohol, prompting the entrepreneur to hire a lawyer and a lobbyist to seek the law’s repeal. Setting a historical precedent, Nitehawk Cinema is single-handedly responsible for the groundbreaking overturn of the prohibition-era liquor. Senate Bill S4772, which authorizes movie theaters in New York state to serve alcoholic beverages, passed the New York State Legislature by broad margins and was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on August 17, 2011.

The Nitehawk Cinema was the first multi-screen theater to open in Northern Brooklyn following the closure of the Commodore Cinemas in 2002. The facility is housed in a former industrial building renovated by Caliper Architecture. The location was retrofitted to include a nine-unit apartment building along with a custom facade comprised of LED lights, zinc, and glass. The theater’s menu was developed by Michelin-starred chef Saul Bolton.

Nitehawk Williamsburg is a triplex, hosting 92, 60, and 34-seat theaters. Lo-Res, Nitehawk’s downstairs bar, offers full-service food and drink, and outdoor seating during the warmer months. Lo-Res features handcrafted cocktails, local brews and spirits from regional distillers.

Viragh opened a second location, Nitehawk Prospect Park, in December of 2018. Nitehawk Prospect Park includes seven screens, 650 seats, two kitchens, and two bars. The second location was designed by Think! Architecture and Design.

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