Residents use to flock to the historic PenMar movie theatre in downtown Penticton before it closed its doors in 2012, but entrepreneur Harry McWatters hopes the crowds will return once again.
The site has been transformed into a 20,000-square-foot winery.
The capital investment was $7 million.
“There were four theatres here originally, theatre one is now our fermentation hall, theatre two… is our barrel cellar and theatre three is a combination of production and storage,” McWatters, the president and CEO of TIME Winery, said.
McWatters plans to restore the fourth theatre with 80 seats to be used for screenings and special events.
The Summerland man, described as a pioneer, is also commemorating his 50th vintage.
His daughter, Christa-Lee McWatters Bond, who is the director of sales and marketing, said she couldn’t be more proud of her father.
“There has been nobody else in the Canadian wine industry that has worked as long,” she said. “My father, I believe, has done more to grow the Canadian wine industry than any one individual.”
Often described as the grandfather of the B.C. wine industry, McWatters founded B.C.’s first estate winery, Sumac Ridge in 1980.
He was instrumental in the adoption of the VQA program and helped create the B.C. Wine Institute, which promotes B.C. wines around the world.
Not to mention his accolades.
McWatters has been awarded the Order of B.C., an honorary Doctor of Law degree from Okanagan College, and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal.
At age 72, McWatters isn’t showing any signs of slowing down.
“Eventually I’ll stop but it won’t necessarily be by choice,” he said.
The south Okanagan’s first downtown winery is slated to open to the public this fall.