TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — Businesses in Wyoming County are pulling out all the stops for the long-awaited premiere weekend of the Barbie movie.
Julie Piazza is taking her business, Chippy White Table in Tunkhannock, and turning it into her Barbie dreamland, all for the premiere weekend of the new Barbie movie.
“What day was it? Last Friday? Yeah, so it's been less than a week since we came up with the idea,” said Piazza.
To launch a Barbie premiere party for Barbie lovers of all ages and to pull it off in six days, Piazza partnered with some other businesses like the Dietrich Theater to help paint Tunkhannock in pink.
“Who would have thought that Barbie, who has been ubiquitous for years, would have this kind of appeal,” said Ronnie Harvey, film manager of the Dietrich Theater.
Featuring a life-size Barbie box and her grandmother's vintage Barbie collection, Piazza is hosting the pre-Barbie party in her space before directing everyone to the Dietrich Theater just down the block.
Together, they are giving viewers the full Barbie experience.
“We're seeing groups of families, young, old, everybody dressed in pink with their Barbie shirts on, enjoying the movie, getting their pink popcorn, and just really enjoying and loving the movie and coming out of it so happy,” said Harvey.
While he has always been a Ken fan, Harvey said the Barbie comeback is doing more than giving moviegoers a feeling of nostalgia.
It gives them a sense of community.
“I love when we can get together and come up with these fun, special ideas,” said Harvey. “So we can give back to the community that they've given to us all of these years.”
“Community matters, right?” said Piazza. “Like it's so important to keep these small towns and small communities together and strong, and this is a fun way to do it.”
They are encouraging Barbie fans to support businesses in Tunkhannock in style.
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