On Thursday, residents of Los Angeles will be able to enjoy a range of markdowns and deals from nearly 30 local businesses. This is thanks to “Maisel Day,” a celebration of Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The specials, which range from discounted movie tickets and makeovers to malts and deli sandwiches, are part of Amazon’s Emmy campaign for the popular 1959-set comedy series.
The general manager of Bay Theatre, Manuel Medina, spoke to his staff’s preparation for “Maisel Day.” “We’re gearing up,” he said to the Los Angeles Times. “We’re getting the team ready, because I think we’re going to be pretty busy. In 1959, the ticket prices were 51 cents, which — obviously, through time — ticket prices are very high compared to that.”
Bay Theatre typically sells movie tickets online for around $23. This means that movie-goers on Thursday can enjoy discounts at nearly 100% off, but only if they buy tickets in person at the concessions stand. Because of this, Medina is bracing for long lines.
Meanwhile, Café 50 is doubling its staff in preparation for “Maisel Day.” As part of the celebration, they’re offering authentic 30-cent malts that would usually cost a modern-day customer around $6. This will pair well with the retro diner’s 1950s inspired décor, which includes a 1957 jukebox and a 1959 Chevy Bel Air. In addition to their existing decorations, the team behind Café 50 plans on amplifying up the retro atmosphere even more on Thursday.
“[Amazon is] delivering their own balloons, but we’re going to add to that,” said the café’s head of marketing, Valerie Myers. Myers is planning on joining forces with a store manager to dress up as Midge and Susie for “Maisel Day.” “Our waitress uniforms already look like the Stage Deli uniforms, but we’re going to enhance them a little bit with little accents that look more Maisel-y,” she said.
Café 50’s owner, Craig Martin, has explained that Amazon is reimbursing all businesses involved in “Maisel Day” for the full price of their merchandise.
In Studio City, customers at The Sportsmen’s Lodge can enjoy a room rate of $40 instead of the typical $200 charge. The Lodge will also loop episodes of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on lobby screens and they will play 1950’s music by the pool.
The general manager, Stephen Chavez, thinks that The Sportsmen’s Lodge is a perfect venue for “Maisel Day.” “The Sportsmen’s Lodge being in the Valley, I think it just fit the bill of what they’re trying to produce,” he said. “The time period that the building was actually built is also very similar to the time frame of the show, so I think it was just a no-brainer partnership.”
Blushington, a beauty chain, will offer makeovers that usually range in price from $60 to $100 for only $2.50. Nicki Maron, the chief marketing officer, feels that the show connects with their largely female demographic. “We were incredibly drawn to the character of Mrs. Maisel and thought that her ethos of the show, in terms of female empowerment and women working, were incredibly important to us,” she said. “We all know how important makeup can be to one’s confidence.”
Blushington is not the only business with a connection to the show. Canter’s Deli has been celebrating The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel long before “Maisel Day” was announced, as its Fairfax location has been serving “The Maisel” sandwich for nearly a year. On Thursday, the deli will offer its signature pastrami sandwiches to customers for only 99 cents.
“[Amazon] didn’t really want us to promote it hard, because they don’t want anyone to be disappointed if too many people show up and we run out of product,” said Marc Canter, the deli’s owner. “But in the end, we can handle it. We’re built for that.”
Canter’s has been in business since 1931. This makes it the ideal historic L.A. business for “Maisel Day” in the eyes of Amazon’s director of awards Debra Birnbaum.
“We purposely scheduled it for what I call the ultimate throwback Thursday — the first day of voting — to really remind people, ‘This is what it was like in 1959,’” Birnbaum said. “It’s made so much sense for L.A., given that we’ve got so many iconic businesses that have been around since then.”
When planning the day, Birnbaum hoped that it would grab the attention of Academy voters in the L.A. area. “When it comes to Emmy campaigns, you have to look at how you address voters in phase two, and so I think we know that so many of the Academy voters live and work in and around Los Angeles,” she said. “So whereas we can’t talk directly to them with this, I think the intention of an event like this is, of course, going to sweep up the TV Academy voters, and they’ll definitely get their notice.”
In total, 23 businesses are involved in “Maisel Day.” You can find a full list of deals and locations on the Maisel Day website.
Photo Credit: Rachel Beede