Neon lights and luminous beams lit up the Drexel Gateway theater area for weeks, but on Friday Nov. 4, the movie venue finally opened its doors to the public.
Both the OSU and Columbus communities continue to witness the gradual process of unveiling the latest luxury vendors of South Campus. The Drexel Gateway theater is no exception to these massive developments, which slowly but surely enhance the quality of the area.
Equipped with seven commercial screens in addition to a multi-media projection room, the theater features major art, independent and foreign films not found in typical mainstream movie houses, said Jeff Frank, president of Drexel Theaters.
“Columbus is one of the most over-screened cities in the country,” he said, “so it’s a very competitive market for movie theaters. But as far as specialized and art films, until now, the city has been a little under-screened. This theater really puts Columbus up in (roughly) the top 20 markets in the country of screens available to show art products.”
Integrating movie-goers to these particular film genres will require feedback from the student community, said Frank, who has been in the business for 25 years. Frank also owns Drexel East, Drexel Grandview and manages Arena Grand.
“My biggest challenge right now is figuring out what movies will do best here and how to serve as big an audience as I can,” he said. “We won’t always have the movies that everybody wants to see because were not a Lennox, we don’t have as many screens. But we’re really going to offer a nice mix of things to see. We will just have to find ways to market the movies for students who are not familiar with them.”
Although the AMC Lennox Town Center and the Drexel Gateway theaters are in close proximity with one another, Frank said he does not anticipate a rivalry between the two.
“Being an art theater with a few commercial films, I don’t really see us competing with the Lennox,” he said. “We’re just going to be another option. There’s 60,000 students here (at OSU), so I think there’s plenty of room for both theaters. The Drexel will be a good compliment. If we were going to be a head-on competition, we would have built a commercial theater and that’s not what this is, this is more of a hybrid theater.”
Despite the particular audience that the Drexel may tend attract, their future looks optimistic, said Lynette Willsey, a graduate student studying anthropology.
“At a school this large, there’s so many students with different interests, so I think there’s a good chance they’ll do really well,” she said.
The quality of the theater, along with the $5 student tickets, makes the Drexel Gateway an attractive destination, said Jay Reichert, a senior studying criminology and sociology. Reichert, who also works at the theater, says he plans to see movies at the Drexel at least once a week.
“They have extremely comfortable seats and an amazing sound system, the quality just blows me away,” he said. “It’s different from other movie theaters because of the comfort level and the different choice of movies.”
In addition to selective programming, the Drexel Gateway has also cultivated a close relationship with local university’s film programs. In the lobby, a large screen presents works from OSU and Columbus College of Art and Design students. Another unique element of the theater is the full-service café, bar and lounge area located in the lobby, where patrons will find more than just popcorn and soda on the menu. Normal movie theater refreshments are offered, but the Drexel Gateway Café also contains an extensive selection of moderately priced salads, wraps, pizzas and desserts, along with espresso drinks and a full-service bar.
“This is one theater where you can just come in and you don’t even need a ticket,” Frank said. “We hope to become a destination for lunch, hanging out, studying, that sort of thing.”
This quality, comfortable atmosphere encompasses the true experience of seeing a film in the theater, Frank said, which is currently competing with modern viewing options of downloading the movie or waiting for the DVD release.
“The movies that are being made today, with all the great effects and all the detail, are not meant to be seen on a TV screen or an iPod,” he said. “Maybe the second or third time, perhaps, but if you really want the experience, nothing beats seeing it in the movie theater. I don’t care how big your home screen is, you can’t fit a 65-foot screen in your living room, it’s just not going to happen.”
Not only is the movie theater experience valuable at the Drexel, it’s affordable, Frank said.
“To me, seeing a movie (is) still one of the most reasonable forms of entertainment,” he said. “We think its one of the best bargains in town. You can come over here for $5 and see great movies in a fabulous theater. Very few college campuses have movie theaters of this quality, there are probably a handful of them in the whole country.”
Upon visiting the Drexel Gateway, patrons will realize how much effort has been put into the construction of the venue, Frank said.
“What it shows you is that the university and Campus Partners have a real commitment to giving students a high quality atmosphere,” he said. “I look at (the Gateway) as sort of a bridge between the Short North and campus. The wide variety of local and national entrepreneurs make the area different and unique, and I think you’ll see a lot if success around here. It can only get better and better.”
