A Drafthouse Grows in Montgomery
Here's some good news for those who like to wash down a trip to the movies with a frosty mug of beer. Late this summer, the owners of the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse will open a new location in the P & G theater space at Westfield Shoppingtown Wheaton. The current P & G theater will close in April so that construction can begin on the Montgomery Cinema 'N' Drafthouse, as the 32,000-square-foot space will be known. The new theater will be larger than its Arlington sibling, featuring six theaters and the same table seating that is a staple of the Arlington location. Patrons will be able to order drinks, sandwiches and dinner platters while sitting down to take in a movie or a comedy act. While the Arlington location focuses on second-run films, the new space will offer new studio releases.
"We will do a ton of indie films, but we will also be doing the 'Spider-Mans' and the 'King Kongs' and things like that," says Greg Godbout, one of the owners. He cites "Knocked Up" and other offbeat comedies as the kind of films that would be a perfect fit for his audience.
"The quality of the film is far more important to us than the sellability. If the film is of good quality, there's enough dedicated filmgoers in the the D.C. area that they will want to see it in a quality environment," he said. Tickets for first-run films will be $8.50-$9, but the cinema will also offer $1 movie nights and some films for under $6.
Like its Arlington relative, the Montgomery Cinema 'N' Drafthouse will offer stand-up comedy, family-friendly programming and other forms of entertainment, but the new location will have much more space to work with. In Arlington, all these entertainment options share one theater with a capacity of 295. In Montgomery, each of the six theater spaces can be dedicated to a different sort of programming.
Godbout is interested in upping the new Drafthouse's sports offerings, particularly around events like March Madness and the Super Bowl. Stand-up comedy acts have been selling out at the Arlington location, so he is now booking comedians to perform at the Arlington and Montgomery drafthouses.
The owners signed the lease two weeks ago and are moving quickly toward permitting, aiming to open in late July or early August. According to Godbout, the Arlington location currently brings in 100,000 people per year. In the additional location, which is located near the Wheaton Metro, he is projecting an annual audience of 400,000.
This opening marks the first return of a cinema/restaurant to Montgomery County since 2001, when the historic, art-deco Bethesda Theatre Cafe -- now used for live theater -- closed. "A lot of the reason for this is the people who miss the Bethesda [theater] e-mail us and are like, 'Can't you come back?'" says Godbout.
To sign up for the Montgomery Cinema 'N' Drafthouse's e-mail list, visit the official site.
--Julia
By Julia Beizer |
March 24, 2008; 10:38 AM ET
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Posted by: around | March 24, 2008 12:06 PM
I agree! Fantastic news
Posted by: ghope | March 24, 2008 1:45 PM
Very cool! I've missed the Bethesda Cinema n'Drafthouse for a very long time!
Posted by: librarianmom | March 24, 2008 2:20 PM
Sweet! We've needed this kind of thing out that way for ages. There's another old theater location in Bowie with 6 screens that would be great for this kind of idea to.
Posted by: EricS | March 24, 2008 2:23 PM
I miss the Bethesda Cinema n'Drafthous as well. This reminds me of a venue, such as described in this plan, that I visted last fall in Lexington, KY.
Posted by: TC | March 24, 2008 3:40 PM
yeah for Wheaton!!!
Posted by: | March 24, 2008 3:52 PM
A Metro accessible Drafthouse - Awesome! Finally! I can't wait, looks like I'll have a new hangout.
Posted by: | March 24, 2008 4:02 PM
Hearing this made my day! I've always wanted to go to the Arlington Draft House to see what it was all about, but couldn't justify the trip. I'll definitely frequent the Montgomery Draft House.
Posted by: | March 25, 2008 10:48 AM
I hope the food is better than the Arlington joint! Wheaton is down the street from me so I will have to at least stop to find out...
Posted by: | March 25, 2008 2:21 PM
Great News! I live in Rockville. Now I can go to the Drafthouse more than just twice a year. Their Comedy programming rocks!
Posted by: June | March 25, 2008 7:48 PM
this would be great news if Wheaton wasn't still a ghetto where you can get stabbed in the parking lot of this place cuz it's "conveniently" located next to the Wheaton Metro stop --the HIGHEST VIOLENT CRIME RATE in Montgomery County is at that Wheaton Metro and the Wheaton mall area right next to it....
My wife and I were mugged 6 months ago in front of this very theater at 9pm on a Saturday nite...
Maybe 5 years from now when gentrification pushes all the thugs out this will be a great place to go , but for now you better take your Mace with you ....
Posted by: wayne sedar | March 28, 2008 9:01 AM
Yeah, I live in the area and everytime I go to the mall (quite often), I take mace, my numchucks, and a knife, just in case.
And I plan never to live in Potomac or Bethesda either because there have been (gasp) murders there.
Posted by: DCMetro | April 3, 2008 9:13 AM
I stoped going to the arlington drafthouse a few weeks ago because the owner greg godbout is a nut job i was in there new grill just next door to the drafthouse and he came in and started to yell at the bar tender who by the way was a nice guy just trying to do his job!!! and then i think he yelled at the chef in the kitchen too i loved the food so i do not know what he was yelling about!!!!!! so after i paid my bill i went to the show i had asked if there was a manger who i could talk to and the guy with the black hair tall on the heavy side said yes thats me i asked if i could get my money back because i was not going to be in a place that the owner has no class!!! he just looked at me and walked away so i just cut my 5 doller loss and walked out!!!!!! yes its a cool place for a fun chep night out but in my book anyone who thinks just because he/she has money and is big boss should never do that too anyone shame on him i hope some of you read this and do not go there or too the new one in maryland!!!!!! mr. godbout is not a god he is the devil i only wish the good lord will see fit to give him a little run of bad luck so he has to work at burgerking or some place like that!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: bill | April 27, 2008 3:57 AM
well the old arlington grill has now become a buger and fried chicken wrap house. very said that the owners do not know a good thing when they see one!!!!! rumor has it that the new grill that they opened in the winter that i thought the new upscale food rocked well the jackasses let the chef go and got some kids to cook junk food!!!!!!! its too bad plus they are no more big time stand up names comming any time soon they are just showing movies that are now on dvd!!!!!! Said said said if the one in maryland is going to be like this one too well they will be broke in a heart beat!!!!!! the only action they are going to get in maryland is the gangs hanging out in the back shooting at each other and selling crack!!!!!hey they should take notes from the gangs on how to make money by selling something LOL!!!!!
Posted by: tom | May 9, 2008 3:49 AM
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this is the greatest news to start off my lunch hour!!! i live 5 minutes from there!!! :) thanks Gurus, you really know how to make a gal smile...