Grandview Theater and Drafthouse
1247 Grandview Avenue,
Grandview Heights,
OH
43212
1247 Grandview Avenue,
Grandview Heights,
OH
43212
7 people
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Speaking as a former employee who worked at both the Drexel Grandview and the Drexel East, it is terribly sad that the Grandview location will be closing at the end of this week. The Drexel Grandview holds many happy memories for me, and I will miss being able to go to movies there.
A little history about the Grandview Theatre: the building houses the oldest movie theatre in the state of Ohio (not to be confused with the Ohio or Palace Theaters which hold mainly live performances). The Grandview Theatre was not always a Drexel; it was not until 1988 that the Franks aquired the lease, and it was a second run theatre until 1993 when the Franks decided to make it into an art house.
The original theatre had no concession area, and seating went all the way back to the arch, near where the box office is currently located. The original box office was in the foyer where there is now a big black square. There is a backstage area; however, it is not large enough to accomodate live performances. The area in back of the screen is currently used for storage, but even without all of the items in the back of the screen, space is minimal. There is also a second door to the left of the screen, but that only leads to the boiler room, and would be of no use to anyone looking for extra space.
There was a point when the Franks were contemplating the addition of another screen. The additional screen was going to be located in one of the storefronts next to the theatre, but the plans were never finalized. I can say, with confidence, that building a second screen in one of the storefronts would have been a bad idea as those stores are very small. Had the addition been built, the second screen theatre would have been smaller than the smallest theatre at the Drexel East (very cramped).
I don’t know what Mrs. Stoltz has in mind for the beloved Grandview theatre, but she is evidently not willing to sell the property. I also doubt that she will raze the theatre as the Ohio Historical Society might step in to save the historic building. I had hoped by now that it would have been added to the list of historic places in Ohio, but as far as I know it has not. I truly hope that someone takes the initiative to repair it and keep it around for generations beyond ours can enjoy the theatre as well.
The Grandview is closing Sept 27th.
I noticed the last time I was over that way that there is a door to the backstage area.
Beauregard is the name given to the parrot by the employees of the Drexel Grandview shortly after it reopened in 1993. During the renovation before it opened as a Drexel theater, the existing murals were all painted over except the parrot. Not sure when they were originally done.
The theater used to be used for vaudeville, so one would assume there is/was a dressing room area, though I never saw it when I worked there. There is a stage, currently used for storage.
If you’ve been to the Grandview, you may have seen “Beauregard”, the parrot (or some other kind of tropical bird) painted on the wall between the box office door and the door that leads to the projection booth ladder. Apparently the lobby was painted with elaborate murals with a tropical setting, and was painted over sometime, leaving only Beauregard as a reminder of once was.
Unfortunately I do not have more specific details or any good photographs… I may have one somewhere with Beauregard in the background, I’ll share if I come across one.
Does anyone out there know what the original interior was like before the construction of the new retail space/main lobby? Any pictures of the (original) interior?
-David
Ron,
I’m wondering the same re: the 1923 date. Maybe that’s when ground was broken for it?
Otherwise, as you ask, what did it do for three years? Another theatre before the Grandview in that house?
-David
SOrry, when I was writing “theatre” I was doing so in the context of functioning movie theatres. Which is why I didn’t count the Southern.
Does that mean it was used for some other purpose for three years before becoming a theatre?
Oh, and for the record, the county auditor site lists the property being built in 1923.
Regarding the two store rooms on either side of the theatre…I looked the property up on the County Auditor site and did some measuring. Looks like those rooms are 16' wide and 40' long. You COULD put a screening room in there, but after you take out space for a booth and screen/speakers, you aren’t left with much.
The Southern Theatre is older than either the Grandview or the Palace, though it no longer shows movies. The Lincoln may also be older than the Grandview.
I believe the Grandview opened in ‘26. The Drexel opened in '38. The Grandview (having opened two months before the Palace) is the oldest surviving theatre in Columbus.
I would also take with a grain of salt some of the information being distributed about the “whys” of the decision.
Meheuck is probably right in thinking that the storefronts would be converted. That is the only expansion option that makes any sense.
I don’t think there was any plan to twin the auditorium itself. It’s more likely that the Franks were hoping to purchase the other storefronts, nay the entire land parcel, from its current owner, and convert those into small screening rooms.
A sad day. I was working for the Franks when they first acquired the theatre, and saw all the beautiful renovation they did to the place, and worked many long, proud hours at the theatre when it reopened. I may be hundreds of miles away now, but I’m going to miss it all the same.
There actually is a stage, and space behind the screen. I think that it could host live theatre, with a little creativity and some changes to the current design.
I agree with Mark L, the idea of twinning it seems unbelievable, especially with the acoustics… That area of Grandview Heights is so special to people, and the residents so involved, I am sure the theatre will be reincarnated somehow.
There is no stage, nor room for a backstage. Honestly, I don’t see how that theatre could be chopped up into smaller rooms…it isn’t that big to start with. ALso, the acoustics are NOT good in that room, as it is very hard to understand some dialog in there…I saw a British film there once with heavy accents, and it was almost impossible to understand what was going on.
There are a number of very successful restaurants very close by…perhaps the owner is hoping for a restaurant in that space. Wall off the back for a kitchen and put tables toward the front.
Here’s the Columbus Dispatch article.
If yesterday was the theatre’s 82nd anniversay, as the Dispatch article states, then the descrption above is incorrect (‘Originally opened in 1938’)
Could it work as a live theatre? Does it have a real stage?
According to the article, the owner has no plans for the building. I doubt anyone else would even try to make a go if it in there. I don’t see anyone wanting a single screen.
I’ll post if I hear anything about the space. Restaurants do well in that area, and that space could work for a nice place.
I’m sorry to hear this. Drexel seems to be shrinking as a chain, having shed the Arena Grand and Gateway as well.
Who will take over the Grandview?
The Drexel Grandview will close on September 27, 2008. The theatre has been operating at a loss and without a lease for some time. Offers to purchase the building were rejected by the current owner.
Jeff & Kathy Frank will continue to operate the 3-screen Drexel Theatre in Bexley OH.
Some interior shots of the Grandview:
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HDTV267,
I think you are mixing up the ARENA GRAND downtown with the DREXEL GRANDVIEW. The OSU games and other attractions are shown at the ARENA GRAND next to Nationwide Arena. To my knowledge, Grandview has never shown an OSU game.
According to the Columbus Dispatch (Dispatch.com) online archives, the Grandview reopened as an independent second-run house on Wednesday, March 25, 1987, two months later than planned. It had last shown movies some time in the 1960s.
The Drexel Theatre group briefly programmed the Grandview as an art house from late October, 1988 to May, 1989, but it then returned to second runs. It closed as an independent theatre during the third weekend of May, 1992, then reopened as the Drexel Grandview on Saturday, May 8, 1993.