If you’re looking for an exciting and entertaining way to support a local business in the Cincinnati area, a great independent movie theater to visit is Kenwood Theatre.
Located about 11 miles north of Downtown Cincinnati (and right across from Kenwood Towne Centre), the theater offers patrons a classy yet comfortable alternative to movie theater chains. And though ticket prices are a bit higher than a typical theater ($10 for adults, $7.25 for children, seniors, and matinee adult tickets), the unique ambience Kenwood Theatre offers is worth the additional cost.
This is most evident in the selection of food and drinks available for purchase. Upon entering Kenwood Theatre, customers encounter a typical concession stand selling movie theater staples such as popcorn, candy and slushies. However, the good eats are actually to the left of this typical concession stand, where a higher-end vendor offers a full bar (including bottled beers, mixed drinks, wines, and frozen alcoholic drinks), sweet treats such as cupcakes and fudge from a local bakery, and fresh sushi from a local restaurant. Guests can enjoy these treats in the lobby, or take them into the theater to enjoy during the show. (Trust me, nothing is better than watching a movie on the big screen while sipping a margarita!)
For a fun treat during the week, this dressed-up concession stand offers “Weekly Wine Tasting at the Kenwood” Thursdays from 6 to 7:30 p.m. For $5 a ticket, participants are able to try a handful of Joel Gott wines. Wine drinkers can choose to watch a movie after (or during) tasting, or they may simply relax at one the tables located in the movie theater lobby.
If wine doesn’t interest you, Kenwood Theatre offers plenty of movie specials throughout the week as well. Wednesdays offer guests “Dinner & A Movie.” Tickets for Wednesday shows after 6 p.m. are $7.25 for all guests, and tickets come with a 20 percent off coupon for participating local restaurants. This coupon can be used any Wednesday evening after 5 p.m. (before its expiration date) — so, with some advance planning, Wednesdays at Kenwood Theatre offer the perfect option for local dining and entertainment.
The theater also hosts promotions to help those of us who are struggling on a budget. Tuesdays are “Bargain Tuesdays” where all tickets, regardless of show time or movie, are $6 for all guests. And though the theater doesn’t always offer a student ticket price, on “Student Thursdays” guests with a current school ID can purchase tickets for $7.25. The theater also offers a group rate of $7 per person for parties of 30 or more.
Because it’s independently owned, Kenwood Theater is not only able to host special events, but it also has flexibility in the movies that it plays. In addition to showing current popular movies (and yes, it does have the ability to present 3D movies), the theater also shows independent and foreign films that are often not available at movie theater chains, thus making it much easier for Cincinnati residents to experience a little bit of culture.
So if you’d like to try something new and you’re looking for a fun way to support a local business, you should definitely visit Kenwood Theatre. For more information, you can visit www.kenwoodtheatre.com. You may also contact the theater via e-mail, [email protected], or telephone Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 513-723-1180. For show times, you may call 513-984-4488.
Kenwood Theatre has two partner theaters in other Cincinnati suburbs: Mariemont Theatre in Mariemont and Esquire in Clifton, but I haven’t had the opportunity to visit these locations. I’d love to hear from those of you who have been to these theaters.
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