March 27, 2008
Cinema 'n' Drafthouse Expanding to Maryland
Good news came to us earlier this week via Going Out Gurus about plans from the owners of the Arlington Cinema 'n' Drafthouse (or, as many we know refer to it, the "drunk theater") to open a new location. And the expansion won't just be another single screen affair like their current digs. It's to be a six screen megaplex of movies 'n' beer, taking over the space about to be vacated by the P&G Wheaton Plaza theater in the Westfield Shoppingtown in Wheaton (pictured). The P&G is scheduled to close its doors next month, and after remodeling, the owners of the Drafthouse plan to reopen, according to their web site, in late summer.
The Montgomery Cinema 'n' Drafthouse will feature the same table seating and service as the Arlington location. We're hoping for a better menu (or at least better food on a similar menu), but aren't holding our breath. Aside from the larger number of options afforded by the multiple screens, the space will offer other new advantages over the original. Chief among them is easy Metro accessibility, as the shopping center in which it's located is less than a quarter mile from the Wheaton stop on the Red line. There's also more easily accessible parking in the form of an actual lot, though we've never had too much trouble finding street parking near the Arlington location.
Photo by Flickr user JackCoursey, used by permission.
The new theater will also be able to have a much wider variety of programming. The Cinema 'n' Drafthouse has expanded its offerings a great deal in recent years, adding regular comedy and music events to the schedule, as well as wine tastings, and even televising big sports events. But all those had to share one space in Arlington, where now they can all happen simultaneously if need be in Wheaton. Additionally, instead of just featuring second-run features, Montgomery Cinema 'n' Drafthouse will be showing new movies (for a slightly higher ticket price than the second-run titles), and even dollar movie specials on Mondays.
We're hoping the Drafthouse owners use the versatility of the space to provide a good place to see some offbeat fare alongside the blockbusters. Either way, we look forward to a new place to enjoy a few beers with a movie. Moreover, it's always a promising to welcome a new independent theater to the area. Now if we can just get someone to reopen the old Visions space on Florida Avenue.
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Will there be rats? Because nothing enhanced watching Anchorman more than having a rat run over my foot.
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Hope they have parking control, because the nearby Ballys is ALWAYS overflowing into that parking lot. The few times I drove to the gym I would often have to park on the west side of the lot - farthest from Ballys - because of the congestion....It'd suck for someone to drive up there (yeah, I know, Metro is MUCH better, but some people can't give up their cars) and then have to park over near the mall.
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I'm suddenly jealous.
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This is really exciting. And speaking of "holding your breath" - since this will be in Maryland it means it will smokefree! The Arlington location is so stinky!
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Wow. The current owners bought the Drafthouse what, two years ago? And they've already revamped the menu, opened a restaurant next door, and are branching into Maryland. Talk about ambitious. The C&D has certainly come a long way since the bad old days of cheeze-drenched Tostitos and defrosted Tombstone pizzas.
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This has me excited - a quick metro ride from Silver Spring and easy to get to. On the other hand, it is Wheaton, so hopefully, there won't be too many stabbings...
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oh man that's awesome! i've been going to the P&G since I was like six years old and it's always been such a shithole, matched only by the shittiness of the theater that used to be IN the mall. this is very good news.
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Does a Cinema 'n' Drafthouse sell Good 'n' Plenty? Bit o' Honey? Think of the apostrophe related promotions they may be missing out on.
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Sweet zombie Jesus! This makes my day!
That gives me one more reason to never have to set foot in Arlington again. I don't need to leave the county to enjoy a brew and a movie now.
And Wheaton still has great anti-broseph fields in the form of stabbings.
FTW!
~EEE~
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Ok, now can somebody do the same thing with the old Visions theater. It's been sitting their vacant, presumably with a liquor license, for years.
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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 ....
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Maybe 5 years from now when gentrification pushes all the thugs out this will be a great place to go....
Wow. This comment kinda makes me want to mug you myself.
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"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"
Horrors, this is discrimination against muggers! Someone call the ACLU!
I must have missed the memo that says it's hip to get mugged, 'cause later you can brag about it to the folks back in Spittle County about what an urbanite you are, "yeah, I've been rolled, just part of life in DC...not for everyone"
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That gives me one more reason to never have to set foot in Arlington again.
I envy you, TripleE. I hope one day that I can be so arbitrarily provincial as to declare, with the visible pride of exclamation points: "One more reason to never have to step foot in again." How about Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania? I think I'll loose my contemptuous bile on Cranberry Twp. If I never have to sully my lungs again by breathing in the air of Cranberry Twp, I just might become the man I always wanted to be. FTW!
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@anyonymous troll
Fair enough. My rantings about anywhere in NoVA generally aren't as bile-rific as they come across, and have more to do with the fact that coming from MD is a throbbing pain in the ass than anything specific to the location. Sure, Ballston, Clarendon, etc. have their share of douchebags, but then again, so do many parts of DC, Bethesda, Silver Spring, and other places I show up at from time to time.
For the most part, for anything that people rave about in Arlington, Alexandria, etc., there are alternatives that don't involve a horrendous drive and nowhere to park, or a hour plus of metro riding into DC and then right back out due to the lack of a connector line.
So yeah, no real ill will, it was tongue in cheek. I actually really enjoy the Drafthouse, but hardly ever go because it's a bitch to get to (for me) and parking never seems easy to find. Having an alternative in Montgomery County makes my life much easier.
That said, I don't think Maryland specifically gets enough love on DCist when it comes to stuff like food and activities, but that's for another day.
~EEE~
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I, for one, am ecstatic that they are building this place in Wheaton. As a Wheaton resident, I am happy to see options like this pop up here, probably means increased(or maintained, in this market) value.
I have lived in Wheaton for 10 + years and have never had anything bad happen to me. I find it to be safe. It isn't any more unsafe than most places in DC. As for stabbings, that can happen anywhere; I have heard of people who have been stabbed in G'town, does it make me fear going there? Not really.
To hang out in Wheaton, you really have to be ok living in a eclectic, diverse, and a mixed blue- and white-collar community. If that ain't your cup of tea then you can always go to White Flint Mall and hang at Dave & Buster's or something along those lines.
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this place has shut down--but if you still want to see live standup comedy shows like they had at the Drafthouse you can check out our weekly show in Bethesda:
Laugh Riot at the Hyatt
5 local comics
$25 cash prize joke contest for non-com audience members after the show
Every Saturday night
8 to 10 pm
$10 Cash Admission
Hyatt Regency Bethesda Hotel
One Bethesda Metro Center
7400 Wisconsin Ave
Bethesda, MD 20814
301-657-1234
www.Bethesda.Hyatt.com
www.StandupComedyToGo.com