In 2016, Friends of the Drexel completed a $2.5 million renovation of the Drexel that included a new addition on the west side of the building to house new men’s and women’s restrooms, and full renovation [...]
In 2015, the Drexel Theatre was designated as a historic building contributing to the community’s recreation and culture and was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2012, Friends of Drexel began repairs to the building, including replacement of the roof and heating and cooling system. They also converted all three theatres to state-of-the-art digital projection and sound and implemented a cutting-edge [...]
The niche programming and addition of two screens helped the Drexel survive, but the theatre suffered a financial crisis during the recession of 2009, with decreased attendance and several art film distributors going out of business. [...]
In 1991, to better compete with multiplexes and the rise of home video, the Franks converted the Drexel from a single-screen house into a three-screen theatre. The conversion increased attendance and made the Drexel more competitive [...]
In 1981, Jeff and Kathy Frank purchased the Drexel Theatre business and owned it for the next 30 years. They closed the worn-down theatre for one month to renovate the interior and make it more compatible [...]
Opened on December 25, 1937, the Drexel was one of 10 Columbus theatres owned by William and Ethel Chesbrough. When the couple divorced in the mid-1930s, Ethel retained ownership of the theatre, and in 1959, began [...]
