If you’re looking for something a little less mainstream in the world of cinema, you can take a drive over to Cincinnati, Ohio and visit the Esquire Theatre. The theater sits on Ludlow Avenue in the Gaslight District of Clifton, near the University of Cincinnati.

During a rough economy in the 1980s, the Esquire Theatre was forced to close, but reopened in 1990. Since then, it has been entertaining audiences with a wide selection of films ranging from independent, foreign, art house to mainstream films.

The Esquire has many specials, including discounted student tickets ($6.75 with a valid student ID), Bargain Tuesdays (where all tickets are $6.00 all day) and Wednesday evening’s Dinner and a Movie special (where you get discounted movie tickets and a coupon for discounts at select restaurants around town).

In an area that has mostly mainstream theaters, the Esquire is one of only two art house cinemas. The Esquire’s sister theater, the Mariemont Theatre, located on Wooster Pike, also welcomes its niche audience. It is a smaller cinema, offering only three screens, whereas the Esquire has six.
As an alternative to mainstream films, the Esquire has a lot to provide selective film viewers’ discerning taste buds.

General evening admission is $9.50 for adults and $6.75 for children and seniors.

Story by Shawn Buckenmeyer