Cosmic is a relatively new outfit, and intends to follow, somewhat, in the same footsteps as its predecessor-- the Iron House Movie Bistro. The plan is to offer more than a movie. dinner and drinks is part of the package.
It's worked in other places. Not here. I never visited Iron Horse. When I go to a movie theater, I want to see a movie. When I go to dinner, it's in a restaurant. Combining the two never appealed to me, but I can see where that would be a draw. To be fair, I have spoken with people who have experienced the concept, here and elsewhere, and they loved it.
In my book, it comes down to location. I just get the feeling that people don't want to watch movies in an urban atmosphere, and deal with parking garages-- even if you can park for free with a validated ticket. It's way too easy, and some perceive much safer, to roll up to a megaplex, not deal with a parking hassle and watch a movie. You can grab a bite, before or after, at one of the dozens of restaurants that surround the theaters. You really have to consider location as a factor as to why all the others here failed.
I really hope Cosmic does something with the design. It's a dark downtown corner. There isn't a lot of color at the theater entrance, and that big hunk of corrugated metal isn't very inviting or visually interesting. Jazz it up. Brighten it up. Make it a "must see" destination. You can see movies in a lot of places. Make this one special.
Iron Horse lasted nine months. We'll see if Cosmic Cinemas can do better.
