Grounded in History
Avondale is a beautiful neighborhood with a rich cultural legacy.
Our building was initially a single-screen nickelodeon called The Drake Theater over 100 years ago, long before Iymen Chehade's father bought it in the 1960s after he and his wife immigrated from Palestine. It was open and operating from 1912 to 1919.
After a long journey, the Drake Theater in Avondale returns to its theatrical roots.
Iymen's family has deep roots in Avondale, and his father's business provided many job opportunities in the neighborhood. We are so proud to have our theater here, where there is so much interconnected history between our founder and the neighborhood.
