Opelika’s newest cultural hub, Boxcar, set to open in April

At the beginning of April, Downtown Opelika will see the establishment of Boxcar, a non-profit cultural hub.

Here’s a quick breakdown:

• Tentative grand opening date: Saturday, April 5, 2025
• Address: 706 1st Ave, Opelika, AL 36801
• Open: Wednesday – Sunday
• Website | Instagram | Facebook

Keep reading to learn more about this upcoming establishment!

Two visionaries, one cultural concept

Before moving to Opelika, Jeff Bennett and Bay Kelley had previously lived in college towns where indie cinemas were present. When Bennett moved to the area in 2020, he began talking about how Opelika was in need of its own indie cinema.

People connected Bennett to Kelley, who had been saying the same. From there, the pair began to host movie nights at The Jailhouse, an Opelika event venue behind Rock N’ Roll Pinball.

After some time had passed, Bennett and Kelley began branch out + host other events there, such as their weekend “silent film mixtapes.”

“[Kelley] got a bunch of musicians from all over, and they would perform onstage while the silent film was playing. That was a huge success — it was really cool to have them playing live with the movie being in the background. We’ve done, I think, three or four of the silent film mixtapes now.”

~ Jeff Bennett, co-owner of Boxcar

The community’s excitement about these events was what sparked Bennett and Kelley’s idea to create their own venue, specifically for movies + these kinds of creative events. With the generous help of Richard Patton, Kelley and Bennett’s landlord, the project will be coming to life in Downtown Opelika this April.

“We’re going to be what they call a revival theatre, meaning we’re not going to show first-run movies, but we can get them on Blu-ray and pay the rights, then we can show them. So, older, classic films.”

~ Jeff Bennett, co-owner of Boxar

While Boxcar’s presentation of arthouse films is one aspect of the project, the cultural hub will have a myriad of other interesting features.

“We want to invigorate our community. We don’t just want to show cool movies. We have a wonderful population of minds around us capable, as we see it, of doing anything we can imagine. Science, Art, Humanities, country smarts, we’ve got it all. We want to work with these folks to provide a steady stream of content to attract artists and creatives. We want to give stage to expressive works. We want to be a hub for creative and ambitious projects and people. We want to be a surefire good night out for folks looking for ‘something different.'”

~ Bay Kelley, co-owner of Boxcar

Included in Boxcar’s building plans are:

• A café
• A live music and performance area
• A gallery exhibition area

“I envision a thriving cultural hub where the inspired spirit of storytelling ignites creativity and connection within our community. We want to be a beacon of artistic expression, where diverse voices are celebrated, and every individual feels empowered to share their journey through the arts. Through engaging programming, collaborative initiatives, and an unwavering commitment to inclusivity, we hope to cultivate a vibrant atmosphere that enriches lives and fosters lasting relationships.”

~ Bay Kelley, co-owner of Boxcar

A soft opening + grand opening

Boxcar’s soft opening will be to serve as a stage for the Opelika Songwriters’ Festival, which will be held from March 27 to 30 + include over 80 shows across 7 venues.

Their grand opening will feature the Buster Keaton silent film, “The General,” paired with live accompaniment by local musicians.

“We also have a local film festival in the works, an art-house screening with introductions by directors, some great music, a puppet cabaret, and a bunch of good films. We are very excited to introduce our calendar; it contains a lot of what we believe in. It should come out in the around the beginning of March.”

~ Bay Kelley, co-owner of Boxcar

Tentative open hours

As it is planned currently, Boxcar will be open on Wednesdays to Sundays.

Here’s what each night will likely entail:

• Wednesday + Thursday: a single evening screening, with hours from 5 or 6PM until 10PM
• Friday: a screening, live show + midnight movie, with lobby hours from 5 or 6PM until 1AM
• Saturday: Saturday morning/afternoon programming for the kids (PeeWee’s playhouse + crafts), a matinee + two evening screenings, open from 11AM to 11PM
• Sunday: afternoon activities ranging from tea time + yoga to community meals + a classic matinee, open from 11AM until 6PM

Although this is the general schedule, Kelley anticipates its evolution as more patrons get involved + special programs are introduced.

How to volunteer

While finances are at the forefront of Kelley and Bennett’s minds with their nonprofit project, they appreciate help in any form. They often post shout outs on social media when they need assistance with space design, graphics, working hands + other needs that present themselves.

“Get involved and we’ll help find you the best fit to help, whether its folding zines, documenting shows, helping us with our bookkeeping, or playing banjo during a silent film. In times during which it feels like the world is burning, we want to enact a series of projects/endeavors that fulfil a sense of purpose. Getting folks involved is central to the vision.”

~ Bay Kelley, co-owner of Boxcar

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