The big screens are back on in Bainbridge, just not the way longtime moviegoers remember. The Hive officially opened Wednesday in the former Chagrin Cinemas, turning the once-dark building into a 68,000-square-foot dining-and-entertainment complex that packs a full-service restaurant, prepared-foods market, one-screen cinema, live-music room and 400-guest events hall under a single roof.
Grand Opening And First-Day Programming
According to The Hive, the debut started early, with a 10:30 a.m. ribbon cutting to officially flip the switch on the new campus. Opening festivities included live music in the Woodshed, plus a family screening of The Little Mermaid in Screens, complete with complimentary gourmet popcorn. The first day ran on a first-come, first-served basis, with operators saying regular programming and ticketed events will roll out in the coming weeks.
What’s Inside: Food, Drinks And Shows
Timberfire is back in the spotlight as a full-service, post-and-beam tavern, and the market side of the operation now serves as the Gibsons’ expanded carryout and catering headquarters. The campus also includes Concessions for grab-and-go items and a seasonal beer garden that waits for warmer weather.
As reported by Cleveland Scene, Timberfire seats about 245 guests, anchored by a bar that holds roughly 40 people and an adjoining patio for around 70. The Woodshed is sized for about 300 people for live shows, while Honey Hill is billed as an events venue that can host about 400 guests. Cleveland Scene also notes that a centralized, state-of-the-art kitchen is designed to feed the market, restaurant and event operations across the campus.
From Local Catering Brand To Full Campus
The Hive’s story starts with the Gibsons’ catering brand, Hungry Bee, which the family is moving into the complex’s market and test kitchen. The couple bought the former Chagrin Cinemas property at 8200 East Washington Street in 2022, according to the Geauga County Maple Leaf. As noted by Hungry Bee, the brand will keep selling frozen heat-and-eat meals, catering packages and daily carryout from its new flagship space inside The Hive.
Hours, Reservations And What’s Next
The schedule varies depending on where you are on the property. The Hive’s posted hours show the market opening at 10:30 a.m., with Timberfire serving dinner starting in the late afternoon. The complex is closed on Sundays and Mondays unless it is booked for private events, according to The Hive. The venue is taking reservations and ticket orders online, and its calendar already lists community events and bookings heading into the summer.
Organizers say they want the property to function as both an everyday hangout and a destination for weddings, live music and community programming. Putting a market, a high-capacity events hall and a full kitchen under one roof is a bet on scale, and on the Chagrin Valley’s appetite for locally driven hospitality. Early signs, including a gala in the new Honey Hill and a Timberfire menu that revives local favorites, suggest The Hive is aiming to be a year-round staple rather than a one-off novelty.
