KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – A major downtown Kalamazoo entertainment venue is closing, at least for the time being.
The Kalamazoo State Theatre will pause operations effective November 24. Officials with the theatre say the closure, intended to be temporary, will be used to gather interest and identify a new organization, likely a non-profit, to resume operations.
State Theatre owner Roger Hinman said in a press Tuesday, “We are committed to preserving the cultural and architectural importance of the Kalamazoo State Theatre and ensuring its potential to continue to thrive in the hands of a yet-to-be-identified organization dedicated to entertainment and the arts.”
The Kalamazoo State Theatre opened July 14, 1927 as part of the W.S. Butterfield chain of theatres and was designed by renowned architect John Eberson with an “atmospheric” interior reminiscent of a Mediterranean courtyard under a starry sky. The theatre is one of 18 Eberson atmospheric theatres still in operation nationwide.
“We bought the theatre in 1985 to protect it from being torn down and forgotten,” Hinman said. “Our goal is to identify and entrust a like-minded organization with caring for and loving the Kalamazoo State Theatre as we have for the past 40 years. By pursuing a transition in ownership now, we are providing an opportunity for the theatre’s next steward to take shape, sustain this unique and irreplaceable destination, and, hopefully, celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2027.”
The Kalamazoo State Theatre’s last event will be Saturday, November. 23, with a performance by Almost Queen and special guest Lisa Can’t Sing. Tickets for all shows scheduled after that date will be refunded at the point of purchase.
Refunds to events scheduled after November 23 should be sought at the original point of purchase. The Kalamazoo State Theatre box office will only be able to process refunds for tickets purchased directly from the theatre box office, which will remain open through December 5.
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