Did You Know The Kalamazoo State Theatre Almost Closed Their Doors Permanently 40 Years Ago?

The Historic State Theatre is a fixture of Kalamazoo's Downtown Mall, bringing in families and friends to see movies, concerts, and shows of all kinds since 1927. It's especially special to my family, because it's where we announced the name of our son late last year before he was born.

The State Theatre was built originally by Colonel William Butterfield of the W.S. Butterfield Theater Chain in 1927. If you've not stepped inside, you're missing some breathtaking architecture. The theatre was designed by world-renowned architect John Eberson, who was famous for bringing an atmospheric movie experience to his theaters across America.

As Kalamazoo State Theatre gets closer to celebrating 100 years in South West Michigan, there was a point over 40 years ago that it almost said goodbye to the community forever.

According to a post shared to the Kalamazoo State Theatre page, in 1982 the State Theatre was struggling to keep their doors open. In early April 1982, the theater was slated for demolition after its final film showings by W.S. Butterfield.

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The kind people of Kalamazoo were rightfully distraught about losing one of their most important community centers, so that's when the community rallied and formed the "Save the State" committee. They worked hard to find a solution to save the star of the Kalamazoo Mall so it could continue to entertain the community for decades to come. Alongside city officials and local arts advocates, they fought to preserve the theatre and the joy it brought to the community.

Thanks to their efforts and the Hinman Company's acquisition in 1985, the theater was saved and revitalized. To this day, the Hinman company continues to own the theatre, ensuring that the Kalamazoo Community still has access to concerts, movies and local music for many years to come.

The Kalamazoo state theatre is still growing and hosting some incredible concerts in 2024 as they work their way towards a 100 year celebration in 2027. Want to see a show in one of the most beautiful venues in Southwest Michigan? Make sure you check out their concert calendar and pick up tickets.