Kalamazoo State Theatre Reopens With Fresh Ownership And Excitement

Everybody in Kalamazoo has been waiting for has been announced, as the Kalamazoo State Theatre has new owners and they plan on reopening soon in downtown Kalamazoo.

There were a lot of worries as to who the new owners would be, but the community is excited for this new ownership and what it will mean for the city of Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo State Theatre finally announced its reopening on Facebook on Tuesday, September 30.

The curtain is rising on a new chapter for the State Theatre as new owners Dan and Holly Carmichael step in to revitalize and reopen this beloved Kalamazoo treasure. They shared the news with community leaders and the media this morning, thanking the Hinman family for their 40 years of stewardship of this iconic landmark and previewing their plans for restoring and enhancing the State as it prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2027.

We had a phone conversation with them, hitting on some crucial details about the new ownership:

How long had you been trying to purchase the theatre? 

The process has been most of this year. The [previous owners] did a good job of wanting to ensure the legacy of the theatre continued and so they were really thoughtful about selection of the next buyer.

Were there other bidders?

Yes certainly there were a number of interested parties as we're aware of.

After the purchase, how did it feel to go inside the theatre to take it all in?

It's always surreal when you walk in. To walk in as the owners and that responsibility, it turns that up to 11. It's an incredible feeling.

We’re coming up on the 100-year anniversary, and I know there are renovation plans in place, but when do you expect the theatre to be operational by?

We wanna make sure we do it right. We became owners on Monday, announced it Tuesday, and we're already rolling up our sleeves and already meeting with Architects to get that nailed down as best as possible. We don't have a date yet, but keeping people up to date on our new website state-theatre.org.

As far as staffing, will you eventually be rehiring for all necessary positions?

Yes, we want to have an amazing crew, and we know that amazing crew is out there in the area.

Do you have any artists in mind who you’d like to bring to the theatre once it’s open again?

We're pretty eclectic, we love to see a variety of shows, but the real question is: Who do the people want?

We’re so excited this family from Sturgis has chosen to purchase this legendary venue and take it to new heights.