State Theatre
233 South State Street
Ann Arbor, Michigan
This theatre opened March 18, 1942 and was designed by the renowned architect, C. Howard Crane. It is an Art Deco community stable of Ann Arbor. When visiting Ann Arbor soak in the historic ambiance of this cherished venue along with the Michigan Theatre as they are within walking distance of each other with their brightly lighted blade marquees. The State was renovated in 1979 and again in 2017. It was built by W.S. Butterfield Theatres which also operated te nearby Michigan Theatre. The non-profit Michigan Theatre Foundation has operated the theatre since 1999 complementing the Michigan's programming. The theatre's central location and distinctive green, yellow and red marquee have made it an icon of Ann Arbor's downtown.
W.S. Butterfield Theatres operated five theatres in Ann Arbor in 1940 including the Majestic Theatre on Maynard Street converted in 1907 from a roller rink. Butterfield planned to renovate the Majestic but city officials denied permission for the work, prompting the contruction of the State to be the Majestic's direct replacement. After the Majestic ceased operations, it was condemmed as unsafe. Butterfield's lease expired at the end of 1942 and the building was demolished in 1948.
The State was designed with a small stage yet no dressing rooms were incorporated into the theatre's plans. The Butterfield circuit continued to use the nearby Michigan for live shows with both theatres showing first-run movies. When the State opened it received great fanfare showing The Fleet's In. The Butterfield circuit assured customers that construction on the State had started before the United States entered WWII and that no materials were taken from the war effort. The State was the first air-conditioned theatre in Ann Arbor.
The first major modification to the State was the replacement of the original 18 by 16 feet screen with a 43 by 24 feet screen in November 1953.
Photo featuring both the Michigan and the State Theatres
Sadly, while researching the Michigan Theatre story I learned a few things that surprised me. In 1979, the State was divided into a four-screen multiplex with two auditoriums each on the balcony and the main floor. Barry Miller, manager cited economics and the need to book films for longer runs as reasons for the division. An Urban Outfitters store opened in the ground floor retail space in 1989. Remnants of the original theatre were visible in the store including the structure of the balcony above the sales floor!
Eventually, a major renovation began in 2017 which restored the original Art Deco style. Tiles were custom-made and the original carpet pattern was recreated from a sample preserved by a local historian. The 2017 renovation divided the space into four fully accessible theatres "with improved sight lines and contemporary projection and sound equipment".
The Urban Outfitters store on the ground-level retail space moved to a nearby mall in November 2020. In 2021, a Target store opened on the ground-level space. The "small-format" store carries a limited selection of products with an emphasis on groceries! The store is one of the smallest in the chain at 12,000 square feet.
As an historic theatre buff, I truly hope the City of Ann Arbor or whoever owns the State returns it to the original cinema floor plan and a single screen.
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