Maple Theater management announces historic theater will close its doors

The news was posted on the theater’s website Monday, citing a decision not to renew their lease after “months of difficult deliberations.”

The managers of The Maple Theater in Bloomfield Hills announced on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, that they will not be renewing their lease for the historic theater.

The managers of The Maple Theater in Bloomfield Hills announced on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024, that they will not be renewing their lease for the historic theater.

The Maple Theater — a long-time institution for independent film buffs in metro Detroit — will close its doors after more than 40 years, the theater’s management announced Monday.

Jon and Lauren Goldstein, managers of the historic Bloomfield Hills theater for more than a decade, announced the closure — effective immediately — on the theater’s website Monday, citing a decision not to renew their lease after “months of difficult deliberations.”

“We have decided that it is time to end our run as operators of this wonderful institution,” the statement read. “We have been honored to be stewards of The Maple Theater and appreciate all the support and patronage from the community these past 12 years.

The news follows the trend of other independent “art house” theaters that have shuttered in recent years in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak — which closed its doors in June 2021 — and Cinema Detroit’s Midtown location, which closed in June of last year.

“We worked hard to try to return near to pre-pandemic attendance, and while there are tangible glimmers of hope, we are unable to make the financial commitment necessary to keep The Maple a first-class establishment,” the statement read.

It’s unclear what the future holds for the beloved theater.

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  • Jenny Sherman
    Jenny Sherman is 101.9 WDET's Digital Editor. She received her bachelor’s in journalism from Michigan State University and has worked for more than a decade as a reporter and editor for various media outlets throughout metro Detroit.