Historic Kalamazoo State Theatre sold, new owners plan to reopen in 2027
Posted By: mlive on September 30, 2025. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
Less than one year after the Kalamazoo State Theatre went dark, the 98-year-old theater is under new ownership. Dan and Holly Carmichael, co-owners of Lead Balloon Productions, have purchased the historic theater, at 404 S. Burdick St., from the Kalamazoo-based Hinman Co.
A sale price has not been disclosed. The purchase also includes the recently-closed Harvey’s on the Mall, 416 S. Burdick St.
The Grazing Table, 402 S. Burdick St., also announced Tuesday it would be relocating after the sale. The charcuterie restaurant is in the same building as the State Theatre, which is now owned by the Carmichaels. The Carmichaels, which shared one of their first dates at a Modest Mouse show at the theater, hope to reopen the venue sometime in 2027.
The theater, which is on the National Register of Historic Places will celebrate its 100th anniversary that year.
Opened in 1927, the venue was designed by renowned architect John Eberson. It is highlighted by its “atmospheric” interior, reminiscent of a Mediterranean courtyard underneath a starry sky.
The Carmichaels, natives of Sturgis, will be the third owners in the nearly century-long history of the venue. The venue was opened by Colonel William Butterfield.
Roger Hinman, president and CEO of the Hinman Co., purchased it in 1986, saving it from being razed and turned into a parking lot.
“We could not imagine a couple better suited for this role than Dan and Holly,” said Hinman’s daughter, Stephanie Hinman, executive director of The State Theatre operations for 12 years. “In passing the baton to them, my family is fulfilling our promise to preserve the cultural and architectural integrity of this venue as a beloved community asset and national treasure.”
Stephanie Hinman said the theater garnered a lot of interest from qualified, potential buyers, but no one checked all the boxes like the Carmichaels did.
“We weren’t interested in owning a venue,” Dan Carmichael said. “We were interested in the State Theatre, full stop.
“When you walk into The State, it feels like stepping into another world. We want to keep that sense of wonder alive. We know what this place means to Kalamazoo and beyond — to both patrons and artists. We are committed to honoring its past while creating a space for incredible new experiences.”
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