WYOMING, Mich. (Mar. 3, 2014) — The iconic Studio 28 movie theater that shut down more than five years ago will soon be demolished.
The announcement was made Monday to tear down the building located on 28th Street.
Emily Loeks, director of community affairs for Celebration Cinema and granddaughter of Jack Loeks, who opened the theater, said they’re not sure what they’ll do with the property but that demolition will start sometime in March.
“It’s the right thing to do for the site,” Emily Loeks said. “There are safety considerations with the building itself, with its roof and other parts of the property. And so, for safety and viability and health of the site overall, it’s the right time to take the building down.”
The theater opened in Christmas Day 1965. It was a one-screen theater that eventually became one of the largest theaters in the world by 1988, with 20 screens.
“It was a theater that was a first place of employment for many people,” Loeks said. “It was a first movie date for many more.”
Loeks said a flea market has been held during the warmer months to help with property costs. Over the years, several ideas, including selling the property, have been brought to the table.
“It’s one of the largest tracts of property close to the center of the city,” Loeks said. “So we think there’s an opportunity to do something pretty cool on the site.”
