Community bids adieu to a deserted downtown at dusk

By Pat Stinson
Sun contributor
Much has been written in the last two months about the astounding six-week, $850,000 renovation and grand reopening of the 540-seat State Theatre in downtown Traverse City.
Benzie County journalist Keith Schneider wrote a piece for the New York Times in December regarding the restoration of historic movie houses and performing arts theaters across the country — and included the 90-year-old State as an example.
The same month, the Detroit News reported the reactions of local business types to the reopening of the State Theatre and to new Traverse City businesses that cater to “upscale tastes,” (think the Village at Grand Traverse Commons, the renovated Opera House, Red Ginger restaurant and Café Habana).

Ron Jolly, WTCM radio host and Traverse City Business News columnist, wrote a January piece about the inspiring spirit of nonprofit event organizers with the vision, leadership, persistence and fearlessness to pull off feats like attracting visitors and their pocketbooks to the area — using scores, even armies, of volunteers. Glen Arbor’s hometown “boy,” Matt Sutherland, co-founder of the Epicurean Classic, was mentioned, as were Michael Moore, Doug Stanton and John Robert Williams, Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF) founders, and Michael Moore again in connection with the State Theatre.
To the leaders and hundreds of volunteers of the State, add the many community sponsors, growing list of theatre members and audiences at sold-out and record showings, and the net effect on the energy and sidewalks of downtown is staggering. In fact, the State Theatre board just secured a promise from the City to offer free parking after 5 p.m., seven days a week, in the Hardy Parking Deck, to safely accommodate movie-goers.
When interviewed about the State, people most frequently used the word “community” — whether describing their participation as volunteers and movie-goers or their idea of what the State means to downtown.
As Deb Lake, executive director of the TCFF, charged with assisting Michael Moore with all aspects of theatre operations, said, “Coming down and seeing movies with a group of people who laugh when you laugh and cry when you cry — there’s a real sense of community.”
Or, as Glen Arbor Sun founding editor Jacob Wheeler shared, “I saw Juno there after Christmas and loved both the movie and the State … made me proud to be a part-time, near-Traverse City resident!”