From Cinema Treasures
Opened on March 18, 1942 with Dorothy Lamour in “The Fleet’s In”. The 1,773-seat State Theatre was operated by Butterfield Michigan Theaters Co. a subsidiary of Paramount Pictures Inc. In 1977 Butterfield divided the theatre into four screens. In 1987 it was sold to a new owner who converted the main floor into retail use and the former balcony was mothballed. In 1992 the balcony was reopened as a twin screen theatre. The State Theatre has had a tough time staying open over the years. It seems to have finally found its groove as a twinned art house theatre for the college community of Ann Arbor. In 2016 it was closed for renovations and reopened in December 2017 as a four screen theatre.