WASHINGTON TWP, Mich. – A longstanding family-run theater in Macomb County announced Sunday evening that it will be closing its doors next month after 40 years in business.
Owners of the Romeo Theatre, located on Van Dyke Avenue in Washington Township, made the announcement on social media, saying they are “heartbroken” to share the news.
“We had hoped our 40th year would be more celebratory, but we are grateful for the years we spent bringing entertainment to the community while staying true to our focus on family values,” the post read on Facebook.
The family attributed the closure to several factors, including the theater’s year-long shutdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and the actors’ and writers’ strikes that left the theater with limited film availability for the 18 months that followed.
“We worked hard to regain financial stability, but today’s economic realities have been too great for our small family theatre to overcome,” the post said, noting that moviegoers’ habits have shifted more toward streaming and on-demand options after the pandemic, making it even more difficult to recover.
Many community members expressed their disappointment in response to the news of the theatre’s closure, including Washington Township Supervisor Sebastian “Sam” Previti.
“My family and I are truly saddened to hear this news. The Romeo Theatre has been so much more than a movie theatre — it has been a part of the fabric of our community for 40 years,” Previti wrote. “You and your family have provided generations of local families with countless memories, first movies, date nights, family outings, and special moments.”
The theatre will shut down sometime in mid-September, and the family says a new business will be taking over the space.
“We still have a few movies scheduled before we close, and we sincerely thank everyone who has supported us over the past 40 years,” the family wrote. “These are very difficult times for us right now, but perhaps someday we will pop up around the community with our popcorn machine, offering delicious Romeo Theatre Popcorn-To-Go.”
The post didn’t specify what type of business will be taking over the space, but they did say it will not be a theater.