Bloomfield Township

Maple Theater reopens, plans to upgrade

By Chris Jackett
C & G Staff Writer

BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP — Although the name may have changed, the three-screen movie theater at the southwest corner of Maple and Telegraph is still up and running.

Landmark Theatres had leased the space and operated the Maple Art Theatre since 1998 before closing its doors Jan. 29. On Feb. 1, Cloud Nine Theater Partners reopened the doors as The Maple Theater, which features the same alternative films previously found there.

“We just cleaned it up a little,” said Jon Goldstein, a Bloomfield Township resident and general partner with Cloud Nine. “We were going to take it over back in October, but we cut a deal with Landmark where they could stay through the holidays and they would leave us the projection equipment.”

Goldstein, who also has experience investing in Emagine Entertainment theaters, said The Maple Theater will remain a venue focused on alternative films. Having signed a 10-year lease to operate the theater in Bloomfield Plaza, he is in the process of submitting plans to the township to make several renovations starting in April. Among the changes will be new seats and upgraded digital projectors.

“We’re not remodeling ‘til late April. It’ll be a huge remodel for 10-12 weeks,” Goldstein said. “We’ve applied for a liquor license. We’re going to try to expand the lobby and put in a bar and coffee counter. We’re going to put a lot of effort into the quality of the stuff that we sell.”

In addition to finding the best beer, wine, coffee and popcorn for concessions, the theater’s remodeling will utilize several other Michigan businesses. Zeeland-based Greystone Seating will provide new seats with swivel trays throughout all three auditoriums, while a Detroit-based company will provide Pewabic tile for the lobby.

“They’re a great company, but they weren’t prepared to do what I wanted to do and invest in the company,” Goldstein said of Landmark. “It’s a different type of theater. It’ll be Landmark and us and Birmingham 8 sharing all the alternative films.”

Although Landmark allowed the Maple Art Theatre lease to expire, it still operates the Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak, which is located across the parking lot from the new Emagine Royal Oak theater. Officials said the Main Art Theatre won’t be closing anytime soon.

“I cannot disclose lease information, but I can tell you that the Main Art isn’t going anywhere,” said Laine Kaplowitz, a spokeswoman for California-based Landmark Theatres.

Goldstein said changing the name of the venue, which has shown independent and foreign films since 1974, was a simple process.

“Taking the ‘Art’ out was easy,” Goldstein said. “I had grown up on the East Coast, so I had never seen ‘re’ before,” he said, referring to the alternate spelling, “theatre.”

Once remodeling is complete, The Maple Theater will start the movie experience at home using an online seat reservation process similar to that used at some Emagine theaters.

“We’re going to have assigned seating, where you want to sit,” Goldstein said of all three screening auditoriums at his theater. “There’s a lot of work to do.”

Cloud Nine Theater Partners is owned by Highland Investments, a company that runs theaters in New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania and Michigan, as well as a restaurant in Pennsylvania.

Cloud Nine signed its lease with Grand Sakwa Properties, a management company running the daily operations of the complex owned by Bloomfield Plaza LLC.

“We’re not buying the building, we’re just a tenant,” said Goldstein, noting Landmark was also a tenant, not an owner. “When they (Landmark) reported they were closing, they failed to mention someone else was coming in.”

Landmark Theatres is part of the Wagner/Cuban Cos., which is co-owned by Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, along with several other entertainment ventures.

For showtimes at The Maple Theater, visit www.themapletheater.com, call (248) 750-1030 or swing by the theater at 4135 W. Maple Road, just west of Telegraph Road.

You can reach C & G Staff Writer Chris Jackett at cjackett@candgnews.com or at (586)279-1110.