Downer Theatre announced its closing online Tuesday night – but that might not be the end of the historic theater’s story. The theater’s post read: “Landmark’s Downer Theatre is now closed. We are proud to have served its community over its many years of operation. We thank you for your support.”
On Wednesday, hints that the theater may see new life emerged in a Facebook post by Groupware Technologies CEO Andy Nunemaker.
“Just wait! The next phase in this historic theater’s life is going to be amazing!” read the post from Nunemaker, a local philanthropist who holds positions on various art boards, who in 2021 bought a different East Side staple, the former UWM Alumni House on Kenwood Boulevard. “I can’t wait for it to be announced officially!! When it is, everyone on the East Side and in greater Milwaukee should be very happy.”
The post (unverified by Milwaukee Magazine) was in the Facebook group Old Milwaukee.
What does the man know and/or what is he up to? Milwaukee Magazine has reached out to Nunemaker and to Landmark Theatres, which bought Downer Theatre in the late 1980s and was itself acquired by New York-based Cohen Media Group in 2018. We have not yet heard back.
The Downer Theatre opened in 1915 and holds memories for generations of East Siders. Its bold neon sign reading Downer in pink and orange lettering remains a beacon on the street, which has retained its character for decades. The news of the closing pained Milwaukeeans, who online also lamented the 2020 shuttering of the Fox-Bay Cinema Grill in Whitefish Bay. Rumors of that site reopening have persisted since its closing and hundreds of Bay residents signed a petition to save it in 2022.
Milwaukee Film, the nonprofit that runs the Oriental Theatre and puts on the annual Milwaukee Film Festival put out a statement in response to the news. “We are honored to be a part of this active conversation and excited about this possibility.” CEO Jonathan Jackson said. “We will always champion fostering cinematic spaces and artistic voices and experiences in our community to bring people together any way we can.”
In the same statement, Michael DeMichele, the president of the Downer Avenue Business Improvement District, said, “We have high hopes in finding a solution that continues to respect the tradition and historical integrity surrounding this incredible theatre that’s been a foundational institution in Milwaukee’s beloved Downer Avenue Commercial District for more than a century.”
