Arbor Update

Ann Arbor Area Community News

Madstone Theater Closes

1. June 2004 • Rob Goodspeed
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Madstone Theater, the movie theater at Briarwood mall, has abruptly closed and fired their employees. The company has posted this terse message on their website: “We regret to inform you that Madstone Theaters Ann Arbor closed effective June 1, 2004. We sincerely thank all of our Madstone patrons and members for their support and loyalty.”

A former employee and Live Journal user has posted the following: “As of 3pm today, Madstone Ann Arbor is no more. ... They shut us down, and we have no jobs. ... I can’t even put into words how upset I am, how betrayed I feel, and how very fucked my life is without a job in the middle of Ann Arbor, in the middle of summer. I mean, we moved into a more expensive apartment so we could be closer to work. ... Plus my favorite manager just bought a house and had a kid. I feel even worse for him than i do for me.”

(Thanks to George for the tip)



  1. I couldnt believe this when I saw it – aren’t there laws against being able to do things like this? Or, if it’s in their employment agreement [like “termination of employment at any time”] – are they totally screwed?

    Harsh. Really harsh.
       —bri.cors    Jun. 2 '04 - 10:55AM    #
  2. In so many words, yes. The middle of a business day, we were closed, just like that, no warning or notice. We all knew that times were tough, but home office didn’t tell any of us, not even the managers who work their butts off trying to make their place succeed. It was the best job I ever had and I will miss it and everyone I worked with dearly.
       —M.    Jun. 2 '04 - 11:28AM    #
  3. The Ann Arbor News has an article on Madstone’s closing in today’s Business section (June 2): http://www.mlive.com/business/aanews/index.ssf?/base/business-2/1086187701192030.xml

    (no html links in comments?)
       —Murph    Jun. 2 '04 - 01:12PM    #
  4. Murph—sorta, you can link, but must use Textile codes to do it. I will add some help crapola. Stay cool.
       —Brian    Jun. 2 '04 - 06:24PM    #
  5. I can’t believe they gave their employees zero notice.

    That is so wrong.
       —Frank    Jun. 3 '04 - 12:55AM    #
  6. I can’t believe that they didn’t even have the decency to finish the business day. Madstone’s corporate folks must have their heads jammed up their asses!
    I hope that they give you guys some kind of severance pay (whether or not it’s a legal requirement is no matter—if madstone has any respect for any of you, they will). Did they even bother giving you your final paycheck?
    God, what a bunch of sleazeballs!
       —Andy    Jun. 5 '04 - 03:02AM    #
  7. I was so disappointed when they closed it, but I’m glad that there is a new theater there now. I came about this website looking for a website for the new theater actually…so I’ll continue with that now.
       —Rachel    Nov. 25 '04 - 11:07PM    #