Bijou by the Bay

Bijou by the Bay is a nonprofit movie theater located in a city park beside Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan. The 150-seat venue occupies the former Con Foster Museum building, a structure originally constructed in the 1930s through the federal Civil Works Administration. After remaining unused for an extended period, the building was converted into an accessible, modern cinema in 2013 by the team associated with the Traverse City Film Festival. The project was led by festival president and founder Michael Moore, who had previously helped revive Traverse City's State Theatre. The theater was created through a community-supported renovation. Richard and Diana Milock provided a cornerstone contribution as the venue's founding donors, while many other individuals and local community members contributed money, labor, and support. The resulting cinema expanded access to film exhibition in Northern Michigan and provided an additional venue for the Traverse City Film Festival. Its waterfront location, proximity to the multi-use TART Trail, and accessible design give it a distinctive civic and cultural role beyond that of a conventional multiplex. Bijou by the Bay opened to the public on July 29, 2013, shortly before the ninth Traverse City Film Festival. Its opening presentation was a preview screening of The Spectacular Now. The theater also addressed a programming limitation at the State Theatre: deed restrictions there limited screenings to films that had opened in fewer than 200 United States theaters. By adding a second venue, the festival organization gained greater flexibility in presenting films and supporting cinematic arts programming. The building's history connects the venue to Traverse City's earlier cinema culture. Con Foster, whose name the former museum carried, managed the State Theatre when it operated as the Lyric Theatre. He began working in film exhibition as a teenage usher at Boston's Bijou Theatre, moved to Traverse City in 1917, and remained associated with the Lyric until his death in 1940. He also held civic roles including Chamber of Commerce leadership, city commissioner, and mayor. Converting the museum named for him into a cinema therefore created a historical link between the new venue and one of the city's early movie-house figures. The name Bijou refers to the French word for “little gem” and reflects the popularity of the term among movie theaters during the 1930s and 1940s, the period when the building was constructed. The venue's interior and public identity are reinforced by murals from local artists Rufus Snoddy and Glen Wolff, who also created the State Theatre lobby mural. The artwork depicts Lake Michigan shoreline views and includes hidden references to classic films and Michigan objects. Bijou by the Bay is consequently positioned as a small-scale, community-oriented cultural venue combining nonprofit film exhibition, local history, waterfront placemaking, and festival programming.

Bijou by the Bay was developed as a new cinema for Traverse City, Michigan, in a former museum building beside Grand Traverse Bay. The building had been constructed in the 1930s by the Civil Works Administration during the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and later became the Con Foster Museum. After standing vacant for years, it was selected for conversion into a modern, fully accessible movie theater. The renovation was carried out in 2013 by the team connected with the Traverse City Film Festival and led by Michael Moore, the festival's president and founder. Moore had earlier been involved in the restoration and reopening of Traverse City's State Theatre in 2007. Funding came from a major founding contribution by Richard and Diana Milock, identified as the Bijou Founders, together with donations and practical assistance from many local residents and community members. The project was intended to strengthen the region's cinematic infrastructure and extend the festival's ability to present films. Bijou by the Bay held its grand opening on July 29, 2013, immediately ahead of the ninth Traverse City Film Festival. Its first announced screening was a preview of The Spectacular Now. The venue was particularly useful because restrictions attached to the State Theatre limited it to films that had opened in fewer than 200 U.S. screens. A second theater allowed the festival organization to accommodate a broader range of releases and programming needs. The theater's location and name carry historical meaning. It stands beside the TART Trail in a city park on Grand Traverse Bay and occupies a building associated with Con Foster. Foster managed Traverse City's Lyric Theatre, the earlier name of the State Theatre, after moving to the city in 1917. He had begun his movie-theater career as an usher at Boston's Bijou Theatre and remained a local cinema figure until his death in 1940. He was also involved in civic affairs as a Chamber of Commerce leader, city commissioner, and mayor. The new theater's conversion therefore commemorates both the building's namesake and the city's earlier exhibition history. “Bijou” is a French term meaning “little gem,” and it was a popular name for movie houses in the 1930s and 1940s, the era in which the original building was erected. Local artists Rufus Snoddy and Glen Wolff created murals for the venue. The paintings show Lake Michigan shoreline scenes and conceal visual references to classic movies and Michigan artifacts. Through its programming, architecture, public art, and location, Bijou by the Bay functions as both a cinema and a community cultural landmark.

• 2013

  Bijou by the Bay opens

  [1]Bijou by the Bayen.wikipedia.org

  The renovated 150-seat cinema opened on July 29, 2013, before the ninth Traverse City Film Festival.

• 2007

  State Theatre revived

  [1]Bijou by the Bayen.wikipedia.org

  Michael Moore and the associated team revived Traverse City's State Theatre, providing a precedent for the later Bijou project.

• 1930

  Former museum building constructed

  [1]Bijou by the Bayen.wikipedia.org

  The building later occupied by Bijou by the Bay was constructed in the 1930s through the Civil Works Administration.

• 1917

  Con Foster moves to Traverse City

  [1]Bijou by the Bayen.wikipedia.org

  Con Foster moved to Traverse City to manage the Lyric Theatre, the earlier name of the State Theatre, linking the future venue to the city's cinema history.

A nonprofit, community-oriented art-house and festival cinema that combines accessible film exhibition with local history and a distinctive waterfront setting in Northern Michigan.

• Movie theater · 2013

  Bijou by the Bay cinema

  A 150-seat nonprofit movie theater in a city park beside Grand Traverse Bay. The venue was created through the accessible renovation of the former Con Foster Museum building and presents specialty, festival, and other cinematic programming associated with the Traverse City Film Festival.

• 2013

  Create a second festival cinema venueStrategy

  Background

  The State Theatre was subject to deed restrictions limiting the films it could show to titles released in fewer than 200 U.S. screens.

  Action taken

  The Traverse City Film Festival team converted the vacant Con Foster Museum building into a new, accessible 150-seat theater beside Grand Traverse Bay.

  Aftermath

  The additional venue expanded the festival organization's programming capacity and broadened cinematic arts infrastructure in Northern Michigan.

  Source

1. 1Bijou by the Bayen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Traverse City Film Festival State Theatretraversecityfilmfest.org