State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arthouse cinema in Traverse City, Michigan, operated by the Traverse City Film Festival and programming curated indie, documentary, and international films year-round for Northern Michigan audiences.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1916
- HeadquartersTraverse City, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan does
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay is a nonprofit arthouse cinema operation based in Traverse City, Michigan, owned and operated by the Traverse City Film Festival (TCFF), a 501(c)(3) organization founded by Oscar-winning filmmaker Michael Moore. The business programs year-round curated independent, arthouse, documentary, and international film screenings across two historic downtown venues — the State Theatre at 233 E. Front St. and the Bijou By The Bay — anchored by the flagship TCFF Tuesdays series, which delivers 52 films in 52 weeks across an 11-season run as of Summer 2026.
The core product surface consists of individual film tickets (approximately $10 adults, $6 students), a TCFF Tuesdays Season Pass (13 films for $69 general / $48 student), Saturday morning Kids' $1 Matinees, affordable concessions, gift eCertificates, and tax-deductible donations. Technology is operational rather than algorithmic: a Contacta InfoLoop hearing system, Sony Entertainment Access captioning glasses, and infrared amplification headsets deliver accessibility, while a starry ceiling with over 2,000 fiber optic lights mapped by Northwestern Michigan College Astronomy Professor Jerry Dobek provides a signature experiential amenity.
Revenue is generated through a hybrid mix of per-ticket one-time purchases, an annual subscription (season pass), recurring donations, and ancillary concession sales. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the State Theatre box office and the secure traversecityfilmfest.org ticketing platform, with marketing driven by community word-of-mouth, an email newsletter, organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X), and Michael Moore's personal brand. The organization is volunteer-run, with the volunteer corps — recruited and managed through a Better Impact portal — functioning as the primary labor backbone and a recognized community asset.
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan
- Legal name
- Traverse City Film Festival
- Website
- https://stateandbijou.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1916
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arthouse cinema in Traverse City, Michigan, operated by the Traverse City Film Festival and programming curated indie, documentary, and international films year-round for Northern Michigan audiences.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Arthouse Cinema / Independent Film Exhibition
- NAICS
- Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131), Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Independent & Art-house Cinemas (MPADAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF)
Keywords
Where State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Traverse City
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Others
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Individual tickets for regular screenings, TCFF Tuesdays films, and special events. Pricing varies by show type (standard $10, students $6, Kids Matinees $1).
- Season Passes: Multi-film season passes offering 13 films at discounted rates ($69 general, $48 students) compared to individual ticket purchases.
- Concessions: Affordable snacks available for both children and adults. One of the mentioned amenities alongside great movies.
- Donations: Tax-deductible donations accepted through dedicated donation page. Organization is a licensed 501(c)3 nonprofit.
- Gift eCertificates: Gift certificates available for purchase, allowing recipients to attend screenings at their choice.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay-as-you-go | TCFF Tuesdays Single Ticket |
| Subscription | Annual | TCFF Tuesdays Season Pass (13 films) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Kids Matinee |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels4 records
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan product offering
Product offeringCore offering
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay operates two historic, volunteer-run arthouse movie theaters in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, presenting curated independent, documentary, classic, and international films year-round. Primary offerings include the TCFF Tuesdays weekly series (52 films per year), Saturday morning $1 Kids' Matinees, individual film tickets, season passes, and gift eCertificates, supported by accessibility features such as a hearing loop, closed-caption glasses, and infrared assistive listening.
Product overview
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay operates as a unified movie theater brand offering arthouse and independent film screenings. The core offering includes two historic theater locations with regular film programming, supplemented by the TCFF Tuesdays season pass subscription service (52 films annually), Kids' $1 Matinee weekend screenings, and individual ticket sales. The theaters are owned and operated by the Traverse City Film Festival, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded by Michael Moore.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay (Arthouse Cinema Operations) Two historic, volunteer-run arthouse movie theaters in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, screening curated independent, documentary, classic, and international films year-round for general audiences and families.
- TCFF Tuesdays Season Pass Year-round subscription-style season pass offering 13 curated indie and arthouse films at $69 general admission or $48 for students, with single tickets also available at $10 ($6 students).
- Kids' $1 Matinee Saturday morning family-friendly movie screenings at $1 per ticket, designed for families with children seeking affordable cultural entertainment.
- Individual Movie Tickets Single-admission tickets for individual film screenings at $10 general admission ($6 student) at both State Theatre and Bijou By The Bay locations.
- Gift eCertificates Digital gift certificates purchased by customers and redeemed by recipients for movie screenings and concessions at either theater.
Companies that use State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Rotary CharitiescoreRotary Charities very generously donated the State Theatre to the Traverse City Film Festival in May 2007. This donation enabled TCFF to renovate and reopen the historic theater.
- Interlochen Center for the ArtsminorIn 2003, the State Theatre Group and Interlochen Center for the Arts announced a partnership to renovate the theater. The building eventually went to Rotary Charities who made the final donation to TCFF.
- State Theatre Group (Barry Cole)coreBarry Cole and the State Theatre Group purchased the theater from GKC in 1996 and announced plans to convert the State into a performing arts complex.
- Hearing Solutions of Northwest Michigan (Dr. Sandra Leahy and Dr. Kathleen Sawhill)minorGenerously donated the Contacta InfoLoop hearing system to the State Theatre. The system allows people with telecoil-equipped hearing aids to listen to movies directly through their hearing aids.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan competitors and assessment
Company assessmentMarket position
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan social profiles
Digital presenceState Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan
What does State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan do?
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay operates two historic, volunteer-run arthouse movie theaters in downtown Traverse City, Michigan, presenting curated independent, documentary, classic, and international films year-round. Primary offerings include the TCFF Tuesdays weekly series (52 films per year), Saturday morning $1 Kids' Matinees, individual film tickets, season passes, and gift eCertificates, supported by accessibility features such as a hearing loop, closed-caption glasses, and infrared assistive listening.
Is State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan a public or private company?
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan founded?
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan was founded in 1916. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan based?
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan is headquartered in Traverse City, United States, in the North America region.
How does State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are season Passes, concessions, donations and gift eCertificates.
Does State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan have an API?
No public API is recorded for State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan.
What industry is State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan in?
State Theatre & Bijou By The Bay | Traverse City, Michigan's product category is Arthouse Cinema / Independent Film Exhibition. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAKAB, Independent & Art-house Cinemas, with a secondary code of MPADAKAF, Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional). Its NAICS code is 512131 and its SIC code is 7830.