Another Chapel Hill establishment is closing, as officials confirmed that The Lumina Theater in Southern Village will shut its doors in the fall.

“There have been changes to the national and local movie market that has caused our attendance numbers to slide,” officials wrote in an email, adding that the outdoor movie series will continue. The last day of operation for The Lumina is scheduled for September 2.

In 2015, a $15 million project brought Silverspot Cinemas to University Place in Chapel Hill. The high-end multiplex boasts 13 screens with about 1300 seats. Additionally, AMC Southpoint 17 at Southpoint Mall has been around since 2002.

Residents quickly took to social media to voice their dismay over the news of the theater’s closure.

It has been a rough stretch for local businesses, as The Lumina Theater joins the likes of several Orange County establishments that have shut their doors. Last week, Babalu restaurant in Eastgate Crossing and Hop’s Burger Bar on Franklin Street announced their closures.

In Carrboro, Milltown, and CrossTies Bistro & Beer Garden have also ceased operations.

“That is terrible,” wrote one resident on Facebook. “It’s so much part of the community of Southern Village and what makes it so comfortable and ‘hometown’!!”

“I love the Lumina and was just telling someone about it’s lovely, not corporate, family-friendly vibe. What a loss for the Chapel Hill community,” said another resident.

Several residents speculated if the property could be purchased by another owner.

“I hate to hear this and I really wish it would be rescued by someone or a group of investors much like the Chelsea was,” said one resident on Facebook. “Maybe it could transition into a music & movie venue? It will be a real loss for the neighborhood and the southern part of Chapel Hill. The movies on the lawn are always a highlight of summer for our family.”

Related Stories
‹
Chapel Hill's Film Fest 919 Announces 'Gap Year' for 2023, Citing Ongoing Strikes
A prominent film festival in Chapel Hill is going on hiatus this fall. The organizers of Film Fest 919 announced on Wednesday the event will not take place in 2023, saying in a release that they are taking a “gap year” after five years of the festival. “This is due to a convergence of factors,” […]
Film Fest 919 To Return to Chapel Hill in October
Film Fest 919, the only major film festival in Chapel Hill, will be returning for its fourth iteration this October, the festival announced in a release Tuesday. The festival will run from Monday, October 18 to Sunday, October 24, and will be co-hosted by two local venues: the Drive-In at Carraway Village and the Silverspot […]
'King Richard,' 'C'mon C'mon' Tie for Film Fest 919 Audience Award
Chapel Hill’s Film Fest 919 finished its six-day run with something new to its four-year history: a tie for the Audience Award. The 2021 festival, which ended on Sunday, featured dozens of films from across the world and screened them at the Silverspot Cinema and Drive-In at Carraway Village. Based on audience votes, the Richard […]
Film Fest 919 Announces 2021 Lineup; Tickets Go on Sale Monday
With its fourth edition just days away, Film Fest 919 recently shared what audiences can expect to catch on the big screen this month. The Chapel Hill-based film festival is set to run from Monday, October 18 through Sunday, October 24 and will screen 23 films at two different locations: Silverspot Cinema in University Place […]
Film Fest 919 Releases Slate of Films, Panels for 2020 Festival
With less than two weeks until the festival begins, Film Fest 919 recently shared its lineup of films it will be screening to community, including potential awards contenders and a classic film. The third edition of the Chapel Hill-based film festival is structured differently this year, spread over weeks instead of one weekend and held […]
Chapel Hill's Film Fest 919 Announces 2019 Lineup
Film Fest 919 released its slate of films this week that will be featured in its annual festival in Chapel Hill. In its second year, the festival will run from October 9 through October 13 at Silverspot Cinema in University Place and will feature many films hoping to win major awards in early 2020. The […]
Chapel Hill's Film Fest 919 Shares Movie Lineup for 5th Festival
Film Fest 919 formally announced its return for fifth year and unveiled its slate of films on Monday. The film festival, which is based in Chapel Hill, will be held from Wednesday, October 19 through Sunday, October 23. After adjusting its screening of films for the COVID-19 pandemic in the prior editions, the 2022 Film […]
Chapel Hill's Drive-In Theater Set to Close July 27
One of Chapel Hill’s first pandemic-era businesses will soon be shutting down its projector. The Drive-In at Carraway Village, a drive-in movie theater off Eubanks Road, is set to hold its final film screening on Wednesday, July 27. The theater’s founders Randi Emerman and Carol Marshall shared an extended message to audience members on July 7 […]
At a Pugnacious Oscars, Apple’s Feel-good ‘CODA’ Triumphs
Written by JAKE COYLE After a movie year often light on crowds, the Academy Awards named an unabashed crowd-pleaser, the deaf family drama “CODA,” best picture Sunday, handing Hollywood’s top award to a streaming service for the first time in a ceremony that saw the greatest drama when Will Smith strode onstage and slapped Chris Rock. Sian Heder’s […]
Social Media Reacts to The Lumina Theater Closing
Another Chapel Hill establishment is closing, as officials confirmed that The Lumina Theater in Southern Village will shut its doors in the fall. “There have been changes to the national and local movie market that has caused our attendance numbers to slide,” officials wrote in an email, adding that the outdoor movie series will continue. […]
›