The final curtain: FilmBar, iconic downtown Phoenix cinema, closes for good

FilmBar in downtown Phoenix closes permanently

PHOENIX - It's a wrap for FilmBar.

The downtown Phoenix staple near 2nd Street and Van Buren has announced that it will not be reopening, citing that "the strains of COVID have been too great."

The owner, Kelly Aubrey, says it has been a long and difficult battle during the pandemic, testing both the business's financial sustainability and his mental health.

"We were already operating on a razor’s edge and COVID has reduced the percentage of people who would normally come out to a show anytime in the near future to a point that’s no longer supportable," Aubrey said in a Facebook post.

There's still a chance for the beloved cinema to return as a nonprofit, but Aubrey says he plans to take a break before making any plans to do so.

"I should note that I’m open to serious offers to keep FilmBar around in some capacity," he said.

However, before the final curtain call, the movie theater and bar is giving customers a chance to own a piece of its history.

From Jan. 22 to 24, from noon to 7 p.m., tons of equipment, furniture and other FilmBar memorabilia will be on sale.