COVID-19 Closes FilmBar Phoenix, No Plans To Reopen

Caitlin Sievers
Updated ·2 min read

PHOENIX, AZ — Following a month-long closure, FilmBar Phoenix will not reopen, said owner Kelly Aubey in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

Like so many other businesses that have closed in the past two years, Aubey attributed the closure to the pandemic.

"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," Aubey wrote.

FilmBar operated in Phoenix for almost 11 years with the mission of bringing "the diverse people of Phoenix together through the power of film & community."

FilmBar, at 815 N. 2nd St., showed movies that might not have otherwise been available on the big screen for Phoenix viewers, like foreign, classic, indie, cult and local films. It also hosted comedy shows and held special one-night events like audience singalongs to movies like "Rent" and "Moulin Rouge."

Aubey said that he would not rule out FilmBar reopening in some form in the future, but as a non-profit instead of a for-profit business. But Aubey added that after the stresses of trying to keep FilmBar afloat during the pandemic, he needed to take some time to rest and focus on his mental health.

Andrea Canales, FilmBar's film programmer who has helped Aubey run the business for the past 10 years, is joining the team at Majestic Theatres, which runs cinema grills across the Valley, he said.

Aubey thanked FilmBar customers over the years who he said helped him and his team bring "unusual, thought-provoking" shows to Phoenix. He also thanked Canales and his family for their support.

"Finally, I want to thank all the staff over the years, but especially the staff who worked with me to try to get us through COVID," Aubey wrote. "You never quit on it and I’m proud of you all."

FilmBar is set to be open noon-7 p.m. Saturday, Sunday and Monday for a sale of all its audio-visual equipment, furniture, restaurant equipment, bottles of wine and FilmBar memorabilia.

This article originally appeared on the Phoenix Patch