Photo: Mark Webster / Connect Images / Getty Images
Story Screen Cinema in Hudson has permanently closed its doors after less than two years in operation. The theater's final screenings took place on Sunday (February 8).
Owners Mike Burdge and Diana DiMuro announced the closure in late January, citing "major issues" with their building at 160 Fairview Avenue. "After much back and forth with our landlord, we have made the difficult decision to not continue our lease," the owners explained in a social media post.
The theater, which opened in June 2024, had quickly become a community hub for film enthusiasts. It featured a unique blend of first-run features, cult classics, and special retrospectives. The venue was known for its creative programming, including themed food nights that paired meals with movies, pinball machines in the lobby, and vendor tables selling comics and vintage media.
Just days before closing, the theater planned a Catherine O'Hara double feature of "Beetlejuice" and "A Mighty Wind" to honor the Canadian actress who recently passed away.
The closure marks the second movie theater to shutter at this location in under four years. Previously, the Madison Theatre briefly operated at the same spot before closing in early 2024.
The theater's departure adds to the growing number of vacant storefronts in Fairview Plaza, located about a mile north of downtown Hudson. County records show the plaza is owned by a limited liability company based in Brooklyn and Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Despite the setback, Burdge and DiMuro remain optimistic about the future. "We are looking for another space to open the cinema, but do not have one lined up yet," they told NEWS10. In the meantime, they plan to host pop-up events and outdoor screenings throughout Hudson and the Hudson Valley in 2026.
Burdge founded Story Screen in 2014 as a community for film lovers. Before opening the Hudson location, he helped manage the Story Screen Beacon Theater and Story Screen Drive-In in Beacon.
The owners expressed gratitude to their patrons in their closing announcement: "We want to thank you for welcoming us into the Hudson community and supporting our small independent movie theater these past two years. We have loved meeting you and hosting you for events and talking movies with you."