The Highlands’ Mid City Mall, a long-standing neighborhood hub on Bardstown Road, is losing another key tenant as Baxter Avenue Theatres confirms it will close its doors on Dec. 31 after nearly three decades of operation.
At the same time, ValuMarket announced plans to leave the mall when its lease expires in June 2026.
Baxter Avenue Theatres, known for its independent films, midnight screenings and film festival premieres, issued a statement calling the end of the year its “final curtain call,” citing uncertainty around the future of Mid City Mall and redevelopment plans that do not include the theater.
“With heavy hearts, we announce that December 31 will be our final curtain call.
The future of Mid City Mall is uncertain. While Apex Entertainment would prefer to continue operations and serve its loyal patrons, that is not possible at the present time. We have not received any indication that the developers wish to incorporate Baxter Avenue Theatres into their plans. We disagree but respect their decision.
We would like our final week of business to be a celebration of the past three decades. During this time, our team served customers with midnight showings and film festival premieres while giving people a special place to make so many special memories with date nights and birthday parties. As we say goodbye, we hope you will take this opportunity to visit us one last time to catch a show. Please share your favorite Baxter memory in person or on social media. Thank you, Louisville, for all of your love and support!“
Mall officials and Apex Entertainment—the theater’s ownership—said they asked fans to visit one last time and share memories as the venue winds down after serving as a cultural fixture since 1996. Despite a community-driven petition that garnered thousands of signatures in an effort to keep the cinema open, it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
Redevelopment of the Mid City Mall property has been in discussion since it went on the market in late 2024, with proposals including new retail and grocery space under review.
While some tenants like the Highlands-Shelby Park Library are staying open through mid-2026, many longtime small businesses have already moved on or closed, including the Nearly New Shop and the iconic Back Door Bar.
This article appears in Dec. 1-31, 2025.