CHAPEL HILL, N.C -- The Chelsea Theater in Chapel Hill has been a joy to movie lovers for 28 years.

Back in November, the theater's owner posted this on their website:

"On November 16 we will have started our 28th year of operation. Now in the last year of our current 5 year lease, with only a handful of months to go, we must make some serious choices about the future of the Chelsea Theater.

Given the advancing years of the current owner it might be difficult committing to another five year lease. And yet there may be some interest in continuing the legacy of the Chelsea.

The notion of transferring ownership and management to another party would offer an opportunity to carry on providing the community with the quality, personalized, intimate moviegoing experience that has been the hallmark of the Chelsea Theater.

Any individuals with serious interest in exploring this option may do so by emailing to
chelsea@thechelseatheater.com."

Now - a few members of the Chapel Hill Alliance for a Livable Town are looking into buying the Chelsea, hoping to make it a non-profit arts theater where they could sell memberships, stream plays and operas from around the world, and hold fundraisers.

Tom Henkel says it's not an official effort by the group but rather about ten concerned citizens trying to find out if there's interest from the community to save the theater.

“We’re developing a business plan and right now as you know we have sent out a survey. We’re trying to send a survey out as widely as possible to assess how much community interest there would be in supporting this type of venture,” said Henkel.

The group has now received more than 800 responses and the survey can be found here. 

"Depending upon our survey, we’ll be prepared to make an offer probably within a couple or three weeks," said Henkel. 

Those who work at the Chelsea are also interested in the business being saved.

Manager Will Davies would be devastated if it closed.

"It’d break my heart. You know I’ve been here five years, here everyday almost, seen every movie we play, and that would be a big whole to fill in my life,” said Davies.

He goes on to say that there's no other place like it, “It’s something different, something a little more unique and I like it personally because I get to experience for two hours what somebody on the other side of the world gets to experience.”

The current space the theater occupies is rented not owned, Henkel says the lease is due to be renewed by the end of March.