Sycamore State Theatre sold as owners announce retirement

SYCAMORE - The owners of a longtime downtown Sycamore staple announced their curtain call this week, as the Ken and Daryl Hopper of the Sycamore State Theatre announced Thursday they’ve sold the business and will be retiring.

The announcement came through the theater’s social media page Thursday by owners, and comes after the Hoppers previously announced they’d permanently moved to North Carolina and were looking to sell. In the meantime, the business was being run by their daughter, Amber.

“We have sold, and would like to wish the new owners the very best! Now, my husband and I will be enjoying retirement life on the lake in North Carolina,” the social media post written by Daryl Hopper reads.

The couple reflected on their time in Sycamore over the past three decades, including how their family grew.

“The day has come to reflect and express our gratitude to our amazing community that was our home for over 30 years,” the post reads. “Sycamore has been a big part of all of our lives. My husband and I moved here in [1992] and raised our 3 children who have all graduated and begun their own adventures, but when we think about it, they each had a large part here in the theater as well.”

When reached for comment Thursday, Daryl Hopper said she and her husband are already keeping busy in retirement, and have opened a Hoppers Poppers in North Carolina, and plan to open another location by the end of the month. She said she doesn’t know about the buyer’s plans, but in a comment on the Thursday Facebook post, a representative from the Sycamore Theatre says it will stick around.

“The theater will stay a theater,” the comment reads. “The new owners are working very hard to switch everything over so they can be open as soon as possible!”

The Hoppers said they have fond memories of 30 years at the Sycamore Theatre, everything from engagement and baby announcements, to their Christmas series, sleepovers and sold out Star Wars films.

“We have all grown, learned and changed for the better and we thank our loyal customers for every experience, all of the support and love over the years,” the post reads. “This has been an amazing ride and now...we are on to the next.”