The once-bustling Maplewood Theater has sat dark at 155 Maplewood Avenue for nearly six years, but now it’s finally getting a second act. The historic theater, which closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, was leased to a new operator earlier this year and is now in the early stages of being brought back to life. The news comes after several uncertain years for the theater, which became part of a larger conversation about the future of Maplewood Village and its historic downtown. While there is still plenty of work to be done before moviegoers can return to their seats, the new lease gives the longtime village landmark a path forward. Keep reading to learn more about what’s next for this Maplewood icon.
A Maplewood Village Landmark
The Maplewood Theater has been a fixture in the village for generations. According to Durand-Hedden, the theater building dates to 1927 and has served several purposes over the years, including hosting vaudeville, live theater, and movies. Performers who appeared at the theater included Tallulah Bankhead, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Robeson. For Vinnie Loffredo, owner of Roman Gourmet, the theater’s history is also deeply intertwined with his family’s history in Maplewood. His family has operated the Roman Gourmet pizzeria since 1971, and after purchasing the building in the late 1980s, his father, Tony Loffredo, became the longtime owner of the property that includes the theater.
“The movie theater is the place where people came; it was the center of town,” Vinnie said. “The most important part of Maple Village was the movies. There were days when there would be a line out the door and down the street for people purchasing tickets for days when they played a really good movie.”
But that all changed when the theater closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s remained shuttered for roughly six years, leaving a large, largely empty space in the middle of the village. Since its closure, the theater’s future has been the subject of heated debate as Maplewood has considered plans for downtown redevelopment. Preservation New Jersey reported in 2025 that the redevelopment plan included protections against demolition, although it did not require the theater to remain a theater. Now, after years of uncertainty, the Maplewood Theater finally has a path forward.
What’s Next for the Maplewood Theater?
Rather than selling the building, the Loffredo family ultimately decided to move forward with a new tenant for the theater…