The Loffredo family, owners of the Maplewood Theater building, have granted the dying wish of matriarch Giovanna Baratta Loffredo — signing a lease to bring movies back to the multiplex which has been shuttered since the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020.
On January 6, the family and Township officials celebrated in a ceremonial ribbon cutting with the new theater operator James Kula and Box Office Cinemas.
Deputy Mayor Malia Herman, Township Committee Member Dean Dafis, Mayor Vic De Luca, Anthony Loffredo, Vinnie Loffredo, Township Committee Members Nancy Adams and Jane Collins-Colding. Photo courtesy of Angela Matusik.
It was an event that was deeply touching to Giovanna’s husband Anthony, son Vinnie and other family members who attended.
“We were getting to the point where we thought we may have to sell, just because the expenses of keeping an empty theater for that long was not easy,” said Vinnie. “But my mom, she was really into keeping the building in the family and making it a movie theater again. And when we finally found the right people, we signed it right before she passed, which was really nice. It was right in the beginning of November and was probably one of her biggest thrills. She smiled that night and she gave everybody a hug and a kiss, and she said, ‘I finally got what we wanted all these years.'”
Vinnie says his mom died a couple of days later, on November 15, 2025, surrounded by family.
Vinnie and his mom
In 1971, as immigrants to the U.S., Giovanna and Anthony opened The Roman Gourmet, a restaurant in the theater building that “they built from the ground up and poured their hearts into.” The Roman Gourmet remains in the family to this day, operated by Vinnie and staffed by community members including grandchildren.
Still, Giovanna’s final wish will need some more time before coming to full fruition.
“It will take about 6-12 months of construction to totally gut and revamp the theater,” said Mayor Vic De Luca at the January 6 Township Committee meeting later in the day. “But they are very enthused about coming to Maplewood and offering theaters again, a wide variety of shows.”
Photo courtesy of Angela Matusik.
De Luca said that theTownship Committee “will continue to move ahead in crafting the redevelopment plan for that area and we’ll be hearing more about that as we go forward.”
Attendees at the ribbon cutting included Angela Matusik of the Maplewood Film Society, which formed last year to save the theater from redevelopment.
“I really was amazed at not only the small, enthusiastic crowd that showed up but all the passersby who stopped and were so thrilled to hear what was happening. It’s clear that this is a bright spot for our whole community,” said Matusik.
Box Office Cinemas has also signed a least for the theaters at SOPAC in South Orange, with plans to open on January 16. The two locations will allow Kula to program the theaters in ways that don’t compete, but rather compliment each other, said Vinnie Loffredo.
“He’s gonna make it new. He’s gonna remodel it and make it very pretty,” said Vinnie, who was also excited by all the new tenants in the Maplewood Theater building.
“We have Freemans Fish Market, we have The Roman Gourmet. We now have the dog grooming place in the building. We also have the Huckleberry Art School. So everything is completely rented. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
Vinnie is planning on fully renovating The Roman Gourmet.
“I’m staying right where I am. I’m going to renovate the pizzeria. When they open, we’re going to reopen as well. And it’s going to be nice.”
“And now once the movie theater comes out, it’s going to be great.”
Photo courtesy of Angela Matusik.
