ShowRoom Cinema brings films back to Asbury Park, starting with 'The French Dispatch'

ASBURY PARK — When the lights go down on Friday, "The French Dispatch" will come up on the screen, marking the return of movies to the ShowRoom Cinema for the first time since the pandemic began.

The ShowRoom Cinema, at 707 Cookman Ave. in Asbury Park, reopens under new ownership with showings of two current releases: Wes Anderson's "The French Dispatch," and "The Velvet Underground," a documentary by director Todd Haynes. The showings are at 7:15 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively.  

On Sunday, the theater also will show "Halloween," the 1978 classic horror film, at 7:30 p.m. Times and tickets for all daily showings are available at the theater's website at showroomcinemas.com.

The ShowRoom is now owned by Manasquan resident Daria Parr and family, who purchased the Cookman Avenue movie house from founders Michael Sodano and Nancy Sabino in August. 

They opened it in 2009, part of the Asbury Park arts district that would help to fuel the city's revival. It moved into a larger theater across the street three years later.

It now has three theaters: one with 66 seats, another with 25 seats and a third with 15 seats.

The theater closed at the start of the coronavirus pandemic and never re-opened. Mounting debts from the closure led Sodano and Sabino to put it, and a sister theater in Bradley Beach, on the market in September 2020.

(Cinema Lab, a Montclair group focused on reopening New Jersey's iconic theaters, has a signed a contract to purchase the Bradley Beach theater, which will be renamed The Bradley.)

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Parr didn't make many changes to the Asbury Park theater besides upgrading the equipment. "It's all pretty much the same: A nice comfortable space for a wonderful experience, a wonderful viewing experience," Parr said.

The theater's concession stand will be filled with the goods of local vendors, such as Purple Glaze donuts, Twisted Tree treats, Booskerdoo items, Sweet Dani B cookies, and Criterion Chocolates.

"It's a little unique," Parr said.  "It's an interesting space and all of our neighbors are excited to get more foot traffic in the neighborhood."

Now, she said, "We need people to come in."

Jeff Lundenberger, the theater's general manager, said people are excited to see the theater's return. "We've been getting a huge response on social media," he said.

He said there's something special about seeing a movie in a theater.

"If you are (seeing a comedy) in a theater with people who are laughing, it is infectious," Lundenberger said. "It changes the movie for you, enhances it."

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Sylvia Sylvia, executive director of the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, said she is excited the ShowRoom will open its doors. "We are elated to have the ShowRoom reopen," Sylvia said.  

"This is like another key indicator that maybe life is turned back to a little bit of normal or what we hope normal can be," she said. "There are precious few unique, indie theaters like the ShowRoom."

The theater is asking guests to be vaccinated or have had a negative COVID test, according to the policy on its website. No proof is required, the website states.

Patrons must wear face coverings unless they are actively eating or drinking, according to the theater's rules.

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for more than 20 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There column and can be reached at dwillis@gannettnj.com. Join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.