Overview
- The family that runs the Romeo Theatre announced Monday that the theater will shut in mid-September and is scheduling a handful of final screenings before it closes.
- Owners said a year-long COVID shutdown, roughly 18 months of limited new films during actors’ and writers’ strikes, and lower post-pandemic attendance left the business unable to recover.
- Local residents and officials responded with sadness, with Washington Township Supervisor Sebastian “Sam” Previti calling the theater part of the community’s fabric and many people sharing memories online.
- The property owner plans to bring a new non-theater business into the Van Dyke Avenue space and the family said they may continue to appear around town selling their popcorn as a farewell gesture.
- The closure highlights a wider trend that small, family-run cinemas face thin margins and heavy reliance on steady first-run releases, and it could reduce local gathering options and small‑town economic activity.