“We’re finally there.”

Thus spoke Richard Wolfe, who celebrated 50 years in 2020 as owner-manager of The Roxy Theatre, 2004 Main St., Northampton.

The movie theater has reopened with “Cruella,” July 2 - 7. Expected next is “Spirit Untamed.”

The landmark 550-seat Lehigh Valley movie theater closed March 15, 2020, because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shutdown.

“The big difference now from anytime we could have reopened is that there were restrictions: the limitation on capacity, social distancing,” Wolfe says in a phone interview.

“Those things in and of themselves made it almost impossible for us to run our concession stand because of our limited space.

“The state changed the requirements as of June 28. They were doing away with all of the capacity and social distancing restrictions.

“So, therefore, now when we do open we can literally go back to the way it was before any of this happened.”

In the more than 15 months that it has been closed, The Roxy has made-do on rentals of the theater for private screenings and rentals of its marquee for birthday, wedding and anniversary greetings.

“The vast majority was for movie rentals,” Wolfe says of the screenings. “We were averaging six a week

“It was limited to 25. Most weren’t close to that, 10, 12 people, 15.”

What was shown?

“Whatever they brought on Blu-ray or DVD.

“We had a half a dozen that were for one couple, two people.

“We actually had two rentals for one person.”

What were the most popular ‘You show it, I will come’ movies?

“The popular ones were ‘The Goonies,’ ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘Jurassic Park.’

“We have a digital Blu-ray that plugs right into the main system.

“Regular movies come in on a hard drive that we upload into our server.”

Some 30 years ago, in the predigital movie theater era, Wolfe drove regularly to Philadelphia to pick up two film canisters, each containing two to four reels of celluloid film, and each weighing 20 to 40 pounds.

“Now the movies come in a little box delivered by FedEx or UPS,” says Wolfe.

He not only picked up movies for The Roxy, but for delivery to the Emmaus Theater; The Strand, Kutztown; Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre, Orefield, North Whitehall Township; The State, Boyertown; The Grand, East Greenville; The Key, West Hazelton, and the Allen Theatre and Franklin, both Allentown, and The Movies, Hellertown.

Most of these movie theaters have reopened, with the exception of the long-shuttered Allen, Franklin and The Movies.

Shankweiler’s; Becky’s Drive-in, Lehigh Township, and the Mahoning Drive-In Theatre, Carbon County, reopened in June 2020 to ride the pandemic-driven drive-in movie revival.

Wolfe says that according to recent figures compiled by the National Association of Theatre Owners, 70 percent of movie theaters have reopened in the United States. Owners of the Mahoning Valley Cinema, Carbon Plaza Mall, announced April 21, 2020, that it would not reopen.

The pandemic paradigm shift from theatrical to streaming and video-on-demand distribution of movies may have been put in fast-forward.

“A lot of these movies are going out streaming the same day they are in theaters,” says Wolfe.

Walt Disney Motion Pictures Studios is releasing many movies as streaming-only or theatrically and the same day on Disney+.

Paramount Pictures will stream movies 45 days after theatrical release on Paramount+.

Warner Bros. Pictures is releasing movies simultaneously theatrically and on HBO Max, the latter for 30 days only, but is reverting to theatrical-only releases in 2022.

Universal Pictures is releasing movies theatrically and streaming 17 days later.

Sony signed a deal for its films to be released theatrically and on Netflix in 2022.

“All of them are streaming before I can play them. Because I don’t normally get to play them until week six,” says Wolfe. The Roxy is an intermediate and second-run theater.

As of June 28, the Pennsylvania Department of Health is not requiring the wearing or face masks for those vaccinated nor social distancing in seating. Persons who have not received the COVID vaccination are to wear face masks. It’s based on an honor system.

Wolfe doesn’t expect ticket or concession prices to increase at The Roxy, where a movie ticket is $3.

“I just got my new candy order yesterday and only one item went up in price,” says Wolfe.

“Comeback Comedy Series,” 7 p.m. July 8 and 22 and Aug. 5 and 19, will be presented by The Comedy Shop, which produces comedy shows in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, including the Mauch Chunk Opera House, Jim Thorpe, and The Newtown Theatre, Bucks County.

The tradition of concerts at The Roxy is returning.

“We have a couple concerts scheduled tentatively for this fall, an oldies concert and country concert, produced by Bill Reese,” announces Wolfe.

“We’re going to be doing more live attractions than what we’ve done in the recent past.”

The Roxy, which opened in 1921, was host to a legendary WSAN concert series 1973 to 1975 headlined by the likes of Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Blood Sweat & Tears, and KISS.

The Roxy’s famous marquee, featured in books and national publications, became a valuable asset during the pandemic.

“The first marquee rental was May 30 of 2020 and the last date will be June 30. And it’s been rented every single day,” says Wolfe, adding, “I had a lot more people who wanted to rent days than the days that I had.”

Several weddings were held in The Roxy, says Wolfe, “And we had our very first wedding reception.”

The Greater Lehigh Valley Realtors held an event in The Roxy. “That was kind of by accident. It was a cold, blustery day. I saw them setting up across the street at Tepes Realty. I said, ‘Why don’t you come over and do it in the theater?” Wolfe recalls.

After “Cruella” and “Spirit Untamed,” Wolfe doesn’t know what film he will book.

“Most of the films that opened in the last two months were R-rated or horror films or were R-rated horror films. We generally don’t do well with those,” says Wolfe.

Movie times at The Roxy are 7 p.m. Friday - Thursday, and 2 p.m. Sunday and 1 p.m. Wednesday.

“Normally we run two shows on a Friday and Saturday night,” Wolfe says.

Pre-screening music on the new theater organ at The Roxy will be played by Bernie Anderson.

Changes have been made to the stage area for more space, stage lighting and curtains to accommodate concerts.

“We got to the point where we got very comfortable doing what we were doing. We were not making any money, but we were covering our expenses,” Wolfe says.

He hopes that if and when he shows “A Quiet Place, Part II,” it won’t be quiet in The Roxy movie theater.

Information: https://www.roxytheaternorthampton.com/; 610-262-ROXY (7699)