Spotlight On Bellmore Movie Theater After Months-Long Closures

BELLMORE, NY — Cue the projector!

One way to know that people are feeling more comfortable moving forward in the later stages of the pandemic — moviegoers will return to watch films in theaters.

Bellmore Movies and Showplace is one such place, waiting with bated breath while taking all the necessary precautions for customers.

They spent much of the last 15 months shuttered.

After closing in March 2020, Anne Stampfel, who owns the facility with her husband, Henry, reopened the theater in October, only to drop the curtain again on New Year's Eve. The Stampfels also oversee the Malverne Cinema and North Shore Towers Cinemas.

"Once you unlock the door, now I'm paying people. I'm electrifying, I'm heating," Anne Stampfel told Patch. "It paid for me to close again, while the country improved."

Amid the changing indoor guidance, Stampfel gave it another shot on May 21.

Adding movie theaters to federal funding that started for Broadway houses would be a huge boost. Stampfel filed the application in April.

Just steps from the LIRR station on Pettit Avenue, Bellmore Movies is one of the oldest theaters in Nassau, having opened for business in 1915, or three years before the Spanish Flu would kill millions worldwide. Stampfel, who has owned the theater for 35 years, is proud to display a photo of the theater from 1918.

For a time, they blocked off seats for social distancing. Since reopening, they are focusing more on encouraging patrons to naturally give themselves space.

"I have signs everywhere," she said. "Please be considerate of others when choosing your seat."

Another sign states that masks are required in the lobby, but not to watch the movies, allowing people to use the concessions.

Bellmore Movies won't make anyone show a vaccine card. However, customers are greeted with a notice at the ticket window that says masks are required unless the card is shown.

"I don't want to be the mask police," Stampfel said. "But I do want to somehow help people respect other people."

Each person is handed a small, individual hand sanitizer.

Beyond that, they installed a hand sanitizer station, upgraded the HVAC system with new filters and swapped out the bathroom hot-air dryers for paper towel dispensers.

"I hate to do that because I always like to save trees," Stampfel said.

All employees must take their temperature, and that information gets logged. Once in the theater, moviegoers will smell cleaner seats sprayed with an alcohol base.

While the concession section is open, a COVID-19 related change was made there as well.

"People used to bring their cup back and get a refill for the large sizes," she said. "We eliminated that."

The theater, affectionately known as "The Itch," has gone from silent films to talkies. More than a screen, there's a stage for live productions, but she said they aren't ready for that just yet.

"Those promoters have to make sure they'll have an audience," Stampfel said.

Despite all the months of sitting idle without generating receipts, the theater reopened in May with a new matinee discount of $6 until 6 p.m.

"It's still very cautious and I'm fine with that," Stampfel said.