Holsten's auctions off 'The Sopranos' booth for $82,600

Kimberly Redmond//March 6, 2024//

Holsten’s renovated its Bloomfield restaurant but promised customers it would not “change the nostalgia of our beloved shoppe” and that it was “just polishing up the place.”

AFTER: Holsten’s renovated its Bloomfield restaurant but promised customers it would not “change the nostalgia of our beloved shoppe” and that it was “just polishing up the place.” - PROVIDED BY HOLSTEN'S

Kimberly Redmond//March 6, 2024//

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A piece of television history sold this week when Holsten’s auctioned off the booth Tony Soprano and his family sat in during the now iconic final scene of HBO’s “The Sopranos.”

After the Bloomfield ice cream parlor and restaurant kicked off its eBay auction Feb. 28 with an opening bid of $3,000, a total of 238 bids were placed by 49 bidders. The final bid of $82,600 was made at 6:38 p.m. March 4. Bidding ended about 30 minutes later – a little less than three hours before the auction’s scheduled end of 10 p.m.

The person behind the winning bid is reportedly not from New Jersey. Holsten’s said the individual wants to remain anonymous because they want to make their own announcement. However, the family-run business hinted it might have some more to say in coming days.

Additional details were not immediately available from Holsten’s late Wednesday morning.

Take a seat

Proceeds from the auction will go toward covering the cost of upgrading the restaurant’s booths, benches and tables.

Holsten's in Bloomfield is selling the booth Tony Soprano and his family sat in during the now infamous final scene of HBO's “The Sopranos.” — BEFORE: Holsten’s auctioned off the booth where Tony Soprano and his family sat during the now infamous final scene of HBO’s “The Sopranos.” – PROVIDED BY HOLSTEN’S

After closing March 4 for renovations, Holsten’s reopened the next day. “The booth is installed and ready to be sat at! Thank you, everyone, for your patience and we can’t wait to see you!” the restaurant said.

Following “The Sopranos'” 2007 series finale, visiting the restaurant became a way for locals and tourists alike to connect with the iconic television show. Following the death of star James Gandolfini in 2013, it also served as a makeshift memorial for the Garden State actor.

Three years ago, production of the prequel film brought cameras back to Holsten’s to film another scene. “The Many Saints of Newark” stars Gandolfini’s son as a young Tony Soprano.

Last month, the 84-year-old ice cream parlor and restaurant said the decision to remove the booths was not an easy one. However, they were no longer structurally safe, having been repaired many times over the last six decades, according to Holsten’s.

The restaurant also promised guests it had no plans to “change the nostalgia of our beloved shoppe” and that it was “just polishing up the place.”