NILES — The smell of fresh popcorn will once again permeate the Front Street corridor, after the Wonderland Cinema, 402 Front St., reopened Tuesday afternoon, following more than a month of repairs to damages caused by flooding in February.

Co-owner of the business Scott Moore said he cannot wait for the community to return to the theater.

“The biggest thing I am looking forward to is just providing family entertainment to people,” Moore said. “And offer more movies and more fun and make it affordable to them.”

To commemorate the occasion Tuesday, Moore invited the community to tour the renovated theater. The Four Flags Chamber of Commerce also hosted a ribbon cutting and grand reopening ceremony.

“It’s a lot of mixed feelings and a lot of joy, happiness and sweat,” Scott said. “It has been overwhelming response.”

The night before the storm hit in late February, a crew of Wonderland employees were working hard to sandbag near the doors.

While Scott said the efforts helped, it could not totally keep the 2 feet of water that poured over the banks of the St. Joseph River at bay.

Scott told the crowd of about 50 people in attendance Tuesday that just weeks ago, the spot where they stood had been submerged in 1 inch of water. Two of the six theaters also experienced some minor flooding, though the seats and screens were not damaged, Scott said.

It took a team of about 50 people working round the clock for more than a month to get the theater back up and running again. Scott said his brother David would typically arrive at the theater at 7 a.m. and stay until 10 p.m. to assist with the process.

Crews had to use a shop vacuum to pump out the standing water. For 10 days, the building had to be dried out with the use of strategically placed fans. They also had to replace 12 inches of drywall all around the building, as well as base boards and insulation. While the seats were not damaged, they were steam cleaned during the renovation process.

Scott said a silver lining to the situation is that the stamped lobby flooring, that the theater had intended on replacing anyway, was loosened by the water, making it easier to remove.

Those who return to the theater in the days to come will notice a polished concrete floor, fresh paint, updated lobby lighting and an updated concession counter. In the next month, Moore said the bathrooms will get an update and hearing-impaired devices will also be installed and made available.

Despite being closed a little more than a month, Scott said they were able to retain 98 percent of their employees, who were paid to help out with some renovations.

For the community of Niles, Wonderland has been more than a theater and has offered an affordable place where friends, dates and even wedding proposals have occurred.

Addressing an unfounded rumor about price increases, Moore said admission and concession prices will not be increasing at this time.

Scott said he knows that reopening will mean a lot to the community. Since the flood, many people from across Michiana have offered to lend a hand and volunteer. While Scott said they could not permit volunteers to help due to company liability, he said he was touched by the offers and show of support.

While Scott did not divulge how much renovations cost, he did say that the company was able to afford them without having to borrow any funding.

Scott said he is eager for the business to be operating once again.

Starting at 10 a.m. Wednesday, the popcorn will be ready to serve and a number of new movies hit the big screens throughout the day, including a “Wrinkle in Time” “Black Panther,” “Pacific Rim Uprising” and “Ready Player One.”

“We figured it’s time to open up and get back to the public and let the families come and enjoy movies and have some popcorn,” Moore said.

To learn more about the Wonderland cinema visit, wonderlandcinema.mooretheatres.com.