Satin Dolls, the Lodi club made famous as the Bada Bing on 'The Sopranos,' is back

LODI — The Bada Bing is back in business.

The exotic dance club Satin Dolls, made famous in "The Sopranos" as the Bada Bing, reopened two weeks ago, according to a manager who declined to give his name.

The club had been closed since December, when state authorities said Satin Dolls' liquor license must be sold or transferred and live entertainment must cease, because they contended the business was being run by a convicted racketeer who conspired with the Genovese crime family.

On Monday morning, a manager and a bartender were inside the club carrying boxes behind the bar. The manager said he wasn't able to comment any further.

It was unclear whether the bar remained a strip club, but signs outside referred to it as a "gentlemen's club."

The Satin Dolls name remains the same, along with the signage that attracts tourists throughout the year: "Home of the original Bada Bing."

Borough Manager Vincent Caruso, meanwhile, said he had been unaware of the club's reopening until last week.

"Everything was done by the Alcoholic Beverage Control at the state level," Caruso said. "We had nothing to do with the investigation or the transfer of the [liquor] license."

State takes action

In 2011, a consent agreement required that the liquor licenses for Satin Dolls and its Secaucus subsidiary, A.J.'s Gentleman's Club, be sold and transferred by 2015. However, several extensions were granted.

In December, the state ordered the two clubs to close.

State authorities contended that Anthony "Tony Lodi" Cardinalle of Saddle River was continuing to run the businesses, even though he is a convicted racketeer and is barred from having a liquor license.

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Satin Dolls' liquor license was taken over by Satin Entertainment, LLC, owned by Joseph Pallonetti of Parkland, Florida. Vincent Martin, a Lodi councilman, is partnering with Pallonetti for ownership of the Secaucus location.

The state Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control approved the license transfer for both clubs on March 15.

The transfer stipulates that Anthony, Loren and Luceen Cardinalle, or any entities that they hold, have no direct or indirect business connection with either location. Anthony and Luceen Cardinalle can continue receiving rent payments for the businesses.

Email: cattafi@northjersey.com