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History Vanishing Americana--the drive in movie theater

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by povertyflats, May 5, 2010.

  1. corncobcoupe
    Joined: May 26, 2001
    Posts: 7,257

    corncobcoupe
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  2. justabeater37
    Joined: Jan 1, 2009
    Posts: 1,696

    justabeater37
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    just watched the new dinasaur movie with our son at the 61 Drive in in Maquoketa a couple of weeks ago. The place always has a line. I thinks thes is one in Muscatine that they just opened a couple of years ago. Yes a new one.
     
  3. bardahl1
    Joined: Oct 16, 2005
    Posts: 353

    bardahl1
    Member

    I just talked to a gal that runs all of the Syufy Drive Ins in the southwest. They have them in the bay area, Sacramento, Reno, Phoenix, and others.

    Syufy owned Century Theaters, a major theater chain throughout Ca/Nev/Az, which was bought out by Regal - the largest in the US. Syufy kept the Drive-Ins and land, and seems to be serious about keeping them going.

    We are going to do a Bike Swap Meet at the Syufy Drive In in Sacramento a few times a year. Syufy does thier own general merchandise swaps at most of thier locations during the day.

    She told me that weather notwithstanding, they were doing great with the drive ins and occassionally sell out in Sacramento. She also said they were considering actually opening up new Drive In locations.
     
  4. I checked into showing "American Graffiti" at the Beacon. It is going to be awful damned expensive but I am going to do it one of these days! Maybe show TLB as the second feature?

    Maybe it can happen at SK TWENTY ELEVEN? :)

    [​IMG]
     
  5. There used to be at least 5 drive-ins in the Ft. Wayne area years ago, but they've all been closed for years. The Hillcrest, Lincolndale, East 30, Northcrest, Ft. Wayne Drive In....

    Here's a shot of the sign of the last night of operatation of the Clermont Drive In located right across from the main entrance to Indianapolis Raceway Park. Camped out there the first year I attended the U.S. Nationals.

    [​IMG]
     
  6. travisfromkansas
    Joined: Mar 23, 2008
    Posts: 2,805

    travisfromkansas
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    Great place here is a link boulevard website

    The Los Punk Rods put on a fun show called the Greaserama there every year over Labor Day weekend, party/show by day and watch movies once the sun goes down.

    They always have fun car movies showing but the people I'm with usually want to leave long before the shows start... not this year Povertyflats, we're staying!

    The cars are not all H.A.M.B. friendly but that doesn't bother me at all, it's a great show with a fun atmosphere.



     
  7. Faded Love Garage
    Joined: Mar 30, 2003
    Posts: 961

    Faded Love Garage
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Spring, TX

    we have one here just west of Houston. It's open all year. We go all the time.
     
  8. povertyflats
    Joined: Jan 8, 2007
    Posts: 8,282

    povertyflats
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    from Missouri

    Yes, grasshopper Travis---I too love that venue. So very retro and a great place for that car show. Always a good time.
     
  9. shootingmonkey
    Joined: Jan 24, 2010
    Posts: 60

    shootingmonkey
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    I consider us blessed. We have three within 30 miles of my house. We usually just go to the one closest to the house. It's the nicer of the three and broadcast in a better sound quality. Usually try to go a few times a year when we can.
     
  10. metalman
    Joined: Dec 30, 2006
    Posts: 3,297

    metalman
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    Interesting. Our last Drive In in Albuquerque was a Syufy, was also the newest, built in the 70's, 6 screens. They tore it done and built a 24 screen Century walk in on the sight.

    At one point we had 15 active Drive Ins here, preety amazing as it's not that big of a town, least not when they were going. Only one left standing today but it's been closed for years, fallen into major disrepair.

    Funny story. My teen age step daugher and her boyfriend was helping me clean up the garage a few years back. They came across a box of..ummm...aquired drive in speakers. Held one up and asked "what is this, a heater?" Kids nowdays have missed out.
     
  11. Other than the pink paint, that's almost exactly like the Starlite Drive-In, here in Neligh.
    It's one of the last working Drive-In in Nebraska and sets right in the main Highway.
    The buildings are the same on the outside. I wonder if that one has a sloping floor inside like ours.
     
  12. notebooms
    Joined: Dec 14, 2005
    Posts: 2,077

    notebooms
    Alliance Member

    San Jose has one with i think 6 screens. My family loves it.

    -scott noteboom
     
  13. We still have ours out here in Northern Cal - 20 Bucks gets you in. Took the wife in the Convertible...Top Down? : )
     
  14. There is one about 40 miles from me in Blueridge Ga.that is still open,,its called Swann Drive in an the owner drives a 55 chevy to the drive in every weekend...
     
  15. sobpunx
    Joined: Feb 7, 2009
    Posts: 314

    sobpunx
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    thier is the 99w in newberg or. just outside of portland, that is running strong the owner also owns the cameo which is single screen theater built in the 40s and is all original art deco inside and im getting married thier next may!
     
  16. Greg'Hel
    Joined: Mar 27, 2008
    Posts: 213

    Greg'Hel
    Member
    from Iowa

    Sad.....I miss them so much!
     
  17. bobwop
    Joined: Jan 13, 2008
    Posts: 6,115

    bobwop
    Member
    from Arley, AL

    what about that big sucker just south of Dallas, near Ennis
     
  18. bikersteve
    Joined: Oct 19, 2008
    Posts: 155

    bikersteve
    Member

    Still have one here, about ten minutes away

    [​IMG]
     
  19. theres a drive in right up the street from me open 365 days ayear there are a few others around here
    but most were bought up by a overly (holierthen thou) elderly woman who wanted all the "dens of inequity" closed down she wouldnt sell any of the places to anyone who wanted to open up another drive in so most of them are now stripmalls and other ilk


    the old" colonial" drive in's screen still stands but its now a landscapers lot it is right down the street from TriState Dragway
     
  20. truckdude1
    Joined: Jan 26, 2009
    Posts: 221

    truckdude1
    Member

    We are planning a Chrome Czar board/HAMB drive in get together at Chicagoland's only other drive in, the Cascade, for a Friday or Saturday night in late June. Stay tuned.

     
  21. Chevy Gasser
    Joined: Jan 23, 2007
    Posts: 718

    Chevy Gasser
    Member

    A note for Martinb1962 and others who may not know it, a fellow HAMB member (gal) is making a movie called the "Deuce of Spades". We have been following progress on this movie for several years. It became such a popular topic on here it has its own special thread on the HAMB called the "Deuce of Spades Social Group". It is up to date with posts just yesterday. If you are looking for the perfect feature of a drive in you may want to get in touch with Faith (she is the gal making the film). She also has a website with trailers and all kinds of cool shi I mean stuff. Just do a search for "Deuce of Spades" it will give you a week or two intertainment just reading about the making of it. By the way, it is due to be released really, really soon, we hope!
     
  22. 5 pages and nobody has mentioned Hot Rod Cinematic.......:(

    I was at both---"Rebel Without a Cause", heat, rain,stuffin' cars, Bubba's spam sammiches, Ace Brown & the Ohio Valley boys......man, that brings back some memories......:) (Thanks for tryin, Ryan---it was fun;))

    Nothin quite like a drive-in theater.......:cool:
     
  23. I think the one in Gatesville is the nearest,'' the last drive-in picture show''
     
  24. hiboy32
    Joined: Nov 7, 2001
    Posts: 2,796

    hiboy32
    Member
    from Omaha, NE



    I have a big screen that I put up and have a drive in a couple times a year. Speeking of that I think it is time to have a drive in soon.....
     
  25. We had a pretty cool drive in town. I remember going there in the 60s as a kid. Huge ass picture and the old man would always throw a fit when the speaker wouldn't work right. A wind storm blew the screen away and the owners never did repair it and if I remember right it would have been about 1968. This was the beginning of the end of the entertainment cycle for us. Was a shame because they did have t[​IMG]
    [​IMG]he good pics !! >>>>.
     
  26. Maryland still has one. An old shot ..........

    [​IMG]

    and this year............

    [​IMG]
     
  27. The wife and I were there!

    [​IMG]
     
  28. RickyRodder
    Joined: Sep 13, 2007
    Posts: 146

    RickyRodder
    Member

    The Rodeo Drive-In in Bremerton, WA is still going strong. Always packed. 3 screens all with double features. I miss that place.
     
  29. wvenfield
    Joined: Nov 23, 2006
    Posts: 5,580

    wvenfield
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  30. Stevie Nash
    Joined: Oct 24, 2007
    Posts: 2,999

    Stevie Nash
    Member

    Wow, that's amazing such a small town would have a drive-in. Must have been the only one around for miles. I remember sneaking into the drive-in in a friends trunk, those were the days! :cool:
     

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