Author Archives: mrdrivein

Valley 6, Wilmington now permanently closed

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Valley 6 Drive-In signWhile it’s great fun to celebrate the birth of a new drive-in, we also need to make mention of drive-ins that pass away. Sometimes they close to great fanfare, but more often they just decline to reopen in the spring. Here are two more of those stories.

From the Auburn (WA) Reporter comes word that the Valley 6 there really looks dead. It hasn’t ordered movies for the 2013 season, and its manager passed away in December. What appears to be its official Facebook page hasn’t been updated since May 2012, and a Valley 6 fan page there (where I borrowed that Valley 6 sign photo) says its phone number is disconnected. There’s also a Facebook group with discussion from former employees.

The Washington Court House (OH) Record Herald wrote last Friday that Phillip Chakeres, the CEO of the company that owns the Wilmington Drive-In, hadn’t decided whether it will reopen this season. He “plans to make the final decision within a month.” Then yesterday, the same reporter wrote in The News Democrat of Georgetown OH that Chakeres said the Wilmington “will not open this season and its future is questionable”. The stated reason is unusual for drive-ins these days: the Wilmington was losing money.

It’s likely that there are more closings that we will only hear about after the fact; newspapers rarely publish business obituaries. The News Democrat story included an ominous note about Chakeres’s drive-ins: “Chakeres now operates three in Clayton, Springfield and Fairborn, having recently permanently shut down three in Celina, Lucasville and New Carlisle.”

Coyote Drive-In almost ready to open

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Oh boy! The only thing better than a story about the opening of a brand-new drive-in theater is having some nice video of it to embed for you.

NBCDFW (secretly KXAS-TV), Fort Worth TX’s news leader, ran a fine little story about the construction work that’s nearly completed for the Coyote Drive-In just north of downtown. Two of its three screens are in place, its food pavilion is almost done, and earth movers are ripping out debris that would get in the way of driving and parking and watching movies. If that sounds a little familiar, it’s because we mentioned the Coyote here a few months ago.

But don’t take my word for it. If you want to read what’s pretty much a transcription of the story, head over to the NBCDFW site. But I think you’ll be better off just watching that great two minutes of video. If it doesn’t bring a smile to your face, you’re not a drive-in fan.

Clark 54 Drive-In for sale, cheap

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Clark 54 drive-in signKHQA, the Tri-States’ News Leader, reports that the Clark 54 Drive-In of Summer Hill IL is for sale, and the official Clark 54 web site confirms it.

According to KHQA, owner Mike Glass isn’t selling because of the looming conversion to digital projection or a lack of business, but “for personal reasons.” Okay.

The Clark 54 opened in 1952. KHQA says that a real estate agent said it’s averaged over $61,000 in annual profit over the last six years. The 70-foot screen was recently refurbished “and the septic system has been given health department approval.” I’m all in favor of that! And I know that the Clark 54 already has a Facebook page, because that’s where I borrowed the thumbnail to illustrate this news note. For another couple of photos and a few more details, check out the KHQA article.

The listing price is reported to be $245,000. If you’re interested, contact Wade Real Estate at 217-285-2774.