A few months ago, I had to admit that I wasn’t sure whether the Blue Starlite in Austin TX is a real drive-in. I’m still sure that “drive-in nights” in the park with temporary screens and no cars definitely aren’t drive-ins. The Blue Starlite’s screen still looks pretty temporary, but they play movies every week in season and folks really drive in to watch them, so I guess I’ll have to say that it qualifies.
Which is important, because now there’s a report that the Blue Starlite’s founder, Josh Frank, has moved to Miami and plans to start another “mini urban drive-in” there. The Miami New Times has the story of what Frank did in Austin and what he hopes to do in Miami. I hadn’t realized that he bought real drive-in speakers and restored them to use at the Blue Starlite. Cool!
This is a very intimate experience,” Frank explained to the New Times. “Having a drive-in that catered to so few people, where each car feels like it’s their night, that was a big lightbulb.”
There’s no opening date yet, but Frank said he wanted it ready by October. He’s hoping for a location in the Wynwood Art District, but hasn’t zeroed in on any one in particular. For more details if and when they arrive, check out the Blue Starlite Miami web site. For much more story about Frank’s reasons for spreading his vision to Miami, go read it!