Author Archives: mrdrivein

Video: Commerce Marquee May Be Restored

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The Commerce Drive-In of Walled Lake MI opened in July 1956 and closed after the 1990 season. Its marquee sat there rusting away for a couple of decades, then got tagged by graffiti this past January. That was the last straw for area real estate agent Val McFarland, who launched a GoFundMe campaign to restore this landmark.

In a story in the Oakland Press, McFarland said it would cost about a quarter million dollars(!) to get the full electrical system working again, but for now they’re shooting for $50,000 to light it up and give it a fresh coat of paint. Best of all, Detroit’s News Leader WXYZ posted a video showing what things look like now, giving me an excuse to embed it for you here. Especially if you’re anywhere in the neighborhood or remember going to the Commerce, pitch in to help this maintain this bit of drive-in theater history.

Apr. 21: Mesa Drive-In, Pueblo CO

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It’s Day 111 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It was a long drive, about 4 1/2 hours, all along US 50 from the South Drive-In Theatre in Dodge City KS to the Mesa Drive-In in Pueblo CO.

The Mesa opened as a single-screen drive-in in 1951. Chuck and Marianne James bought it in 1994, then added two screens to celebrate its 50th year.

When the Mesa added two screens in 2000, it took the unusual tactic of buying them used. Two other Colorado drive-ins had recently closed, the Lake Estes in Estes Park and the Pines in Loveland, but their screens live on in Pueblo.

The Pueblo Chieftain ran a fine article on the Mesa just a few weeks ago, focusing largely on manager Mark Lovato and the nuts and bolts of operating the place. Important, mundane stuff like the dozens of cases of food needed every weekend. “We went through 20 cases of hamburgers and I had to buy 48 extra (burgers) for (Sunday),” Lovato said. “We went through 250 pounds of popcorn in two days.”

There’s a reason they go through so many hamburgers – they’re that good, and a lot of repeat customers (like me) know about them. I was so glad to be back here to enjoy one with a choice of movies even though I’d seen all three already. At least it was only my second dance with Beauty and the Beast.

Miles Today / Total:  270 / 12176 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: Beauty and the Beast / 52

Nearby Restaurant: There used to be a hole-in-the-wall pizza joint in the little strip mall adjacent to the Mesa marquee. Now there’s a hole-in-the-wall Chinese food joint, the Pueblo Dragon. If you’re sick of superb hamburgers, or if the Mesa’s closed, the Dragon’s a decent enough place for take out.

Where I Virtually Stayed: More than most chains, Quality Inns have a wide range of quality in my experience. Fortunately, the Quality Inn & Suites Pueblo is one of the good ones. Fresh cookies and coffee in the lobby, a clean, comfortable room, and enough breakfast to continue through Colorado.

Only in Pueblo: Pueblo recently had what the Guinness Book of World Records recognized as the world’s longest painting. The levee mural project stretched three miles along the Arkansas River. It started as basic flood control, got tagged by graffiti, then was painted at night by Colorado State-Pueblo students. But by 2014, the levee was starting to buckle, and in 2016 it was rebuilt without the mural.

Next stop: Comanche Drive In Theatre, Buena Vista CO.

Apr. 20: South Drive-In Theatre, Dodge City KS

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It’s Day 110 of my virtual Drive-In-a-Day Odyssey. It took a bit over two hours to drive the US highways from Kanopolis to the South Drive-In Theatre in Dodge City KS.

According to an article in The Legend Magazine, the South was built by Glen Cooper in 1947. “Cooper and his wife, Roma Loi, rode the wave of drive-in popularity near the crest, flying to Hollywood in their private plane to bring movie stars to town, creating elaborate floats for the Boot Hill Fiesta parade, and constantly expanding the menu in the snack bar.”

After Glen Cooper passed away, his son Ron moved to Dodge City to take over the South. At the time of that Legend article, 2011, he was still using a film projector and worrying about converting to digital. “We’d need a rich philanthropist who’s in love with drive-ins, or some kind of grant to do that,” he said.

Local cell phone company United Wireless explains on its web site what happened next. “In 2012, our region was in danger of losing a real treasure in the South Drive-In Theatre, which just happens to be our neighbor on McArtor Road. … So we bought it from the previous owners, made some upgrades for showing films in digital format, and have been having a ball giving our friends and neighbors a great place to have fun on warm evenings.”

The South opened for the 2017 season just last weekend, but at this time of year it only shows movies Fridays through Sundays. That meant another Thursday night without the fun and camaraderie of a shared viewing experience under the stars.

Miles Today / Total:  131 / 11906 (rounded to the nearest mile)

Movie Showing / Total Active Nights: dark / 51

Nearby Restaurant: In Dodge City, home of fabled cattle drives, I needed to find some steak. That’s why I visited Casey’s Cowtown Club, home of the fabled Dodge City Strip. What I got was a big old-fashioned steak dinner with a large slab of grilled perfection with a salad, potato, and rolls. Yum!

Where I Virtually Stayed: Most of the hotels in Dodge City sit along US 50, or as it’s known in town, Wyatt Earp Boulevard. The Best Western Plus Country Inn & Suites is the closest to the South, and it’s one of the best places to stay in town. For one thing, it’s got its own bar, so that’s nice, and the breakfast eggs are cooked to order. In between, my room had a fridge, a microwave, and good wifi.

Only in Dodge City: From the time the railroads carved the US into four time zones, Dodge City has always observed Central time. But the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad drew its time zone line at its Dodge City station, now restored and serving Amtrak passengers. The ATSF built two large sundials on the station grounds, one marked for Mountain time and another just east of it marked for Central.

Next stop: Mesa Drive-In, Pueblo CO.