Buffalo Movie Theaters - Table of Contents
Celebrating 75 Years of Drive-In
Movies
By Rick Cohen
June 2, 2008
The world's first drive-in theatre opened almost 75 years ago, on June 6, 1933, in Camden, New Jersey, making 2008 the Diamond Anniversary Year for all drive-in theatres, an American Cultural Icon.
There are presently just 29 operational drive-in theatres which remain open today in all of New York State, down from a high of 156 in the early 1960s. Nationally, there were once 4,063 drive-in theatres at their peak in 1958, most of which have disappeared from the cultural landscape. Today, less than 400 drive-ins remain open in the entire United States.
If you've been paying attention to the Buffalo News movie listings section for the past few weeks, the Transit Drive-in has been running subtle "tribute" ads below our normal movie information, as a way to memorialize the many Western New York drive-ins which entertained millions of people over the last seven decades.
Listed below alphabetically are all twenty drive-ins which once operated in Erie and Niagara Counties. Niagara County still has two open drive-ins (Sunset and Transit), while Erie County currently has none, although there is an effort under way to prevent a Super Wal-Mart from opening on the site of the Grandview Drive-in, which has been closed since the end of the 2005 season while Wal-Mart has been going through the permit process.Aero Drive-in, Cheektowaga, NY (1950-1971), "Bring your Beau to the Aero," now a shopping plaza.
Boulevard Drive-in, Wheatfield, NY (1954-1981), now home to Opportunities Unlimited of Niagara County.
Broadway Drive-in, Cheektowaga, NY (1950-1987), now a frozen foods warehouse.
Buffalo Drive-in, Cheektowaga, NY (1941-2007), now a medical office building.
Delaware Drive-in, Tonawanda, NY (1949-1963), torn down for the I-290/Delaware Ave interchange.
Falls Auto Vue Drive-in, Town of Niagara, NY (1954-1981), now a State Police Barracks, and Meat Packing Warehouse.
Grandview Drive-in, Evans, NY (1950-2005), possibly the future home of a Super Wal-Mart.
I-290 Drive-in, Tonawanda, NY (1965-1984), was built to replace the Delaware Drive-in, now a BJ'S Wholesale Warehouse.
Lockport Drive-in, Gasport, NY (1946-1987), construction dump site.
Niagara Drive-in, Amherst, NY (1941-1965), now home to a closed K-Mart, Lowe's Home Improvement, Applebee's, and a Starbuck's.
Nite-Way Drive-in, Pendleton, NY (1948-1949), Empty lot on the SW corner of Transit Rd. at Fisk Rd.
Park Drive-in, West Seneca, NY (1950-1986), Medical office park.
Sheridan Drive-in, Tonawanda, NY (1950-1981), Uniland office park.Skyway Drive-in, Athol Springs, NY (1948-1985), Tractor Trailer Training School.
Star Drive-in, Blasdell, NY (1948-1978), Ames/Hills Plaza, now vacant.
Starlite Drive-in, Town of Niagara, NY (1948-1981), Wegmans plaza.
SUNSET Drive-in, Middleport, NY (1950-STILL OPEN!)
TRANSIT Drive-in, Lockport, NY (1952-STILL OPEN!)
Twin Drive-in, Depew, NY (1955-1982), Walden Development Center, Advantage Self Storage.
Wehle Drive-in, Lancaster, NY (1955-1986), now a Regal Cinema and IMAX.On June 6, 2008, it would be nifty to remember all of the present and former drive-ins of Western New York, and take a moment to remember back to a time when everyone liked Ike, gas was less than $1 per gallon, and people spent their weekends together as a family with an evening under the stars at their neighborhood drive-in.