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Chris R


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Twin Cities Drive-in movie theaters
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I was surfing some flicker albums and came across a few albums full of drive-in movie theaters across the country. Including several from MN and WI as well.

Flikr album. http://www.flickr.com/photos/23711298@N07/with/2509986524/

http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=drive-in%20theaters#page=3

http://www.flickr.com/groups/drive-in/

Cool drive in website I found.

http://www.drive-ins.com/theaters/mn

I turn 40 this year and not too young to remember several theaters in the twin cities area. Here is what I remember as a kid. Most my memories come from the 1980's.

The site where southtown strip mall now sits in Bloomington, sat the Southtown drive-in. Well thats what I remember, but I guess it used to be called the Bloomington drive-in before that. Directly across 494 from the Best Buy HQ. The back of the screen faced towards Best Buy. I seem to remember the big Southtown Drive-in lettering on the back of the screen when you drove past on 494.

1950's photos of the then Bloomington Drive-in.

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/image.cfm?imageid=170744&Page=1&Negative=NP239048&bhjs=1&bhqs=1

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/image.cfm?imageid=170743&Page=1&Negative=NP239049&bhjs=1&bhqs=1

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/image.cfm?imageid=170742&Page=1&Negative=NP239050&bhjs=1&bhqs=1

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/image.cfm?imageid=169759&Page=1&Negative=NP239047&bhjs=1&bhqs=1

Just down 694 from me in Fridley was a drive-in that I cant remember what it was called so through searching google I found it was called "100 Twin". I just remember when you drove by on the freeway, you could see the movies on the screen as the screen paralled what is now known as 694. It had two full theaters with the screens being back to back. Its where the Cub foods and Home Depot sits off University Ave.

http://www.drive-ins.com/gallery/mnt100t

I guess there used to be 2 theaters in Bloomington. One was on the border of Edina on France Ave. called France Ave. Drive-in. I dont have any memories of this one. Unless my memory has this mixed with the one above.

http://collections.mnhs.org/visualresources/image.cfm?imageid=169759&Page=1&Negative=NP239047&bhjs=1&bhqs=1

In Medina just before the Medina Ballroom when heading west on 55 was the Hill Top Drive-in. But here is shows it being called the Colonial Drive-in. Says it closed in 1985, I never got to see any movies there but I remember driving by it a lot. There is some sort of construction or roofing business at the top of the hill now. The back of the screen was right at the top of the hill. Its right across the intersection of where that Holiday or SA sits just after you go under the RR tracks.

http://www.drive-ins.com/pictures/mntcolo001.jpg

I also remember 65-HI in Blaine which closed in 2003. Its now apartment buildings. http://www.drive-ins.com/gallery/mnt65hi

And just down the road from where I grew up (St. Louis Park) was 7-Hi drive-in. It was on the corner of Hwy. 7 and 101. Kmart is (or was) there now. I dont have any memories of this one either.

http://www.drive-ins.com/gallery/mnt7hid

The only two theaters left in the cities that are still open is the Vali-Hi theater and the one in cottage grove. Even in the late 70's and early 80's. They seemed to be everywhere. Right up to about the time the VCR started becomming affordable.

 



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Chris - Ramsey, MN.

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What really killed drive ins was day light savings time when it came back in the late 50s early 60s. Mid summer you could not start the movie till after nine PM. So much for the family shows; then the second show was not over till three AM.



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Kevin

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I can see the screen of the Vali-Hi from my front yard. Too far away, even with binoculars, to see any detail.



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John D


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I remember as a kid going to the drive-in with my parents. I'd be in my jammies with a blanket & pillow & sack out in the backseat. The 1st movie I can remember was "Ice Station Zebra".

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John D. - St. Louis Park, MN.

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John D wrote:

I remember as a kid going to the drive-in with my parents. I'd be in my jammies with a blanket & pillow & sack out in the backseat. The 1st movie I can remember was "Ice Station Zebra".

And don't forget the brown paper grocery sack full of salty buttered popcorn! 

Ice Station Zebra was one of my favorite movies as a kid.  Used to have my G.I. Joe's 're-enact' the movie.   That kinda sounds weird now.  laughing



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Dave Seitz


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Chris, we used to go to the Starlite Drive in that was about a mile from your house. First movie we ever went to I remember was The Love Bug the first Herbie movie that ever came out. And yes we had the cooler jug with Kool Aid and grocery bag of popcorn. Seems when you looked around all it was was station wagons with kids overflowing.

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Tim H


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I also remember going to them as a kid in the early 60's then again in the mid - late 70's while in High School. But then we didn't or tried not to watch much of the movies...

 
 


-- Edited by Tim H on Sunday 18th of March 2012 08:51:24 AM

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Derek69SS


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They used to re-open the drive-in once a year in Albert Lea when I was a kid, and old cars got to park up front, so it was like a car show before the movie started. The sound system didn't work, so they broadcasted it over FM radio. We went in my grandpa's 1960 Lincoln, and had to take a battery radio with because the car's was just AM. First movie was American Graffiti and the second was Porky's.

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Derek Kiefer - Mantorville, MN

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Chris R


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Dave Seitz wrote:

Chris, we used to go to the Starlite Drive in that was about a mile from your house. First movie we ever went to I remember was The Love Bug the first Herbie movie that ever came out. And yes we had the cooler jug with Kool Aid and grocery bag of popcorn. Seems when you looked around all it was was station wagons with kids overflowing.

 I had to go a look this up and was supprised. I had no idea there was a drive-in theater in the spot that now has the Cub and Target stores that are just at the end of our block. I couldnt find any good photos on a google search. 

 http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/mntst11



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Chris - Ramsey, MN.

Dear Optimist, Pessimist, and Realist.

While you guys were busy arguing about the glass of water. I drank it!

Sincerly,

The opportunist.
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