Comments from Mmandarano

Showing 26 - 50 of 68 comments

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about East Bend Drive-In on Nov 6, 2013 at 12:12 pm

I’m not sure. I actually was going to buy it, but I had promised myself to not go over $30k. I had a pre-qual drawn up to $35k just to have a little overhead. This bid was in and they wanted $33k and I stuck to my guns. I was planning on re-opening if I bought, but the ROI was suspect. I had quotes on screen ($85k), digital projector ($70k), building upfit ($100k) and new appliances in the concession stand (roughly $45k). So, roughly a $330k investment. Unfortunately, I’m not sure with a loan of nearly $3k a month, the location, the seasonal nature of drive-ins, etc. I could have really done that well. I probably could have made a living, and kind of hate I didn’t go a little higher just to have the land and see where it goes, but I am happy I stuck to my guns too. Easy to get auction fever and keep throwing the hand up.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about East Bend Drive-In on Nov 5, 2013 at 1:36 pm

Property sold this Saturday at absolute auction for $31,000. 6.3 acres, concession stand, ticket booth, dilapidated screen. Land is still nicely graded.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Newtowne 1 & 2 on Oct 14, 2013 at 9:12 am

We have several decent photos of the exterior in the photos section now. Could we get one of them to replace the empty sign as the main photo? I was out there the other day and that sign has been removed too at this point.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Newtowne 1 & 2 on Oct 9, 2013 at 11:50 am

Newtowne is actually beside the JR Tobacco Discount Outlet. It’s still standing unless it’s been torn down in the past month or two. It’s sandwiched in between the JR Outlet on the left side near the highway and the pizza place with the high pointed triangular roof that is right off the highway.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Carmike 4 Cinema on Oct 4, 2013 at 10:50 am

Anyone know when this closed?

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Ritz Theater on Oct 4, 2013 at 9:21 am

I took the time to drive by the Ritz a week or so ago after work. It still pretty much looks exactly like the current Google Earth photo with the sign on one side still standing.

Unfortunately, this theater is located in a part of town that I honestly felt a little uncomfortable going to during the middle of the day. It’s a shame this part of the city hasn’t had some urban renewal efforts because it’s only about .25-.5 mile outside of the nice areas of downtown where so much is happening.

All of the buildings around it are caved in or razed now. The ones across the street are boarded up. I contacted the real estate agent for the property, as it is still for sale, and asked him a few questions. He didn’t know when it closed, but his personal opinion was that even though most everything (seating, etc) is still in the building, he things the structure is the only salvageable thing and all else needs to be gutted and replaced.

Downtown renewal is moving in that direction some, but so slowly that I have a feeling this theater will be demolished long before it has a chance to be revitalized.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Twin City Drive-In on Oct 2, 2013 at 2:20 pm

Thanks for all the pics for this theater, Ken! Was it still operational in 1993 or already closed at this point?

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Starlite Drive-in on Sep 28, 2013 at 6:35 pm

This was actyally Starlite Drive-in. Checked with a family member who grew up in the area.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about North Wilkesboro Drive-In on Sep 28, 2013 at 6:34 pm

This theatre was actually the North Wilkesboro. I checked with a family member who grew up in the area.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Thunderbird 601 Drive-In on Sep 27, 2013 at 3:51 pm

Final day open was November 1, 1987.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Tuscola Drive-In on Sep 27, 2013 at 3:05 pm

Allanhowls, do you remember a more specific address for this drive-in?

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Tivoli Theatre on Sep 27, 2013 at 2:37 pm

Wow, wish I had a cinema near me like this! I’d be there every weekend.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Madison Drive-In on Sep 27, 2013 at 11:49 am

That’s got to be it. Screen was gone as far back as 20 years ago looking at the aerials, though it looked like a lot of other buildings were on the property then that are now gone. Must have been used as a flea market after a theater I bet.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Reidsville Showcase at the Rockingham on Sep 26, 2013 at 4:40 pm

Wonder what happened to the beautiful marquee that donned this building in the above picture. Happy to hear it is still in operation though. Has it made the conversion to digital yet I wonder?

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Newtowne 1 & 2 on Sep 26, 2013 at 12:13 pm

I didn’t realize the Newtowne was in operation as far back as 1969. Do you guys know what year exactly it opened? We used to eat at the pizza place beside it once a month or so when I was younger and I caught several shows at the Newtowne during the 1990s.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Carmike Gateway 4 Cinemas on Sep 25, 2013 at 5:43 pm

From the looks of Google Earth, this cinema has now been completely demolished.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Northpoint Cinema V on Sep 25, 2013 at 5:34 pm

For many years Northpoint 5 was the go-to place for foreign, arthouse, indpendent and award-winning films. It was a great theatre. I hated when it closed. Luckily, Aperture kind of fills that void now, but Aperture’s screens and seating is not the best.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about 51 Outdoor Theater on Sep 25, 2013 at 12:09 pm

Using the following address maps closest to this drive-in’s location: 1251 US 51 Business, Plover, WI

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Big D Drive-In on Sep 24, 2013 at 4:05 pm

This drive-in was around as early as 1952 from the photographic evidence. Hard to tell, but looks like it was still operational until about as late as 1972. It was completely gone by 1979.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Holiday Drive-In on Sep 24, 2013 at 3:46 pm

Drive-in was still sitting vacant as late as 2004. Amazing the difference in that area between 1963 and today. From all fields to complete suburbanization in 50 years!

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Valley 6 Drive-In on Sep 23, 2013 at 1:36 pm

Indeed, very, very sad.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Palm Desert 10 on Sep 23, 2013 at 9:49 am

According to his wiki article, Bryan Cranston of Breaking Bad fame is a part owner of this cinema.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Wales Drive-In on Sep 22, 2013 at 7:23 pm

From the Google Earth historical aerials view, it looks like nearly all elements of this theatre remained in tact similar to the 1996 video until as late as early 2005.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about Skyline Drive-In on Sep 22, 2013 at 5:07 pm

An exact address for this drive-in is: 3208 North O'Henry Boulavard, Greensboro, NC 27405. Currently, a public storage facility operates on about a third of the lot, a fitness center the other third and if you look closely on the open undeveloped third you can still see pieces of the outer ramps.

Mmandarano
Mmandarano commented about University Plaza 1 & 2 on Sep 22, 2013 at 12:58 am

Wow, I used to live literally across the street in Deacon ridge condos and had no idea there was ever a cinema at University Plaza. My condo complex was nice, but I rarely went to this shopping center because it does tend to have spa reputation for rough clientele. Out of curiosity, which building was the cinema in? I don’t remember a church unless it was on the far side past subway and dollar general, but I thought that was a pawn shop.