Air Way Drive-In

This was not the Airline Drive In it Was the Air Way Drive In, about two blocks down from the St. Ann 4 Screen Drive In. It was on the south side of St. Charles Rock Rd. and the St. Ann 4 screen was on the North Side of St. Charles Rock Rd. Down along side the St. Ann Four Screen was the St. Ann Cinema. The St. Ann Cinema and the St. Ann Four Screen were part of the Arthur Theatres, and the Air Way Drive in was part of the Wehrenberg Chain. There was an Air Line
Drive In but it was located on Natural Bridge Road across from the St. Louis International Airport. The Air Line closed and was demolished for a hotel in 1961.

indeed at the entrance to the Air Way Drive in there was a drum majorette that was twirling a baton and would throw it in the air and then catch it again. This was all done in an animated neon sigage. This would catch your eye either as you were entering the drive in or if you were passing on the Rock Road. The big sign is still there at the entrance to the shopping center where the drive in once sat.

This is a photo of the majorette when she was at the drive-in:
http://www.nbm.org/blueprints/90s/spring95/page2/photo3.jpg

And this is a photo of her at her new home at the shopping center:
http://www.drive-ins.com/pictures/motairw08.jpg

So many nights and memories here. One of my earliest memories of going to the movies PERIOD was coming here to see "Jaws" in 1975. Saw Disney movies here all the time too.

My fondest memory, though, was when "Star Wars" finally played here after blowing the roof off the Creve Coeur Cine for months. We packed up the car with family, friends, and a truckload of food. We got here and there was a sign reading "Sorry, Filled". We had to go all the way back home and come here the next night.

I truly do miss this place.

The first thing to note is the spelling...it is Airway (one word) not Air Way.

Operation began in September 1948 under Henry Halloway. The following year a 30-year lease was negotiated by Midwest Drive-In Theatres...a predecessor General Cinema.

Wehrenberg Theatres took over operation in September 1974...and in May of 1975 the operation was twin-screened.

Wehrenberg operated the drive-in until the closing in November 1986.
On the final night the bills were: Screen #1 - "Trick or Treat" & "Maximum Overdrive"; Screen $ 2 - "Sky Bandits" & "Teen Wolf."

Last time I was home, the only open business on the site of the Airway was a Shop & Save grocery store. Have they built anything else around it since then?