Rustic Tri-View Drive-In

Here is the marquee for the Rustic

http://community.webshots.com/photo/176867268uuWEvF

The Rustic went triple X for a few years back in the 80s. Its a nice DI now.

I grew up in Rhode Island and from '71 to '74 my father packed us into the car every Friday and we went to the drive in. The first film we caught was "Willard" at this theatre.

Hard to believe all the drive ins are gone. There was the Hilltop in East Greenwich and the Quonset in North Kingston. There was the Seekonk Twin and another one nearby in Seekonk, Mass. There was the Loew's, I believe, on the Providence/Pawtucket border; there wast the Shipyard in Providence. There was the Lonsdale Twin, which I believe was in Pawtucket. There were several more. One in Attleboro, Mass. that began with a "B." I remember we went to one in Somerset, Mass.

http://www.agilitynut.com/p/edgedi903.jpg

Here is a recent photo

RobertR, that is not a photo of the Rustic!

The Rustic still operates and shows first run movies during the warm months around the same time some of the multiplexes get them. I believe admission is around $17 per car. In the 1970s it operated as a porno theatre for a time. Hard and soft. I believe this is where I saw Sylvester Stallone in his early semi-infamous "Italian Stallion" where he is seen in full frontal nudity.

Isn't there a donut shop nearby in the shape of a milk can? I remember driving by about 10 years ago and I did a double-take when I saw it. It was right near the Rustic. Someone told me the donut shop is closed, but the building is some sort of landmark.

Hardbop, yes, still there, vacant, but a real unique eye-opener.

I have been to the rustic whick in eaily 90's was owned and operated by Clem Demares whick opened the Woonsocket Cieman Centre no longer there i worked as an assist MAnager there for 8 months or so
Jim

Here is a photo:
http://www.agilitynut.com/p/rusticdi.jpg

Here is a link:
http://www.klh.org/drivein/rustic/index.html

One of the things about drive-ins is that there was per car pricing. Unlike going into a movie theatre where each invidual paid, you paid by the car for the drive-in. It was a pretty good bargain.

I believe it is still operating seasonally, and was something like $17 for a carload last year.

This is a recent photo of the Rustic drive-in sign.

The Rustic is now open for the 2006 season and showing first-run movies, including The Da Vinci Code. Aren't first-run drive-ins pretty unusual? There is a first-run movie and a second recent feature on each of the three screens.

No money talks to film companys i once booked my own films for one of my cinemas i ran and if you have the $$$ you can get them its great the Drive in is still open i hope the girls are doing fine

Here is a short article from November 1971 re adult films at the Rustic:

Theater license up; bid to halt X-films

NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I.— The Town Council has taken a step toward eliminating X-rated movies from the town's only theater: It upped the license fee from $160 to $18,000 per year. Councilman Robert E. Mowry proposed the motion to charge Rustic Drive-In movie theater $50 per day in fees so it "can no longer operate profitably." Residents have objected to the theater's policy of showing two X-rated.movies nightly.

An in-depth Providence Journal article on this drive-in appeared in the newspaper on July 13, 2007. The print edition has more photos than the online version and even takes us into the projection booth.
LINK TO THE ARTICLE

Does anyone know if Clem Demares still owns the Rustic ? Would love to contact him somehow? It shows CBB Enterprises as the owner and I think that was Clems Company but not sure. Any help would be appreciated.

Al sorry to infor you but Mr and Mrs Demares have both passed away a few years back how ever they let the drive in to there daughter she still operates the drive`in

NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- A fire damaged the concession stand at
FROM wjar-tv

Rhode Island's only drive-in movie theater on Wednesday.

The flames broke out at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In on Route 146 at about noon. No one was hurt.

It took firefighters about 45 minutes to knock down heavy, black smoke coming from a building that holds the concession stand and the projection room.

Firefighters said they don't know the cause of the fire, but they called it accidental.

The Rustic's general manager said the projectors and the movies were not damaged and that the fire damaged only the concession stand on the lower level.

The general manager said it would be up to the insurance company and the building inspector to determine if the damage can be fixed in time to open for the weekend.

----
I had heard in April that Boston Culinary Group had just purchased the property from CBB Enterprises, which had previously owned it. Before that, BCG only operated the Concession stand.

More Info..

Fire at Rustic Drive-In

on 06-04-2008 21:05


By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

NORTH SMITHFIELD — The big screen debut of the latest Indiana Jones flick and a few other big name movies opening at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In this weekend could be delayed after fire broke out Wednesday morning in the building that houses the projection booth and concession stand.

Heavy smoke was reported in the kitchen and concession area of the building around 11:30 a.m. from a fire reportedly contained to a ventilation shaft between the first and second floors. Despite the clouds of thick smoke, the fire did not appear to have seriously damaged the two-story concrete building, which serves as a projection booth room on the second floor and concession area on the first floor serving everything from popcorn to clam cakes.
As of early yesterday afternoon, the cause of the fire had not been determined and it was unclear whether or not the Rustic — billed as Rhode Island’s only drive-in — would open for the weekend. Located on Route 146 on the southbound side in North Smithfield, the 57-year-old drive-in, which charges $20 per carload, is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to September.
With summer like temperatures forecast for the weekend and some highly anticipated films showing on three screens, the drive-in is expecting big numbers. But whether or not the facility opens tomorrow depends on how much damage was cause. The damage was being assessed today by the drive-in’s owners, Cambridge-based Boston Culinary Group.
“If the projection room wasn’t touched then there shouldn’t be a problem, but I’m not sure about the kitchen,” said Christopher Bois, who recently started working at the drive-in cleaning up the grounds, a job his mother held before him.
Bois, who lives on Route 146 adjacent to the drive-in, was playing computer games yesterday morning when his mother called to tell him that the drive-in building was on fire. “I flew up there and saw the smoke,” said Bois, adding the fire appeared contained the ventilation shaft because flames could be seen shooting out of the ventilation tube on the outside of the building.
Bois said he was in the building for about 10 minuets earlier that morning and everything was fine. “I didn’t smell any smoke or anything like that while I was there,” said Bois, adding no one else was in the building at the time.
Former Rustic owner Beth Desmarais, whose family owned the facility since the 1980’s, stood back with a small group of onlookers as firefighters fought the blaze. Among the group were manager Jennifer Chenail and projectionist Bob Gosselin.
The Rustic opened in 1951 with a single screen. When her family bought the facility, Desmarais said, they added three screens that each show two movies per night. Currently the movies begin at 8:45 p.m. with the second feature on each screen beginning 15 minutes after the end of the first on that screen.
Desmarais’ family sold the drive-in to Boston Culinary Group in April.
Boston Culinary Group Director of Operations Deborah Belisle Wednesday said company officials will be in town today to assess the damage, adding she is hopeful the drive-in will open for the weekend.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to open for the weekend,” she said.
Belisle said the blaze was contained to the concession area of the building. “From everything we’ve heard from our people there, the projection booth, projection equipment and films weren’t damaged,” she said.
Boston Culinary Group is a privately-owned food service management company that provides food and beverages in the recreation and leisure industry. The company’s theatre division owns and operates 23 theatres throughout the northeast managing all aspects of theatre operations, including the projection booth, concessions stands and box offices. In addition to the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In, the company’s other Rhode Island theaters include Island Cinemas 10 in Middletown, Opera House Cinema 3 in Newport and Entertainment Cinema in South Kingstown.
The other movies opening at the Rustic this weekend include Kung Fu Panda, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, You Don’t Mess with Zohan, Iron Man and Sex in the City.


http://www.woonsocketcall.com/content/view/36402/1/

Is there a website with show times?

Is the theater back up and running?

It was closed Friday but reopened on saturday

also: http://www.yourneighborhoodtheatre.com/theaters.php?ID=7312

There was a fire at the Rustic Drive-In and it is or was temporarily closed. News story.

I saw the post can someone post when it reopens I'd like to go with my bf.

is it open now?

The movie schedule for the Rustic shows movies playing today (July 2, 2008).

http://www.yourneighborhoodtheatre.com/theaters.php?ID=7312

Dimeo Construction built a model of the Rustic out of cans for CANstruction 2008. It's on display at the Providence Place Mall through September 27. The exhibit is in the concourse that connects the mall with the skybridge to the Westin hotel.

I looked at the Friday Saturday Schedule for the drive in for 9-26 & 27.
One of the screens has a twin bill of Pulp Fiction & Reservoir Dogs.
Too bad the forcast calls for rain on Friday & Saturday.
House Bunny & Tropic Thunder are on another screen.
Disaster Movie & Death Race are on the third.
I like seeing classics on the big screen.

Recently at Providence Place Mall there was an art display of Rhode Island buildings and places, each constructed out of tin cans. Here is the one representing the Rustic Drive-In.

Providence Business News published a story about the Rustic and its new owners in January.

http://www.pbn.com/detail.html?sub_id=05afa5d25742

Here is a shot of the marquee.

I was wondering if anyone knew how to contact the owners or management for the Rustic? I wanted to see if I could hold an event at their site but the only phone number I can find is for their showtimes. If anyone can help i would be super appreciative!!!

Did you try contacting Boston Cullinary Group?
55 Cambridge Pkwy., Suite 200
Cambridge, MA 02142

phone: 617-499-2700 fax: 617-225-0897
theatreinfo@bcginc.com
Maybe they can help locate the owners or management.