Star-Lite Drive-In

8327 S. Tacoma Way,
Lakewood, WA 98499

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Additional Info

Previous Names: Star-Lite Park-In Theatre, Star-Lite Swap 'n Shop

Nearby Theaters

Snack bar

Star-Lite Park-In Theatre was built in 1948 by E. Chester and Sue Nilsson and Charles L. and Cora Theuerkauf. It was the second drive-in theater built in Tacoma. Its original screen measured 39 feet by 54 feet. A newer, larger screen went up later.

The theatre opened May 26, 1948, showing “Golden Earrings” with Ray Milland and Marlene Dietrich and “Adventure Island” with Rory Calhoun and Rhonda Fleming.

It closed as a drive-in theatre in 1996 and operated as a swap meet site. The giant screen stood, but it was demolished in June 2019. An Amazon warehouse was built on the 3-acre site

Contributed by KatieMac

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

jwmovies
jwmovies on December 5, 2012 at 1:20 pm
  1. ABOVE ADDRESS IS INCORRECT. THE ADDRESS IS 8327 South Tacoma Way.

  2. DRIVE-IN STATUS SHOULD BE CLOSED. THIS IS JUST A SWAP MEET. IT DOES NOT PLAY MOVIES.

StarBright
StarBright on May 11, 2015 at 12:36 pm

My husband and I met at the Star Lite Drive-In. He worked the field as a bouncer, I worked as a cashier both in the booth and the snack bar. We worked for Al and Joanie Larpentuer back in 1970. Those were fun times. We don’t have pictures, just lots of memories. We married in 1971 and continued to work there until our family started. Today we have taken a room in our home and named it the Star-Lite Theatre. Theatre seats from 6Ave. theatre which we recovered and black and maroon drapes which I made. This doesn’t sound much like the Star Lite Drive In but it is a lot warmer. And you can pause for the cause without missing any of the film. Thanks for the pictures, now I have something to hang up that is a part of the history of the “STAR LITE DRIVE IN”

JackCoursey
JackCoursey on July 12, 2015 at 2:58 pm

Any idea as to when the wider screen was added? The original, which is still partially visible behind the existing screen, appears to be curved rather than flat.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on June 20, 2019 at 9:19 am

The News Tribune of Tacoma published a short video yesterday of a crew preparing to demolish the Star-Lite screen tower to make way for a distribution center.

Jake Bottero
Jake Bottero on January 29, 2022 at 6:04 pm

Currently an Amazon warehouse. Thanks, Jeff Bozos.

Jamey_monroe45
Jamey_monroe45 on July 14, 2023 at 9:59 pm

Now Young’s Auto (think O'Reilly’s!) @ 8327 S Tacoma Way, Lakewood, WA 98499. Not Tacoma!

Please update.

Seattleprojectionist
Seattleprojectionist on July 16, 2023 at 8:44 am

I belonged to the Seattle IATSE Union Local 154 but worked this drive in for a weekend in 1992 as an emergency fill in Projectionist even it was in the Tacoma IA local’s jurisdiction. The regular projectionist was in the hospital and the Tacoma local didn’t have anyone to cover the job. That weekend would have been the last time I ever worked at a drive in.

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