East Trent Drive-In

11201 E. Trent Avenue,
Spokane, WA 99206

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Favorite Theatres, SRO Theaters

Previous Names: East Trent Motor-In

Nearby Theaters

East Trent Drive-In

The 750-car East Trent Motor-In opened on June 8, 1946 with Vivian Blaine in “Doll Face”. It was Spokane’s second drive-in. It was later said that it drew 290,000 cars in the first year with actual admissions not given. On August 1, 1954, with a name change to the East Trent Drive-In, it became listed under Favorite Theatres banner in the Spokesman-Review. At the time Favorite Theatres operated three indoor and two drive-ins in Spokane.

On March 1, 1972 the Spokesman-Review announced the merger of seven Favorite Theatres in Spokane with the Sterling Recreation Organization (SRO). While being operated by SRO the East Trent’s listings disappeared from the newspaper after September of 1986. According to a December 1986 news article Cineplex Odeon purchased SRO for $45.5 million. There is no indication that the East Trent ever opened again.

In 1998 the East Trent Drive-In’s land was bought and put up for redevelopment. In 2006 its sign was donated to the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum and after being restored was put on display in 2011.

Contributed by Ron Pierce

Recent comments (view all 4 comments)

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on August 15, 2012 at 6:17 am

Added the opening movie ad from June 8,1946 and Goggle Earth view from 1996.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on August 16, 2012 at 3:44 pm

A picture of the theater’s roadside marquee from its gallery at Drive-ins.com is here.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on November 3, 2018 at 5:38 am

Opened with “Doll face”.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on December 26, 2020 at 11:26 am

Google Maps says that the old East Trent site at 11201 E. Trent Avenue is in Spokane Valley, Spokane’s largest suburb.

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