Summer Drive-In (first)
5150 Summer Avenue,
Memphis,
TN
38122
5150 Summer Avenue,
Memphis,
TN
38122
1 person
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The original Summer Drive-In was opened by Kemmons Wilson in 1948 with Yvonne DeCarlo in “River Lady”. It was Memphis' first drive-in, and was down the street from where Wilson would open the world’s first Holiday Inn in 1952. In 1948, it was one of the country’s largest drive-in’s with a capacity for 670 cars. During winter months pipe lines laid on a concrete base were used to freeze over around an acre of the drive-in lot and provide an ice rink. It was later operated by Malco Theatres Inc. and was sold for development in 1966.
The Summer Twin Drive-In (now Summer Drive-In with 4-screens) was opened further east along Summer Avenue the same year the original Summer Drive-In closed. It is still in operation and has its own page on Cinema Treasures.
Contributed by
Vincent Astor
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Recent comments (view all 2 comments)
Thanks Vincent and Ken for fixing both listings for the Summer Drive-In.
2012 article about the 1st Summer Drive-In.
http://memphismagazine.com/ask-vance/the-summer-drive-in/