Hello, a few corrections to this post if you please. I am the Grandson of the Late owners Summit. You show Joe Meek as the operator which is incorrect. Joe and my Grandfather were partners. Joe ran the Laurel Drive-In located in Damascus, VA. My grandparents, Bill & Mildred owned and operated the Summit.
I haven’t taken time to look at your site yet but I would like to add this about The Summit and many other drive-ins if you have not elsewhere…………………………..
The Summit, or the unfortunate name it gained Scummit, fell to the same plight as Main Street America, with the introduction of the shopping experience called “The Mall” the drive-in theater business went to the wayside. Due mostly to the cost of obtaining first run movies. Because everyone was going to the Mall to see their movies, it left drive-ins with so few people showing up it wouldn’t cover cost. The answer was one of two things, close up shop and start looking for another career after devoting so many years, or run the movies people would come see at the drive-in to make a living. If folks will remember, so many drive-ins moved to showing adult films in the last years, I remember there was even one that had stalls people pulled their cars into. Adapt & Overcome which used to be the American way.
Thankyou
Hello, a few corrections to this post if you please. I am the Grandson of the Late owners Summit. You show Joe Meek as the operator which is incorrect. Joe and my Grandfather were partners. Joe ran the Laurel Drive-In located in Damascus, VA. My grandparents, Bill & Mildred owned and operated the Summit. I haven’t taken time to look at your site yet but I would like to add this about The Summit and many other drive-ins if you have not elsewhere………………………….. The Summit, or the unfortunate name it gained Scummit, fell to the same plight as Main Street America, with the introduction of the shopping experience called “The Mall” the drive-in theater business went to the wayside. Due mostly to the cost of obtaining first run movies. Because everyone was going to the Mall to see their movies, it left drive-ins with so few people showing up it wouldn’t cover cost. The answer was one of two things, close up shop and start looking for another career after devoting so many years, or run the movies people would come see at the drive-in to make a living. If folks will remember, so many drive-ins moved to showing adult films in the last years, I remember there was even one that had stalls people pulled their cars into. Adapt & Overcome which used to be the American way. Thankyou