Family Drive-In
713 E. Baltimore Avenue,
Clifton Heights,
PA
19018
713 E. Baltimore Avenue,
Clifton Heights,
PA
19018
2 people
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Correction: Ave. not Pike. Pike will not map to the K-Mart.
Oddly, the “Family” drive-in went out of busines showing adult films. It was really a dirty, poorly maintained theatre as were many of the Budco chain back then. A few downtown theatres were palaces but the suburban ones were wrecks. Eric really put them out of business with their “black box”, no frills theatres at a time when the business was tough to begin with. Ultimately they both were taken out by the big consolidated chains. In the case of this D-I, it was a humane death.
The following item appeared Aug. 12, 1978, in the NEWS of Delaware County.
Relief is less than a month away for those Clifton Heights and Drexel Hill residents who have complained in the past about sexually-explicit films being shown at the Family Drive-In.
On Labor Day, the theatre management will present the last picture show. Soon thereafter, ground will be broken on the drive-in site for a K-Mart department store.
The issuing of a building permit for the $1 million project clears the way for builders to begin work on the new store next month.
Mike, the original concession stand was right behind the projection booth, in the mid 60’s it was torn down and replaced by a new one at the rear of the theater.
Never seen the concession that far back.wonder what the thinking was?
The Family was purchased as a package deal, with the Main Line Drive-In and 309 Drive-In by Budco. I managed the theater in the 60s, Berlo Vending ran the concessions for Budco in most of it’s theaters.
Was looking at the aerial photos, I never thought about how much a drive in looked like a baseball park.
In 1956 it was owned by J.Van Lloyd. it still parked 550 cars.
Here is a 1971 photo. I used 713 E. Baltimore Pike, which is the address of the KMart:
http://tinyurl.com/ykol5d8
As a kid we went there all the time. Is aw Pinnochio there, father Goose, The Art Of Love, The Trail Of Billy Jack and many others that I can’t remember. Near the end they started showing adult films and since the screen was visible from Baltimore Pike, it caused a lot of complaints.
Went there once and it started to rain real hard. The theater gave us passes to come back another night.
one could see the movies at this location for free either in the St. Charles cemetary or if you lived on the 1st block of Shadeland Avenue ( on back porches) which is also now mostly demolished….
When the drive in closed it became a K-Mart.