Westside Drive-In
14350 W. 8 Mile Road,
Oak Park,
MI
48237
14350 W. 8 Mile Road,
Oak Park,
MI
48237
2 people
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: General Cinema Corp., Wisper-Wetsman Theaters
Previous Names: 8 Mile Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
The Westside Drive-In was one of the earliest drive-ins to open in the Detroit region, and could accomodate 700 cars. The opening movie on April 26, 1940 was John Wayne & Claire Trevor in “Allegheny Uprising”. It was operated by General Cinemas.
The drive-in was also known as the 8 Mile Drive-In. Its last operator was Wisper & Wetsman and it operated until 1984. It was demolished later that year to make way for a lumber yard (which itself is no longer in operation).
Contributed by
Bryan, Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
This drive-in along with the Eastside, Dearborn and Ypsi-Ann Drive-Ins were operated by General Cinema Corp. for many years, until they sold them in the 1980s (Ypsi-Ann was sold in the mid 70s). Since the company had several with the same name, this was known on the company rolls as Detroit-West, and the Eastside was known as Detroit-East.
Nice photos:
http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/mitwes2
The Westside in Cleveland had an idential screen tower: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/7765/photos/78618
After comparing it to the 1984 photo I just added, I question whether this photo on drive-ins.com is actually the Westside: http://www.drive-ins.com/pictures/mitwes2002.jpg
April 26th, 1940 grand opening ad in photo section.
This site is now B&B Windows & Doors, and Weathergard.
The West Side (or, Westside) was the second in the Detroit area (April 1940) after the East Side (1938). It was the first area drive-in to install a CinemaScope screen in 1954 (East Side followed days later) and the first to offer electric in-car heaters (October 1957) with the East Side following quickly.