Pike Drive-In
Kitts Lane and Ann Street,
Newington,
CT
06111
Kitts Lane and Ann Street,
Newington,
CT
06111
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Also opened with “Shouldn’t happen to a dog”.
Billboard, Oct. 30, 1954: “Offering off-screen entertainment the other night, Paul W. Amadeo, general manager, Pike Drive-In, Newington, Conn., presented recording star Glenn Taylor and George Kent’s orchestra. The first 75 cars received a recording of a Taylor disk. Taylor has concluded engagements at the Bowl Drive-In, West Haven, and Pine Drive-In, Waterbury.”
This opened on May 29th, 1948. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
I seem to remember the addy being 5 Kitts Lane.
Approx. address for this drive-in was 196 Kitts Lane.
Absolutely incorrect, twice, NY. The Pike was fronted by Kitts Lane (off of Rte. 5 – aka Berlin Turnpike). The entrance driveway was at the non-Rte. 5 end of Ann. The aerial photo shows Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse which is across the turnpike. The Drive-In was located on the opposite side of the pike, where Super Stop and Shop plaza is located. Thanks, DaveLounderMotionPictures.com (Kensington, CT —– 855-LOUNDER)
U.S. 5 & Ann St, Newington, CT 06111
The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in.
Here is a 1962 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of HistoricAerials.com.
Shaws is a new building, as are the others. ALL of the Pike was demolished. The driveways are the same, though, — approximately. Drive-In Dave Lounder
The “official” car-count of the Pike may have been 350, but it held more like 600+ cars (I think 650)! It was not a tiny Drive-In. Drive-In Dave Lounder (Pike employee approx. 1982-1985 — left in between to work at the Plainville Drive-In, then came back.) DaveLounder.com
Hello everyone
Those were the days. Going to the Drive-In on a hot summer night. Having popcorn and a juicy hotdog with a soda and most of all your girl. It was so “GREAT” . I still go to the Drive-In today. there are 2 Drive-Ins still open in Ct. The Mansfield Drive-In located in Mansfield Ct. And the Pleasant Valley Drive-In located in New Hartford Ct. I attend the Pleasant Valley Drive-In almost every Wk. end of the season. It is still so much fun to go to the snack bar and experience the Smell of fresh cooked hotdogs and hamburgs. It has not opened for the season as of today, and I look it up every morning to see if they have opened. Ill be the first in line if I can this year. I cant wait to go. May GOD BLESS ALL US Drive-IN fans In JESUJ NAME A-MEN!!! Thanks to the owners of the Pleasasnt Valley Drive-In again for all the Fun and memories they bring to us each season.
M.Genzano
hello
I worked at the “Pike Drive In”, as the projectionist from 1975 to 1981.
“It’s Intermission.. Rise and Stretch Time! Time to refresh yourself and visit our snack bar, where the finest in quality goodies are waiting for your selections and enjoyment .. Got a yen for popcorn? It’s there a-poppin'! The juicy franks are sizzling hot!” Or, “Please remember to replace your speaker, before proceeding carefully FORward over the ramp.”
The kids running back to their cars from the playground when the movie began. Station Wagons backed in.
In 1976 – The Bi-Centennial (July 4th), we had a massive firework display from the roof of the booth toward the blackened screen, and I played one of those National Anthem clips the TV stations used to sign off … I got on the mike and asked everyone to lean on the horn for 15-seconds to wish us a Happy Birthday, and a few minutes later got a call from the nearby “Hartford Drive In” asking Me if we went “off the screen” and if everything was ok.
I had a red cloth fold-down theater seat that I bought from a closed theater, mounted to a sheet of plywood, so I could sit outside the booth and people-watch or watch the movie, and I made myself a special speaker with a 25 ft cord that I could keep next to me…
Even in the Winter, we had the in-car heaters, which didn’t do much but convince a girl it was ok to go the the Drive In in January .. … and sold “Rain Shields”, which clippped on the car’s gutters in case it rained. We sold PIC mosquito coils that burned like incense in the car.
is shaws the same building or a new one?
does anyone have any old pictures of it?
Another memory. The playground, and sitting outside, one of my parents would rush over to Dairy Queen to wait in the huge line to get us ice cream.
Well, now the place is home to Shaws and Green Tea China Bistro.
Fun thing about the Pike: you could easily stand in front of the projection booth and display your antics on the big screen. Did this many times in the early 70’s.