Star-Lite Drive-In
2000 W. South Boulder Road,
Louisville,
CO
80026
2000 W. South Boulder Road,
Louisville,
CO
80026
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Thanks to the Louisville History folks, who have shown me my error, at least one of them.
Although it was generally described during its lifetime as being in Louisville (it was just outside the city limits), the former L&L/Star Lite site is just barely in current-day Lafayette CO.
In June 1953 (at least), this drive-in advertised in the Boulder Daily Camera as the Motor Vu Drive-In Theatre / Between Louisville & Lafayette". Makes me wonder whether its sign had the L&L on it.
Boxoffice, Nov. 17, 1975: “MSB Associates, with headquarters in Lafayette, Colo., has entered the exhibition field and is now operating the Lamar Theatre in Lamar, Colo., as well as the Rex and L&L Drive-In in Louisville, Colo.”
The L & L Motor Vu opened on May 15, 1953, based on an article in the previous day’s Louisville Times. “Carmen Romano, owner of the Rex theater and Walter Houser, owner of the La-Fay theater in Lafayette started the outdoor theater a year ago.” The drive-in had given a “courtesy show” on May 13 to select friends and theater personnel, and the Lions club of Lafayette booked a preview show on May 14.
The opening program was “Flat Top” with the cartoon “The Car of Tomorrow” and the short “Fishing Feats”.
In a Looking Back roundup 10 years later, the Times reported that on March 11, 1971, “Carmen Romano of Louisville, and Walter Houser of Lafayette have sold the L & L Drive-In to Daryl Decker of Louisville.”
The renaming of the L&L didn’t take place until the middle of the 1980 season. The season-opening ad from the May 28, 1980 Louisville Times called it the L&L Drive-In. But by June 18 it was advertising there as the Star Lite on 10103 South Boulder Road, “Formerly the L&L Drive-In”. The Star Lite advertised into October that year, but I couldn’t find any ads for it in 1981.
Subsequent stories about redeveloping the drive-in site always called it the L&L or the L&L Motor Vu.
“Carmen Romano, L&L Drive-In at Louisville, plans a series of eye treatments”. — Boxoffice, March 28, 1960
The above address is in error; it is in fact 2000 WEST South Boulder Road and is currently home to a medical clinic. However, if you look at the satellite view on Google Maps, you can still make out the parking ramp.