Valley View Drive-In
4299 S. Brawley Avenue,
Brawley,
CA
92227
4299 S. Brawley Avenue,
Brawley,
CA
92227
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Brawley Drive-In, Family Motor Vu Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
Known as the Family Motor Vu Drive-In it was opened in April 1954 was operated by Family Motor Vu Drive-Ins and Roy Dickson. Sero Amusements was the owner in the early-1960’s. Capacity was 550 cars.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Also known as the Brawley Drive-In. Now operating as the Frye Chapel and Mortuary (a great double-bill).
I imagine people are dying to get into this place.
A closer address is 4299 S Brawley Ave, Brawley, CA next to the Brawley Pharmacy on the west side of the road. You can still see some of the ramps to the north and east of the pharmacy.
http://tinyurl.com/mdkklye
The first listing in the Motion Picture Almanac for a drive-in in Brawley was the Family Motor Vu in the 1956 edition. The first mention by the Theatre Catalog of a drive-in in Brawley was the 1955-56 edition, also the Family Motor Vu. The MPA listed the Family Motor Vu through its 1976 edition, then had nothing for Brawley for three years. The 1980 edition introduced the Brawley Drive-In, which was listed that way until the 1985 edition, when it fell off the list.
OTOH, the 1963-64 Film Daily Year Books included “Brawley Drive-In” among Sero Amusement’s holdings in their circuit lists.
The July 7, 1958 issue of Variety included “Your Family Drive-In, Brawley” in an honor roll of Business Building campaign participants.
But I haven’t found another mention of the Valley View name for Brawley’s drive-in. I’d love to know Ken McIntyre’s source for that.
According to Google Street View, you can still see the screen foundation between two tall trees on the east side of the site: https://goo.gl/maps/DbC3RUEj1ovaUeaa9
yep the outline of the screen foundation can also be seen when zooming in on that spot with google maps.
Boxoffice, May 1, 1954: “BRAWLEY, CALIF. – A curved, all-aluminum screen measuring 60x80 feet is a highlight of the new Family Drive-In a half-mile south of this Imperial Valley community and owned by the Motor-Vu Corp. The ozoner, which opened last month, represents an investment of nearly $200,000. The screen … is said to be ideally suited to withstand the intense heat which prevails in the Imperial Valley during the summer. … The Family Drive-In accommodates 550 cars.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1959: “Sid Pink has taken over the Family Drive-In in Brawley, Calif., from Leroy Bowen & Associates.”
Still no reference that I can find to Brawley’s drive-in ever being called the Valley View. Anyone else see anything?
According to the Los Angeles Times, the drive-in in Brawley was being called the Brawley Drive-In by 1966. The last mention I could find in the Times was in 1979, followed in 1982 by a for-sale ad “10-acre site, must sell!” in the classifieds.
Dang! Walmart missed this one! Oh well…
Don’t worry folks! It’s across the street from this location! 😼😼😼