Skyway Drive-In
11945 N. Florida Avenue,
Tampa,
FL
33612
11945 N. Florida Avenue,
Tampa,
FL
33612
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The Skyway Drive-In was opened by June 3, 1948. It reopened on February 28, 1949 under new management screening Ernest Tubbs in “Hollywood Barn Dance”. It was demolished and replaced by Bob Wilson Dodge dealership in the mid-1980’s. By 2022 a Tesla dealership.
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Andy
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Recent comments (view all 19 comments)
A great handbill from the early 1950s – thanks for posting!
I had quite a few And like a dummy threw them away.I know Nick has a Few.
My father. W. G. “Mike” Carmichael, was in the movie business from 1921 till his death in 1967, and J. C. “Cass” Carscallen and his wife, Cody, were family friends. Cass Carscallen was born a British subject in Canada, and he and my father worked together in the movie business during the golden decades of Hollywood. Our family visited the Skyway on several occasions from the late 1950s until the mid-60s. The Carscallens lived in a very smart modern apartment build beneath the screen of the Skyway – an architectural delight that we thought amazingly modern and chic in those days. Their business thrived quite successfully, and they retired to Windsor, Ontario.
I lived near this drive in in my teen age years. They had a storm that destroyed the screen and projection box (the box was recessed in the parking lot and was prone to flooding, projectors where on cement blocks)….It was rebuilt with a modern curved screen and new concession + integrated elevated projection booth towards the rear of the property.
I do not think the description for this drive-in is correct. The dealership that replaced it was Bob Wilson Dodge in the mid 70’s. That dealership closed in 2008 and I believe that space is still unused. Perfect spot for a movie theater if you ask me :)
msroane79 you are correct it was Bob Wilson Dodge. Also the status should be updated to demolished.
The Skyway closed around 1983. I know I watched movies there in the early 80’s. I went there with my husband & I didn’t meet him til 80.
This opened on June 3rd, 1948 (or before since the management never bothered to put ads in both papers in town., just a small listing)
Found on Newspapers.com
Reopened under new management on March 1st, 1949. That grand opening ad in the photo section.
I lived right behind the Skyway drive in theater on 120th Avenue from 1956 to 1970 4 houses behind the back fence. As a 6 year old with 2 brothers and 2 sisters all a year apart in age at 3-7 years old, my mother took us to the Skyway to watch Vincent Price scary movies. Other times we climbed on the roof to watch with no sound. I was in the 9th grade at Adams junior high in April 1966 when the tornado hit and pretty much destroyed the house taking the roof and some walls down.
The address above is incorrect. It was further north.
Now Tesla(!) @ 11945 N Florida Ave, Tampa, FL 33612.
Plsase update.