Northside Drive-In

The Northside Drive-In opened April 29, 1948, showing “It Happened on Fifth Ave” featuring Victor Moore, Gale Storm, Don DeFore, Ann Harding and Charles Ruggles. It had a 500 car capacity. The Northside Drive-In was owned by Peter M. Wellman from Girard, Ohio, who also owned the Southside Drive-In and Westside Drive-In. Peter M. Wellman was a well known golfer, business man and theatre owner in the Youngstown, Ohio area. In 1950, Associated Drive-In Theatres signed a long term lease with Wellman to operate the Southside Drive-In, Northside Drive-In and Westside Drive-In. Mr. Wellman continued to operate his own neighborhood indoor theatres.

In March of 1964, Youngstown Enterprises Inc. was formed by Blair Mooney (Co-Operative Theatres of Ohio) along with Carl Kesler from Youngstown, Ohio. They took over the leases for Southside, Northside and Westside Drive-In’s from Associated Theatres. Along with the Ski-Hi Drive-In, Youngstown Enterprises was operating all four Youngstown area drive-in’s until they closed. In 1969, Wellman Theatres ceased doing business. After Peter’s death, his sons decided to get out of the theatre operating business and leased all there indoor theatres to Mooney.

At the end of the 1989 summer movie season, the Northside Drive-In was closed for good. On November 11, 1989, the concessions stand along with the projectors, office and maintenance equipment was set on fire and destroyed, causing $75,000.00 of damage. In June of 1990, the drive-in was demolished and the property is now owned by Todd Homestead Cemetery Association. This property is sitting empty except for a Walgreens Drug Store on the corner. The Northside Drive-In was the last drive-in theatre built by Peter Wellman to close.

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