East Twin Drive-In

Bob Postma started his theatre career by helping his stepfather run two hard top theatres, the Rialto Theatre and Norka Theatre in Akron, Ohio. Both theatres are demolished now. With the hard top theatres attendance on the downside he built and designed the East Drive-In. Bob Postma opened his new airer on March 31, 1951, screening the 1947 Western “The Angle and the Badman” with John Wayne and Gail Russell. Co-feature is the 1949 action “Golden Stallion” with Roy Rogers, Dale Evans and Trigger. The drive-in featured a parking ramp that could park 700 cars, with RCA in-a-car speakers. The drive-in was very family friendly and featured a fun playground for the children. He also operated a hay wagon every night in good weather. Co-Op Theatres of Ohio was the buying and booking agency. In the early to mid-1960’s Postma built a race track for quarter-midget race cars on the drive-in property. He sponsors races by the Akron Quarter-Midget Club. In 1960, Postma started to sponsor the Lion’s Club flea market at the drive-in, free of charge.

In 1961, Postma was the leader in the campaign that led to the repeal of the Tallmadge City Councils city’s amusement tax. Back in the 1950’s-1960, the amusement tax was a big problem for theatre operators. When family pictures became harder to get in 1970 he leased the drive-in to Leonard L. Mishkind dba General Theatres Co from Cleveland, Ohio. He turned around and opened the Out-Post Pizza and Carry Out beside the drive-in. Bob Postma passed away in January of 1981 from cancer. He was considered to be one of the greatest showmen of all the drive-ins theatres in the Akron area. I believe sometime in the 1980’s the drive-in property was sold to Mishkind. The drive-in was twined on August 13, 1980, and reopened has the East Twin Drive-In. Norman M. Barr who was now president of General Theatres Management Co. closed the East Twin Drive-In on October of 1993 for good. The drive-in was demolished and now is Eastwood Square retail shopping.

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