Hoyt's Open Air Pictures

Boxoffice magazine reported on April 29, 1939 that Sacramento donut magnate Hoyt Lesher had “started showing films in an adjoining lot to catch the eyes of customers. Much to (his) amazement, the films were attracting more customers than his “coffee and” shops. So he fenced around the lot and converted it into a drive-in theatre. He would charge admission and sell coffee and donuts.”

The first advertisement I could find for Hoyt’s Open Air Pictures was in the April 15, 1939 issue of the Sacramento Bee. It had closed by 1948. A car wash now operates on the site.

In August 1939, Lesher opened a similar drive-in at another of his chain of doughnut shops, this time in Yuba City CA.

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