WOODLAND – Summer time is movie time with studios releasing blockbusters to get us back inside theaters.
But, there is a better option, although an old-fashioned one that luckily still exists in our area: the Super 322 Drive-In Theatre.
This drive-in is located between Clearfield and Woodland on Route 322. It is one of only 27 drive-ins currently operating in Pennsylvania, according to information supplied by the United Drive-In Theatre Owner’s Association (uditoa.org).
On a warm summer night, what could be better than spreading a blanket out on the ground in front of your car and settling in to watch a double feature?
Yes, a double feature of first-run movies, just like the old days. Don’t forget your radio so you can tune in to hear the movie.
Or you can back your vehicle up and open your hatch to comfortably spread out there. Then, there is the standard position of staying in your car and adjusting your seats to enjoy the film.
It is a great place to make lasting memories. I myself fondly recall seeing “Jaws” and “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” with my family at the Super 322 in the 1970’s.
Last year the drive-in won first place as “Best Movie Theatre” and second place for “Family Attraction” in Priority Media’s “Best of Tri-County” awards. They also were named “Best Date Night Destination” by Progressland’s Reader’s Choice awards.
The current owners are Bill and Barb Frankhouser. Bill worked for the theater for over 20 years before they purchased it in 2001.
Prior to that time, Bill had worked in theaters since he was in high school, according to their website. He is a union projectionist and stage worker, with decades of experience.
They saved for years to purchase the business and then were able to budget carefully to afford the $105,000 needed for the equipment and renovations to the projection booth to convert to a digital system in 2014.
“The studios were supposed to help (with costs), but they didn’t,” Barb said in a previous interview with the couple.
They did research before choosing the system they use now that Bill called “the Cadillac of projectors.” It has the brightest light on the planet, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Other improvements include restoring the neon signs, replacing the entrance lights and the back fence.
After the drive-in was built by Theodore Grance Outdoor Theatre Co., the first film was shown at the site on May 26, 1950.
The 1950’s saw the most drive-in theatres in business, over 4,000, according to the UDITOA. These numbers dropped most between 1978 and 1988 when over 1,000 screens closed.
Surprising, in the 1990’s new drive-ins were being built and older ones re-opened. Today there are over 300 sites in the United States, the UDITOA reports.
After changing ownership several times, the Super 322 Drive-In was purchased in the 1970’s by Royer and Favuzza of Bellefonte. During their time, the theatre was the second in the state to begin to use AM radio as their sound system, replacing the old exterior speakers and increasing the space for the vehicles.
The theatre became eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the Pennsylvania Museum Commission in 2001.
The Frankhouser’s are passionate about the theater and their focus is on affordable family-orientated entertainment. The cost for a double feature, which is two current films, is only $9 per person or $5 for children under 12-years-old.
They don’t make money from the films themselves due to high costs from the studios. This is why their snack bar is so vital to their success.
It features 1950’s type favorites such as hamburgers, hotdogs, and fries in addition to chicken tenders, nachos and pizza. Movie staples such as candy and popcorn are also available.
Because the survival of their business depends on their food sales, they discourage people from bringing their own refreshments but have an option where you can do so after purchasing a $15 permit.
“Remember, the survival of the Super 322 depends on your support of the snack bar. We keep our prices as low as we possibly can to make coming to the movies affordable as we also choose family-friendly double features,” it explains on their Web site.
The box office opens at 7:30 p.m. and the movies begin at dusk, rain or shine. For the current movie schedule, check out their Facebook pager or their Web site: super322drive-in.com.
If you are interested in voting for them for this year’s “Best of Tri-County,” you can do so at https://votebotc.com/super322driveintheatre.