![]() ![]() In addition, Brock’s great-grandfather was the original owner of Moberly’s drive-in. According to Brock, the company once owned and operated nearly fifteen drive-ins-more than currently operate in Missouri. But the company’s history with drive-ins goes back a long way. With seven screens among its three theaters, B&B is the nation’s third largest drive-in operator as of this year. It represents a partnership between two Missouri families, Bagby and Bills, which both operated cinema businesses as early as 1924. B&B is a Missouri business through and through. ![]() He’s referring to March 1, 2014, and though the change in ownership is very fresh, both The Twin and the I-70 began screening films for the season in April. “We closed the deal on March first,” says Brock Bagby, Director of Programming and Business Development at B&B. B&B, eager to reach out to a new market and equipped with the means to buy digital projectors, stepped in to take over. When the owner of the I-70 and The Twin-coupled under the Globe Cinemas company-couldn’t afford to switch to digital projection, he was looking to sell the theaters. In this era, it’s natural to view a big company taking over a smaller one with skepticism, but B&B’s acquisition of The I-70 Drive-In and The Twin may spell salvation for both theaters. If you prefer an open lot to an indoor theater, we know which direction to point your car this summer. Lucky for us, Missouri still maintains ten of the nation’s remaining drive-ins, which number just over three hundred. The thrill of taking in a summer blockbuster beneath an open sky is a time-honored tradition, and it’s lost none of its wonder through the years. While trends suggest drive-ins are in a continual decline, new patrons turn out every season to experience the all-but-lost art of watching a movie outdoors. Meanwhile, B&B Theatres has taken over management of two other theaters, perhaps saving them from permanent closure. Three theaters have closed in the past year. Missouri’s drive-ins are adjusting to the times. Many of them host special events, such as flea markets, on their lots during daytime hours, and almost all screen double features, making the ever-costly movie ticket twice as valuable. While there are fewer drive-ins today, the ones that survive do so by employing creative business strategies. Since the height of their popularity, drive-ins have endured rising land prices, daylight savings time, and most recently, the end of 35mm projection- all of which have contributed to their decline. Editor’s Note: Since publication the I-70 Drive-In has closed. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |