SACO — Three college students are continuing a more than 70-year tradition of watching movies outside on the big screen, and getting some on-the-fly business experience in the process.
Three University of Maine marketing students, incoming seniors Ry Russell, 21, of Scarborough, Patric Brophy, 21, of Farmington, and Tyler Wells, 22, of Holden, Mass. will be running the Saco Drive-In Theater on Route 1 this summer ”“ and it opens Friday.
The idea began when Russell’s father drove by the theater and saw that it was for lease. Russell contacted the other two, and after speaking with the owner and making sure the plan was feasible, they began working on the project in February.
The three secured investors and are learning all aspects of running a drive-in as they go, from ordering movies and filling out paperwork to hiring employees and making popcorn.
Running the drive-in is more than just the typical summer job, said Wells.
“It allows us to make some real world applications of what we learned in class,” said Wells.
There have been challenges, but all three said the learning experience has been invaluable.
“It’s more than just something to put on a resume. It’s an investment for our future,” said Brophy.
Russell said he has fond memories of going to the drive-in when he was young.
“It was a family event,” he said. He and his partners quickly learned that he wasn’t alone in the nostalgia for the place, and that the theater held a special place in the hearts of many in the community.
The drive-in’s Facebook page is flooded with comments from people reminiscing about evenings spent at the theater.
“People care about it as much as we do,” said Russell, who said he wants to be able to continue to provide the experience that people love and remember. The three said they’ve received much advice from their professors and support from friends, family and community members.
“As much as this is a by-product of our own ambition, this is also a by-product of the support we’ve received,” said Brophy.
“People have really jumped on board,” said Russell.
Russell said that they have gotten a lot of feedback from fans of the drive-in and are listening to everyone’s ideas.
“We want it to be fun for everyone,” he said.
The group conducted a survey on Facebook to see what types of movies people want to watch, and will incorporate the results to show a variety of movies to please different tastes, as well as provide offerings for children.
On opening night, this Friday, the theater will be showing “The Blind Side” and “The Hangover Part II.” The three had promised the cost for opening weekend would be $10 a car if the Saco Drive-In page would have at least 5,000 Facebook fans, and as of Wednesday night, the theater had more than 5,700 fans. After opening weekend, the cost is going to be $20 a car.
Pat Roberge and her husband bought the drive-in in the mid-1980s. They leased it out for a number of years, then operated in from 1997-2004, leased it out for a few years and then ran it last year after a lease fell through.
Roberge said the drive-in received a lot of interest, and she was impressed with the three USM students.
“I have all the faith in the world. They’re really smart and really focused,” she said.
Many people feel a sense of nostalgia for the theater, and she said it’s a great form of entertainment. And despite developments like DVDs, IMAX theaters, and TIVO, last year, with the great weather, business was good.
“You get to watch two movies under the stars. You can’t beat it,” she said.
The first movie at the Saco Drive-In Theater played in July of 1939, according to Roberge. She said the theater is the oldest drive-in in Maine, and the second oldest operating drive-in the country. It is one of five drive-ins currently in operation in the state.
The three students said if they make enough money, they plan to start a fund to provide start-up money for future student entrepreneurs at USM. Russell said after the season is over, they will decide whether or not they want to run the theater again next year.
— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, Ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less