Josh Frank, who owns the Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In in Austin and Mountaintop Drive-In in Colorado, warns that traditional drive-ins are closing after the pandemic boom fades. His smaller model needs fewer customers to survive, but large drive-ins depend on packed nights. He's asking people to visit at least monthly to keep these places alive, and launching a rooftop 360° cinema in Austin on July 23.
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Hi, this is Josh Frank, the owner and inventor of the Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In in Austin, Texas, and Mountaintop Drive-In in Minturn, Colorado. It's my last night here at the Minturn Blue Starlite for the season. It'll stay open for another month, but I come out for a couple weeks and, uh, to be a part of it because, well, it's Beautiful and an incredible place to have a little drive-in. I've been reflecting a lot on, um, the last year and a half and, uh, how the, the drive-in scene had its moment in the sun or in the moonlight and how many people got to enjoy drive-ins for the first time ever or for the first time in a long time. And, um, it was a blessing. It was a blessing for all us drive-in owners. And, uh, and a blessing for people wanting to still have an opportunity to do something wonderful and special during a time when you couldn't do anything. And the fact that people like us that have these types of businesses, that have had them for many years, uh, got to step in and offer the one thing that they're really good at doing to the world. was such an honor for all of us. I'm sure I speak for all of us. And, um, and it will be just an incredible memory. And the one thing I've been thinking about is I have been seeing a lot of, um, I have been seeing a lot of—
We've got a lot more hotter than your morning coffee.
Um, I've been seeing a lot of articles about drive-ins closing. I've been seeing a lot of articles about, um, Well, most of the pop-ups that jumped in to fill the void are closing. But more concerning than that is there's— you're starting to see articles again about old-school drive-ins closing.
Delicious.
And that was a little shocking because I— the Blue Starlight has always had a business model that can allow it to be around as long as people want it, 'cause it doesn't need a lot of people. The big old-school drive-ins need a lot of people, and that's why they've struggled for decades, generations. And I can only urge everybody that just because you don't need those old-school drive-ins anymore as much as you did last year, if you want them around the next time you need them, You should keep going to them. You can go to the indoor theater 2, 3 times a month, but go to a drive-in once a month too. And I'm not just— I'm actually not even talking about my drive-ins, because as I said before, my drive-ins, they have a certain audience. Somehow they have for 10 years and they'll continue to. And we will be here for you. But the old-school drive-ins, the ones where the families have been keeping them going for generations, they're the ones that need you to come every once in a while.
Go!
Even if it's not a life or death situation. So just remember that if you want beautiful movie outing options like this, or like the super awesome old school ones on the outsides of town to be around—
Looking smart.
For you to take your kids and grandkids to, keep going to them. There shouldn't be some huge drop in attendance at these great palaces of auto cinema, just because the pandemic is not as bad as it was before. Let's not use our beautiful cinematic history. We can't just take these historic venues, you know, and then throw them away when we don't need them anymore. Because that's the way we lose some of the most wonderful things that we have, by just using them when we need them. And a lot of these drive-ins actually already are doing better than they were before the pandemic, even though it's slower than it was. during the pandemic because people have seen the beauty of that experience. And no matter what, it's definitely always going to be there. But it would be good if every town got to keep their favorite one.
Yeah.
And it's up to all of us to make sure that happens. So this is Josh Frank from the Blue Star Lights, um, Mountaintop Drive-In. Our main locations are in Austin, Texas.
Not for very much.
And we're actually really excited because in 2 weeks we're launching our first new movie screen showing all the top Hollywood movies on a beautiful 360 view of downtown Austin. That opens on July 23rd. And it's a big step for us, 10 years in the making. And again, I'm excited to go back to an indoor theater and see a great movie, but I'm also super excited to see a new movie on a roof in downtown Austin with a view of my entire city. I want both those experiences. And I'm sure there's people in other cities that have outdoor cinemas that they want to be sure are kept around as well. So let's, let's do everything we can to make sure that happens for everybody. Have a good night and see you next time, hopefully soon, soon, soon at our drive-in or one close to you.
