Digital revolution hits Hilltop Drive-In hard
The number of drive-in movie theaters in the U-S goes down nearly every year, but an old favorite just a couple miles outside Columbiana County is trying to avoid becoming one of those statistics.
The number of drive-in movie theaters in the U.S. goes down nearly every year, but an old favorite just a couple miles outside Columbiana County is trying to avoid becoming one of those statistics.
Growing up in East Liverpool, the Hilltop Drive-In just over the West Virginia border is practically part of Katie Beaver's family tree.
"My dad was the very first projectionist," said owner Katie Beaver. "My grandmother worked in the concession stand, my aunt worked in the ticket booth. Yeah, I was raised here."
It's been around since 1950. Katie's dad finally brought it back in 1988, then handed it down to Katie a couple years ago. She's the one who had to make the tough decision this year to close up shop, all because of the digital revolution - something studios warned her about in 2013.
"We thought, it's just a phase, they’re not going to do that. Because they said too, we were going to go laser. Well, laser didn't take foot, because it was too expensive," said Beaver.
This time, it wasn't just a fad. While Hilltop got new movies last year on 35-millimeter film, just a year later they're almost non-existent.
"I talked to my booking agent here a couple weeks ago, and he said 'I could get you 35, but how long do you think it's going to last?' He said, 'I might get you one movie, and you might have to keep that the whole summer,'" said Beaver.
That would kill her business just as much as closing. So until she can afford a new $75,000 dollar digital projector, the drive-in will remain quiet.
"Seventy five thousand just covers the equipment; doesn't cover the basics that we are going to have to have. I'd have to have Tri-State Glass to come in here, because they have to have tempered glass and the port hole has to be a little bit bigger," said Beaver.
She needs at least $10,000 just to finance it. Through donations and fundraisers, she is about halfway to that mark.
"It has become part of our blood, our life," said Beaver. "It's all because of the people."
That's the part she misses, seeing the smiling faces just before show-time. She's not giving up the fight to try and bring them back.
"I would be so tickled," said Beaver. "It would be like 'Welcome Home.'"
The Hilltop Drive-In Theatre is holding a fundraiser poker run and dinner at Tucker's Tavern in Toronto, Ohio today - with the poker run beginning at noon.
