Theories abound about what has caused the drive-in ’ s demise
“ We were never robbed , never hurt ,” said Nickerson . “ I think the worst that happened was when some kids broke the urinal off the wall . And another time , a kid stole the paper towel dispenser . He got away , but I knew who he was and went and told his parents the next day .”
As Nickerson remembers those days , tales of mishaps come to mind . “ We were changing the grease in the fryer once , and forgot to cap the drain ,” she says . “ As we poured in the brand new grease , it came right back out the bottom , all over the floor . It took forever to get that clean !” Another time , while making the bank deposit after a midnight show , Nickerson ’ s daughter mistakenly put the bag in the mailbox . “ It was hours – after four in the morning – before we finally got that straightened out and got home .”
They were good days . “ The drive-in was good to us ,” says Nickerson . “ The kids always had summer jobs , and the women I worked with became good friends .”
In a time where women , especially mothers , didn ’ t commonly work outside the home , it was the “ girls ” that ran the show . “ I painted the inside and outside of that building in ninety-degree weather one year ,” says Nickerson . “ I painted it blue . They wanted to know why that colour , and I just told them I liked blue .”
Theories abound about what has caused the drive-in ’ s demise . Big box retailers scooping up the land , the advent of VCRs and shopping malls and a shift in family values are all commonly named . Wright hesitates to point to any one factor .
“ There was a convergence of social , technological and sociological changes that just hit hard ,” says Wright . It ’ s easy to refute the individual reasons .
Watch the trailer for Going Attractions here !
The state of outdoor movies in Windsor-Essex . From top to bottom : The Higginson girls play a round before the movie Isabella Higginson getting comfy Stevie Ray ’ s in Tilbury , opened 2012 , closed 2013 Nothing but big box stores on the site of the former Twin Drive-In
August 2013 - The HUB 13