In a reversal of fortunes, the previously closed Memory Lane Drive-In Theater in Monroe is gearing up for a newfound opening, set for Memorial Day weekend, with a dynamic strategy to face ongoing challenges. The outdoor theater's new lifeblood comes courtesy of a local Monroe couple who, since the shutdown announcement, have orchestrated an effort to reignite the projector's glow at the beloved drive-in that first opened back in 2021 on the site of the former Denniston Drive-In, which ceased operations in 1985, the Detroit Free Press reported.
Launching with a pair of double features across its two screens, Screen 1 will present "Lilo & Stitch" followed by "Thunderbolts," and Screen 2 will entertain with "Sinners" and "Clown in a Cornfield." Showtimes begin after dusk. For those hungering for auditory nostalgia, the movies' audio will be broadcast over FM 88.5 as the gates open an hour earlier — a tradition that seems undimmed by time, despite the venue earlier struggling with issues such as declining attendance and competition from streaming services, which have caused approximately 35% of American drive-ins to shut down permanently in the last four years according to a Facebook post by the Memory Lane Drive-In Theater.
A $20 fee will be charged to those who wish to bring in outside food and drinks, purposed to supplement the theater's income which primarily goes to the movie studios and distributors from ticket sales, leaving comparatively little margin for operational costs — a predicament highlighted by Sue Christy who stepped in to help manage the theater, in a statement detailed by CBS News Detroit.
