Saturday, November 29, 2008

Drive-Out


Tonight was the last night of operation for the Diamond State Drive-In theater in Felton. After nearly sixty years of business, the owners finally figured out that it's 2008 and nobody goes to the drive-in anymore.

But seriously, the owner called it a "shame" that the place went out of business, and I'm sure that we'll all miss the place as an icon of modern American history. But, the truth is that the economy moves fast...it innovates and gobbles up anything and anyone who refuses to keep up. With DVDs, Blu-Ray, HDDVD, modern stadium-seating theaters, iPod Video, internet blogs (ahem), and all of the other ways we amuse ourselves these days, there's just no room (or time) for a good old fashioned drive-in movie. That's the harsh reality of capitalism, folks. Whimsy and wonder have no place here in the good US of M.B.A. That is, unless whimsy and wonder get you rich (see Wlliamsburg).

Although I'm sorry to see the place go, I only went there once and I never had planned to go again. It was a novelty, pure and simple. A special little guilty pleasure that the market will no longer sustain. Maybe one day our grandchildren will read about drive-ins and revive a new demand for them...maybe a few might even get some government funding as historic landmarks.

Until then, adieu to you, Diamond State Drive-In.

1 comment:

Brian Shields said...

The owners of the land who leased it to the owners of the theater are forcing the drive in off the property so they can sell the land.

The owner who leased the land died recently and the grand kids who inherited it are selling the land for profit.