South Florida's last drive-in movie theaters

While many drive-in theaters have faded away into movie history, two still stand and thrive in South Florida at the Swap Shop in Lauderhill and Lake Worth theaters.

  • Some people at The Swap Shop Drive-in in Lake Worth simply still appreciate the retro thrill of watching a movie from their car.
Some people at The Swap Shop Drive-in in Lake Worth simply still appreciate… (Jim Rassol, Sun Sentinel )
September 21, 2012|By Johnny Diaz, Sun Sentinel

Under a gray cloud-whipped sky, Jordana Kaplan pulled into the movie theater, knowing full well she had the best seat in the house — inside her Honda Accord.

It was another Friday night at the last standing drive-in theater in Broward County, and she and her two sons were parked in front of screen No. 12 to watch "ParaNorman." The Swap Shop Drive-In in Lauderhill is one of two drive-ins left in South Florida; the other in Lake Worth is also owned by the Swap Shop.

"It's a great alternative,'' said the Coral Springs mom, who came prepared with pillows and candy for her second visit to the outdoor movie complex. "It's a better family bonding experience."

With their bright neon lights and snack bars selling footlong hot dogs and cotton candy, the Swap Shop drive-ins maintain an old-school feel. But they play first-run movies, and at a discounted price when compared to regular cinemas.

That's one reason that — despite years of competition from high-tech indoor multiplexes and at-home, on-demand movie options — these two outdoor theaters continue to reel in South Floridians.

On a recent Friday, the glow from screens showing "The Possession" and "The Bourne Legacy" spilled onto Sunrise Boulevard. Watching "Resident Evil: Retribution" from inside a Hyundai Accent, A.J. Gore, 22, offered what she likes about drive-ins: "I don't have to hear other people's conversations when they talk during a movie.''

For couples and friends, the drive-in offers a chance to cuddle or huddle while watching a movie under a starry sky.

For families, it's a cheap and fun night out. Swap Shop tickets cost $7 for adults or children older than 12, and $2 for kids younger than 12, while at most theaters, tickets start at $11.

"They can take the whole family. They can bring the dog, as long you don't let it wander around,'' said Swap Shop owner Preston Henn, who started it all when he bought a one-screen theater, known as the Thunderbird, on the day of John F. Kennedy's assassination in 1963.

Through the years, Henn, whose father was a drive-in owner in North Carolina, expanded the Sunrise Boulevard property into a popular flea market. His outdoor complex grew to 14 screens in Lauderhill, and two in Lake Worth, which also has a market during the day.

"It has a feeling of being in a time capsule from the 1960s,'' Alan Wilson, nighttime manager at the Broward theater, said as a stream of headlights pulled in. As they paid for their movie tickets, drivers were handed a brochure with a list of low FM radio frequencies that match up to a screen.

"You can watch a movie in the privacy of your own car," he added.

That tradition began in 1933, when a New Jersey man opened the first commercial drive-in in Camden. Nationally, about 4,000 theaters drew regular crowds by the 1950s.

At one point there were more than a dozen of these drive-in theaters in South Florida. There was the Gulfstream in Hallandale Beach, the Tropicaire in South Miami and Dania Beach's Hi-Way Airport Drive-in, which eventually closed because of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport expansion.

Others closed due to a combination of factors: fierce competition from video rental and cable companies and the rise of megaplex movie theaters. Developers also repurposed the land for shopping plazas and other developments. And costs associated with updating drive-ins with digital projection systems also hurt operators.

Today, seven drive-ins operate in Florida, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association, and 368 remain nationally. D. Edward Vogel, one of the group's board members, said drive-ins endure because of their affordability among consumers.

But some people simply still appreciate the retro thrill of watching a movie from their car.

"Every drive-in, thank God, has a great fanbase,'' said Vogel, who owns a drive-in in Baltimore. "It affords people more freedom than an indoor theater. You don't need a baby sitter. It's one place you can go with the infant and keep it very protected and still enjoy the night out."

That was the case on this Friday night as people sat in their cars and SUVs with their headlights off.

Some folks sat on their hoods, leaning back against windshields, or parked folding chairs next to their car. Others popped open their hatchbacks and watched with their legs dangling over the bumper.

"I'm in my pajama pants,'' declared Darin Rosen, as he and his girlfriend, Danielle Fritz, and their two young children got comfortable in their GMC Savoy for "ParaNorman."

"It's easier to come here with the kids,'' said Fritz, who drove down from Boca Raton. "I love drive-ins. The kids like to bring their pillows, blankets and their babies [stuffed animals]...

"And if they fall asleep early, we can get a double feature," she said, laughing, just as the opening credits began to unfold across the screen. or 954-356-4939

If you go

Swap Shop Drive-Ins are situated at 3291 W. Sunrise Blvd., Lauderhill, and 3438 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth.

At both theaters, tickets cost $7 per person and $2 for those younger than 12.

For more information, go to

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