The sunsets on the Shankweiler Drive-In as previews run before the feature film “Jaws” in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Lauren McChesney and Matt McClanahan, owners of Shankweiler’s Drive-In in Orefield, Penn., pose for a photo in Perkaise, Pa., on Nov. 11, 2019. (Lauren McChesney via AP)
The sun sets on the Shankweiler Drive-In as cars arrive for the evening’s double feature of “Jaws” and “Twisters” in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Mason Butz prepares a bag of popcorn in the refreshment stand at the Shankweiler Drive-In before the evening’s double feature of “Jaws” and “Twisters” in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
The Gambrill family, center, of Brookhaven, Pa., watch “Jaws” bundled up in front of their car at the Shankweiler Drive-In in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
How romance and a road trip led to the purchase of the world’s oldest drive-in theater
OREFIELD, Pa. (AP) 鈥 In a romance and adventure worthy of the big screen, a Pennsylvania couple is preserving the past and forging a future as the owners of the world鈥檚 oldest operating drive-in movie theater.
The sunsets on the Shankweiler Drive-In as previews run before the feature film “Jaws” in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
By Gene Puskar, Mingson Lau And Holly Ramer The Associated Press
OREFIELD, Pa. (AP) 鈥 In a romance and adventure worthy of the big screen, a Pennsylvania couple is preserving the past and forging a future as the owners of the world鈥檚 oldest operating drive-in movie theater.
Lauren McChesney got more than admission to a double feature when she handed her ticket to Matt McClanahan at a different drive-in he managed in 2018. They started dating a year later, and, in August, got engaged. In between, they purchased Shankweiler鈥檚 Drive-In Theatre, which was Pennsylvania鈥檚 first drive-in and only the nation鈥檚 second when it opened in 1934.
The couple began brainstorming about drive-ins during a cross-country road trip that included stops at both operational and abandoned theaters. Their original goal was to open a new drive-in, but when they learned Shankweiler’s might get sold to developers, 鈥渢he light bulb went off,鈥 McClanahan said.
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鈥淲hy are we spending so much time trying to build one when there鈥檚 one literally down the road from our house that鈥檚 for sale and is like the most important drive-in?鈥 he said.
The drive-in movie theater industry began in Camden, New Jersey, in 1933 and peaked in the late 1950s, with more than 4,000 drive-ins, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association. The numbers dropped rapidly in the 1970s and 80s as other entertainment options increased, along with land values that made selling for redevelopment attractive. Though popular during the pandemic, by 2024, there were only 283 left, according to the association.
McClanahan, 35, who grew up going to Shankweiler鈥檚, had managed another drive-in and started a mobile movie business during the coronavirus pandemic. In contrast, McChesney, 41, had never been to a drive-in before 2018, and she left a stable corporate job in the health care industry to take on this new venture. Buying Shankweiler’s was a risk for both of them 鈥 they pooled their savings and secured a $1 million loan to buy the drive-in in 2022 鈥 but one they say has paid off.
鈥淭his was an undertaking that was leaps and bounds bigger than anything I鈥檇 ever done in my life, in terms of investment, monthly expenses, and debt,鈥 McClanahan said. 鈥淚t still feels surreal when I think about it.鈥
They鈥檝e built a successful business with the help of strong summer attendance, the occasional big-name film like 鈥淲icked,鈥 and special events like Valentine鈥檚 Day 鈥渄ate night鈥 screenings of 鈥淭he Notebook.鈥 The drive-in is open seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and Thursdays through Sundays the rest of the year. Tickets are $9 for children and $13 for adults.
Ken Querio, 52, of Kutztown, Pennsylvania, has been going to Shankweiler鈥檚 since he was a teenager. He made a point to seek out the owners before a recent viewing of 鈥淛aws.鈥
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鈥淚 actually thanked them,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 wonderful to have an old-school, an old venue like this still going.鈥
Wilson Shankweiler, a prominent hotel owner and movie buff, opened what was then called Shankweiler鈥檚 Park-In Theatre on April 15, 1934. McClanahan and McChesney are its fourth owners.
McChesney said the success of the business played a role in the timing of their engagement.
鈥淲e knew we鈥檇 eventually get married, but we kept doing other things instead, like starting businesses and buying movie theaters,鈥 she said.
