NORTH SMITHFIELD â€" The big screen debut of the latest Indiana Jones flick and a few other big name movies opening at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In this weekend could be delayed after fire broke out Wednesday morning in the building that houses the projection booth and concession stand.
Heavy smoke was reported in the kitchen and concession area of the building around 11:30 a.m. from a fire reportedly contained to a ventilation shaft between the first and second floors. Despite the clouds of thick smoke, the fire did not appear to have seriously damaged the two-story concrete building, which serves as a projection booth room on the second floor and concession area on the first floor serving everything from popcorn to clam cakes.
As of early yesterday afternoon, the cause of the fire had not been determined and it was unclear whether or not the Rustic â€" billed as Rhode Island’s only drive-in â€" would open for the weekend. Located on Route 146 on the southbound side in North Smithfield, the 57-year-old drive-in, which charges $20 per carload, is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to September.
With summer like temperatures forecast for the weekend and some highly anticipated films showing on three screens, the drive-in is expecting big numbers. But whether or not the facility opens tomorrow depends on how much damage was cause. The damage was being assessed today by the drive-in’s owners, Cambridge-based Boston Culinary Group.
“If the projection room wasn’t touched then there shouldn’t be a problem, but I’m not sure about the kitchen,†said Christopher Bois, who recently started working at the drive-in cleaning up the grounds, a job his mother held before him.
Bois, who lives on Route 146 adjacent to the drive-in, was playing computer games yesterday morning when his mother called to tell him that the drive-in building was on fire. “I flew up there and saw the smoke,†said Bois, adding the fire appeared contained the ventilation shaft because flames could be seen shooting out of the ventilation tube on the outside of the building.
Bois said he was in the building for about 10 minuets earlier that morning and everything was fine. “I didn’t smell any smoke or anything like that while I was there,†said Bois, adding no one else was in the building at the time.
Former Rustic owner Beth Desmarais, whose family owned the facility since the 1980’s, stood back with a small group of onlookers as firefighters fought the blaze. Among the group were manager Jennifer Chenail and projectionist Bob Gosselin.
The Rustic opened in 1951 with a single screen. When her family bought the facility, Desmarais said, they added three screens that each show two movies per night. Currently the movies begin at 8:45 p.m. with the second feature on each screen beginning 15 minutes after the end of the first on that screen.
Desmarais’ family sold the drive-in to Boston Culinary Group in April.
Boston Culinary Group Director of Operations Deborah Belisle Wednesday said company officials will be in town today to assess the damage, adding she is hopeful the drive-in will open for the weekend.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to open for the weekend,†she said.
Belisle said the blaze was contained to the concession area of the building. “From everything we’ve heard from our people there, the projection booth, projection equipment and films weren’t damaged,†she said.
Boston Culinary Group is a privately-owned food service management company that provides food and beverages in the recreation and leisure industry. The company’s theatre division owns and operates 23 theatres throughout the northeast managing all aspects of theatre operations, including the projection booth, concessions stands and box offices. In addition to the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In, the company’s other Rhode Island theaters include Island Cinemas 10 in Middletown, Opera House Cinema 3 in Newport and Entertainment Cinema in South Kingstown.
The other movies opening at the Rustic this weekend include Kung Fu Panda, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, You Don’t Mess with Zohan, Iron Man and Sex in the City.
NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. — A fire damaged the concession stand at
FROM wjar-tv
Rhode Island’s only drive-in movie theater on Wednesday.
The flames broke out at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In on Route 146 at about noon. No one was hurt.
It took firefighters about 45 minutes to knock down heavy, black smoke coming from a building that holds the concession stand and the projection room.
Firefighters said they don’t know the cause of the fire, but they called it accidental.
The Rustic’s general manager said the projectors and the movies were not damaged and that the fire damaged only the concession stand on the lower level.
The general manager said it would be up to the insurance company and the building inspector to determine if the damage can be fixed in time to open for the weekend.
I had heard in April that Boston Culinary Group had just purchased the property from CBB Enterprises, which had previously owned it. Before that, BCG only operated the Concession stand.
Roland,
Jim Quinn was the nicest guy anyone could ever meet. He didn’t get to enjoy his retirement too much though, he passed away May 29th 2003.
It is a big shame that TBC ended up closing. All they had to do was spend a few dollars to fix the place up and it would have been a money maker. BCG just didn’t want to spend any money on the place.
I’ll post the pics on photobucket and then provide the link on here.
Tri-Boro cinemas did indeed close on Labor Day weekend, 2005. I worked there for 14 years. 13 and a half as Assistant Manager, 6 months as Manager. I left October 2004. I was working full time at my families' Assisted Living Facility and also working full time at TBC. The DM for Boston Culinary Group said I had to choose between working at TBC or working with my mom at the assisted Living Facility..easy choice for me..Family first. Once I left in October, they went through a few different managers, none who really did much to keep the place clean. When I worked there we always knew BCG would never spend any money on the building, but we always kept it clean. Once people stopped going because it was so dirty, ticket sales went downhill from there and the decision was made to close it.
TriBoro was always owned by BCG, it was never owned by Entertainment Cinemas. BCG bought other theatres that Entertainment Cinemas owned.
Jim Quinn (tall, slightly balding that ran or managed the place at nights. He also worked the Bld. 2 cafetera at Texas Instruments)
retired from TBC around 1987/1988. He actually hired me as an Assistant Manger. I was the last assistant manger that he ever hired.
I’m not sure who the Manager was before Jim Quinn was there, but after Jim retired it was Paul Moran, then David Fuller and then myself before it closed less then a year after I left.
I took some pics before I left, as soon as i figure how to post them, i will.
CLOSED December 31, 2015
Was this theater operated under Entertainment Cinemas of Boston
posted by fred on Jun 27, 2008 at 4:23am
…no
It was closed Friday but reopened on saturday
also: View link
More Info..
Fire at Rustic Drive-In
on 06-04-2008 21:05
By JOSEPH FITZGERALD
NORTH SMITHFIELD â€" The big screen debut of the latest Indiana Jones flick and a few other big name movies opening at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In this weekend could be delayed after fire broke out Wednesday morning in the building that houses the projection booth and concession stand.
Heavy smoke was reported in the kitchen and concession area of the building around 11:30 a.m. from a fire reportedly contained to a ventilation shaft between the first and second floors. Despite the clouds of thick smoke, the fire did not appear to have seriously damaged the two-story concrete building, which serves as a projection booth room on the second floor and concession area on the first floor serving everything from popcorn to clam cakes.
As of early yesterday afternoon, the cause of the fire had not been determined and it was unclear whether or not the Rustic â€" billed as Rhode Island’s only drive-in â€" would open for the weekend. Located on Route 146 on the southbound side in North Smithfield, the 57-year-old drive-in, which charges $20 per carload, is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to September.
With summer like temperatures forecast for the weekend and some highly anticipated films showing on three screens, the drive-in is expecting big numbers. But whether or not the facility opens tomorrow depends on how much damage was cause. The damage was being assessed today by the drive-in’s owners, Cambridge-based Boston Culinary Group.
“If the projection room wasn’t touched then there shouldn’t be a problem, but I’m not sure about the kitchen,†said Christopher Bois, who recently started working at the drive-in cleaning up the grounds, a job his mother held before him.
Bois, who lives on Route 146 adjacent to the drive-in, was playing computer games yesterday morning when his mother called to tell him that the drive-in building was on fire. “I flew up there and saw the smoke,†said Bois, adding the fire appeared contained the ventilation shaft because flames could be seen shooting out of the ventilation tube on the outside of the building.
Bois said he was in the building for about 10 minuets earlier that morning and everything was fine. “I didn’t smell any smoke or anything like that while I was there,†said Bois, adding no one else was in the building at the time.
Former Rustic owner Beth Desmarais, whose family owned the facility since the 1980’s, stood back with a small group of onlookers as firefighters fought the blaze. Among the group were manager Jennifer Chenail and projectionist Bob Gosselin.
The Rustic opened in 1951 with a single screen. When her family bought the facility, Desmarais said, they added three screens that each show two movies per night. Currently the movies begin at 8:45 p.m. with the second feature on each screen beginning 15 minutes after the end of the first on that screen.
Desmarais’ family sold the drive-in to Boston Culinary Group in April.
Boston Culinary Group Director of Operations Deborah Belisle Wednesday said company officials will be in town today to assess the damage, adding she is hopeful the drive-in will open for the weekend.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to open for the weekend,†she said.
Belisle said the blaze was contained to the concession area of the building. “From everything we’ve heard from our people there, the projection booth, projection equipment and films weren’t damaged,†she said.
Boston Culinary Group is a privately-owned food service management company that provides food and beverages in the recreation and leisure industry. The company’s theatre division owns and operates 23 theatres throughout the northeast managing all aspects of theatre operations, including the projection booth, concessions stands and box offices. In addition to the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In, the company’s other Rhode Island theaters include Island Cinemas 10 in Middletown, Opera House Cinema 3 in Newport and Entertainment Cinema in South Kingstown.
The other movies opening at the Rustic this weekend include Kung Fu Panda, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, You Don’t Mess with Zohan, Iron Man and Sex in the City.
View link
NORTH SMITHFIELD, R.I. — A fire damaged the concession stand at
FROM wjar-tv
Rhode Island’s only drive-in movie theater on Wednesday.
The flames broke out at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In on Route 146 at about noon. No one was hurt.
It took firefighters about 45 minutes to knock down heavy, black smoke coming from a building that holds the concession stand and the projection room.
Firefighters said they don’t know the cause of the fire, but they called it accidental.
The Rustic’s general manager said the projectors and the movies were not damaged and that the fire damaged only the concession stand on the lower level.
The general manager said it would be up to the insurance company and the building inspector to determine if the damage can be fixed in time to open for the weekend.
I had heard in April that Boston Culinary Group had just purchased the property from CBB Enterprises, which had previously owned it. Before that, BCG only operated the Concession stand.
anyone familiar with Dwight “Bud” Orton? Bud passed away last Sunday and I was told that he was involved with this theatre? anyone have info on that?
Also check out:
http://cinematreasures.org/news/13846_0_1_0_C/
Here are two stories from the SUN CHRONICLE about TriBoro:
View link
View link
Roland, I took some yesterday and today..and hopefully more tomorrow, but i’m not sure how to post them on here
Tri-Boro cinemas is now being torn down. Demolition began this week
Roland,
Jim Quinn was the nicest guy anyone could ever meet. He didn’t get to enjoy his retirement too much though, he passed away May 29th 2003.
It is a big shame that TBC ended up closing. All they had to do was spend a few dollars to fix the place up and it would have been a money maker. BCG just didn’t want to spend any money on the place.
I’ll post the pics on photobucket and then provide the link on here.
Tri-Boro cinemas did indeed close on Labor Day weekend, 2005. I worked there for 14 years. 13 and a half as Assistant Manager, 6 months as Manager. I left October 2004. I was working full time at my families' Assisted Living Facility and also working full time at TBC. The DM for Boston Culinary Group said I had to choose between working at TBC or working with my mom at the assisted Living Facility..easy choice for me..Family first. Once I left in October, they went through a few different managers, none who really did much to keep the place clean. When I worked there we always knew BCG would never spend any money on the building, but we always kept it clean. Once people stopped going because it was so dirty, ticket sales went downhill from there and the decision was made to close it.
TriBoro was always owned by BCG, it was never owned by Entertainment Cinemas. BCG bought other theatres that Entertainment Cinemas owned.
Jim Quinn (tall, slightly balding that ran or managed the place at nights. He also worked the Bld. 2 cafetera at Texas Instruments)
retired from TBC around 1987/1988. He actually hired me as an Assistant Manger. I was the last assistant manger that he ever hired.
I’m not sure who the Manager was before Jim Quinn was there, but after Jim retired it was Paul Moran, then David Fuller and then myself before it closed less then a year after I left.
I took some pics before I left, as soon as i figure how to post them, i will.