Capitol 6 Drive-In & Public Market
3630 Hillcap Avenue,
San Jose,
CA
95136
3630 Hillcap Avenue,
San Jose,
CA
95136
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Other improvements since Westwind took over was improving the facilities and on-screen presentation. One thing I would love to see is t he addition of at least field in the empty space left by the indoor theater. Perhaps a nice new marquee at the corner on Capital and Snell.
Shared grand opening ad with the Century Almaden posted.
Syufy/West Wind also operates former drive-ins as flea markets, such as the Coliseum Drive-In in Oakland.
This was never operated by United Artists. Syufy/Century the entire time. Also — can we do something about the Century Circuit categorization? That was a different company altogether than Century Theatres.
Just a clarification: When this opened, screens 3 was located at was the indoor movie theater’s parking lot. Screen 4 was located at where the theater stood. 2 additional screens were added around 1980 (the current screens 4 and 6). When the Century Capitol 16 opened (I was at the opening!), 2 MUCH smaller screens were shoehorned onto the original screen 1 (the current configuration). I still can’t get over the drive in which opened 20 years before the now closed and demolished indoor is STILL going strong!
This one stay around a long time i got my old battlestar galactica toys here!
The Syufys installed digital projectors a while back so the drive in will remain open following the transition to all digital media in Dec 2013.
Added aerial from 1980.
Here’s an aerial view of the indoor & drive-in. View link
I can’t find the theater on Cinema Treasures, but I was at the flea market today and noticed the indoor Century Capitol 16 that was built adjacent to the drive-in in 1990 has closed. It appears to have closed in October. View link
This theater just hosted the Hot San Jose Nights Car Show & Event. They ran the movie “American Graffiti”, and Candy Clark who played Debbie in the film made a personal appearance.
Thanks for the photo Lost Memory.
West Wind Drive-Ins are owned by the Syufy family. Syufy was the original owner of the Century Theaters chain, which has since been sold to Cinemark Theaters. The Syufys decided to keep the drive-ins.
Syufy has done a 180 degree change of direction in the recent past. A few years ago, they planned to phase out all of their drive-ins, but have decided now to keep their drive-ins operating. (And one, the Solano 1 & 2 in Concord they re-opened as a drive-in just a month ago!)
At one time San Jose had numerous drive-ins, this is the sole survivor. (Syufy also owned the following in Santa Clara County: The Moffett & the Winchester, both long gone.)