Starlite Drive-In

97 Main Street,
North Reading, MA 01864

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Starlite Drive-In

This was a charming drive-in. Though I never saw a movie there my wife saw many there growing up. It was located on Route 28. It was torn down in the mid-1990’s and a Stop & Shop Supermarket was built on the site now. This is now a travel agent.

Not sure if they are related, but the Starlite Car Wash is still there just a bit down 28.

Contributed by Scott

Recent comments (view all 17 comments)

NYozoner
NYozoner on February 14, 2011 at 10:08 pm

97 Main St, North Reading, MA 01864

The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in, which is currently occupied by Super Stop & Shop Groceries.

Here is a 1955 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of HistoricAerials.com.

AllistairCookie
AllistairCookie on March 26, 2019 at 6:37 am

Does anyone have pictures of or remember the second-run twin cinema (they later added a tiny ‘screening room’ upstairs) that used to be on 28? I seem to remember it being set back from 28, behind where Wendy’s and Joe’s Fish Seafood Bar is today. In fact, I think it might have occupied the space where the Dancing School is.

Can’t find anything anywhere on the internet about it. It’s like it never existed.

JerryR
JerryR on July 8, 2021 at 9:25 am

Loved this Drive-In. Went as often as I could (I remember a double feature of The Godfather and Love Story!) There was also a Starlite Mobile Home Park next to it (still there), and the Starlite Lounge, and the Starlite Carwash (still there). I wonder where “Starlite” came from first? I’m guessing the Drive-In.

JerryR
JerryR on July 8, 2021 at 9:33 am

Allistair, I don’t have any pictures, but I went there often. Second run house - prints were usually beat up, but it was a fun place to go to and I loved it; they also gave away movie posters when they were done with the run of the picture. I have a few (On Golden Pond, Song of the South, Disney’s Peter Pan, That’s Entertainment Part 2). The building is still standing - google maps shows it as a travel agency now.

robboehm
robboehm on July 8, 2021 at 2:53 pm

Jerry, that theatre is not on Cinema Treasures. Could you pinpoint the location so we could do some research and establish it on Cinema Treasures? There are several travel agents in North Reading. Perhaps you recall the name?

AllistairCookie
AllistairCookie on July 8, 2021 at 3:59 pm

Jerry – YES! That’s the cinema. It was 2nd run twin and it had an outer lobby that rang the length of the front of the building. Just glass windows in metal framing. When you stepped through outer doors into this glass and metal framed outer lobby, to the left was a little room with a counter, just to the left of the doors leading into the cinema lobby. I recall this room was where they kept all the posters. I, too, loved going there for the same reason. I started my film poster collection at age 15 (I’m 53 now) thanks to that cinema and Salem Tri Cinema in Salem NY — also on RTE 28. I knew the projectionist at Salem Tri and he would just give me the posters after the film played. I used to love the North Reading Twin, though, a bit run down, mom & pop cinema. Saw The Exorcist, Rocky II, A Christmas Story, Smokey and the Bandit – a lot of great movies. Love that cinema. Shame there are no pictures. They converted a small room upstairs into a third screen – was really small. More of a screening room than theater auditorium. And you are correct, I believe the building is indeed now a travel agency with a dance school upstairs. Nice to know someone else remembers it.

AllistairCookie
AllistairCookie on July 8, 2021 at 4:04 pm

Hi Rob, the address is 52 Main St #210, North Reading, MA 01864

JerryR
JerryR on August 12, 2021 at 11:11 am

Thanks, Allistair! That’s the address. Sorry for missing your query, robboehm. I can get a photo if it would help (in it’s current state) as I live one mile from the location. Allistair, I’m just a few years older. I wonder if we ever fought over the same poster, lol!!

jamesvroy@hotmail.com
jamesvroy@hotmail.com on August 12, 2021 at 12:14 pm

That would be this place I take it? https://goo.gl/maps/6wBQX5o9KrfhZnAJA

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on July 28, 2022 at 11:05 am

There is another theater in North Reading called the North Reading Cinemas not too far away from the Starlite also on Route 28, which will have its own Cinema Treasures page soon.

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