Commerce Drive-In
2367 Highway 441 S,
Commerce,
GA
30529
2367 Highway 441 S,
Commerce,
GA
30529
2 people
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The Commerce Drive-In was actually built in 1955, although I cannot find the opening date.
However, I tried researching the drive-in’s closing date, and I did recently see a Q&A section from the April 18, 2004 edition of the Atlanta Constitution that talks about the remaining drive-ins in Georgia. Dan Cowles from Cumming, Georgia, asked a question about the amount of drive-ins in Georgia as of 2004, and the answer stated that the Commerce Drive-In in Commerce was closed. So its unknown if the drive-in actually closed after the 2003 season or later reopened for a brief time until 2006.
The Commerce Drive In, built originally as a single screen in 1955 as a 300 car D/I by J. E. Jarrel & his wife Annabob & was a really cool drive in , back in its day and we enjoyed all 3 screens, right up until the end 12-25-2000 ! I Guess you just had to go there watch movies and know the place & the fine crew that operated it to appreciate it. This photo is taken directly from the front of the concession porch, which was the place where you could easily see screens 1 & 2 ; but When one was parked on the majority of the field – you didn’t see the other screen , due to the pitch of #1 to the left field & that of screen #2 to the right opposing one another, so to me this was perhaps the coolest redesign of an existing drive in ever !
I never went here, but I know it was here in late summer 2001, because mom and I would pass by this place on our way to my grandmother’s house. It did close in the early 2000’s and there’s literally nothing left of the place now.
I have the picture…..lousy drive in ….
The guy who managed this place, really, really, really wanted no one to take pictures. Supposedly he’d show up out of nowhere in his white truck at all hours whenever anyone even tried to photograph the marquee. He was really weird about it. So now that it’s gone, if anyone who has pictures would post them here, that history would really be appreciated.
I uploaded an set of aerials here, you can see how fast the trees take it over.
@Mike: Regarding the marquee title layout, the explanation is pure laziness and a void in professionalism. They switched films from one screen to another, and instead of rearranging the titles on the marquee, they just rearranged the screen numbers. Nauseating, but typical of a large chain (U/A) which didn’t care enough to provide experienced management or competent supervision.
O.K.
OH,you meant “of the fence screen”,not if. Nick, would have to get that picture for you ,but we saw the last “SUPERMAN” movie on a Fence. No kidding.At the Fun-Land in Tampa.
I got the photos what’s a “fence screen”?
Would like to see the photo if the fence screen.
I have the picture to prove it,was someone drunk? Can they count in COMMERCE?
Opens at 8pm ,Showtime Dark. on the marquee when i visited this monster of a drive-in was “JAY AND SILENT BOB” “AMERICAN PIE” and “RUSH HOUR 2”. The marquee was laid out like this:
1.JAY AND SILENT BOB
AMERICAN PIE
RUSH HOUR 2
Nick, we didn’t even mention how people parked.
Remove the ZIP code from the map link in the title, and it’ll work properly…
Mike is right! When he visited Tampa we went to the Fun-Lan to see the new “Superman” movie. I figured it would be on the Fun-Lan’s orginal big screen. But can you believe this? They projected the film on the side fence where a section had been painted white. This makeshift screen was maybe 15 feet wide. It was just unbelievable. You know this is nothing but pure greed.
Chuck, looking at the old Drive-in i guess it parked 300 or so cars. The concession stand was in good shape,so guess if you saw a movie at the other 2 screens you had to walk down to the old concession. I will say a close second to the most screwed up DRIVE-in WOULD BE the FUN-LAN DRIVE IN in TAMPA.FL. Heck, we watched a movie off of something that looked like a fence! Can’t make this up.
I am not kidding the screen was slapped up and painted like 12 year olds were building a tree fort. Its projector was a platter like the other two,but this one was in a much smaller trailer. I bet you couldn’t put 40 cars in that lot.You would be better off bringing a blanket and watching the movie that way. I am all for more Drive-ins,but to put screens up so cheaply,they would have been better off with the old COMMERCE Drive-in and not think about building a triple.I took pictures because i never saw such a set up.
Chuck, this was the most screwed up drive-in in the history of Drive-ins.I drove by the place several years ago. THE ORIGINAL COMMERCE DRIVE_IN looked okay.Laid out down a small hill in a little valley. What looked liked Screen Two was built to the right of the original drive-in back 30 or 40 yards,but if you in the old drive-in YOU COULD CLEARLY SEE both screens. How can you watch a movie like that. The projector for what i am calling screen two was in a single wide trailer.
Now Screen number 3 was closer to the main road and the screen was tiny and i swear they must have went to LOEWS BUILDING SUPPLY ..to build ..