Kay Drive-In

1293 N. 2100 East Road,
Shelbyville, IL 62565

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50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on March 1, 2026 at 5:34 pm

The actual opening date is June 1, 1950 with Robert Montgomery in “Once More My Darling” along with a few cartoons and two-reel comedies, featuring a 40x48ft screen.

kennerado
kennerado on September 22, 2022 at 9:08 am

According to a small article in the Decatur Daily Review, this was open as early as June 1950.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on September 20, 2022 at 11:24 am

Demolished in the late 1980s.

robboehm
robboehm on April 3, 2021 at 11:51 am

Uploaded a photo of a two sided enameled advertising sign.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 2, 2021 at 4:20 pm

Boxoffice, Nov. 16, 1959: “The Frisina Amusement Co., effective on November 1, took over the Roxy Theatre and the Kay Drive-In at Shelbyville, Ill., which for about three years had been operated by Charley Beninati of Carlyle.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on May 3, 2019 at 4:21 pm

There’s a nice 1966 photo of the Kay at VintageAerial.com.

The Kay was open by 1951, run by Merle Stewartson (or Stewardson). By 1999, the site was replaced by what is now a truck repair shop at 2090 IL-16, Shelbyville, IL.