Northside Drive-In
5400 2nd Street NW,
Albuquerque,
NM
87107
5400 2nd Street NW,
Albuquerque,
NM
87107
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Reopened as the Northside Drive-in on 25th July 1986 with “Poltergeist 2” and “To live and let die in LA”.
Since CT uses a theater’s final name in its entry, this drive-in of several lives probably ought to be the Northside. Although it ran a tiny one-column ad the day before, here’s a better ad from the Northside’s opening weekend.
An article in the Sept. 16, 1986 Journal said that former Video Independent Theaters employees Curtis and Melinda Ralston were behind the drive-in restoration. They put in FM radio sound before opening and were planning to add a playground and picnic tables for the 1987 season.
The last Northside ad I could find was on Nov. 12, 1988.
In a March 3, 1969, Boxoffice article detailing how Commonwealth-Frontier was preparing most of its Albuquerque drive-ins to open that spring, city manager Lou Avolio said that “C-F’s other outdoor house, the Star Drive-In, is not scheduled to reopen under the chain’s management since the lease runs out on May 1”.
Looks like this drive-in spent its final ~15 years as the Linda Vista.
Boxoffice, Aug. 4, 1969: “The opening of the Linda Vista Drive-In, 5400 Second NW, was highlighted by a live show … The theatre is the former Star Theatre. Mel Sanchez is owner.”
Boxoffice, July 30, 1962: “Albuquerque Theatres … is going back into the drive-in business, with announcement that it plans to remodel two closer outdoor theatres. The local circuit, a part of Frontier Theatres of Dallas, will reopen the Star Drive-In here in late August and the 66 Drive-In early next spring. The circuit has been out of the drive-in business for about four years. The Star Drive-In, which has been closed about a year since a windstorm blew down its screen, will require about $19,000 worth of work, according to the general announcement from Louis C. Gasparini, resident manager of Albuquerque Theatres. The Star will reopen about August 27.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 1, 1962: “Albuquerque Theatres just completed a $30,000 remodeling job on the Star Drive-In and reopened in September 19.”
From the Feb. 4, 1956 issue of BoxOffice: “Martin Butler has bought the Star Drive-In, Albuquerque, and has added it to his Tesque (sic) and Sunset drive-ins. He bought it from T. E. Ribble.”
The July 11, 1987 Albuquerque Journal had an ad “Always $5 per car load” for the Northside Drive-In at “2nd & Montano”, which is the closest intersection to the former Star. English-language movies this time.
The Albuquerque Journal ran ads for Spanish-language films showing at the Linda Vista Drive-In at the Star’s old address in 1981-1983 (at least).
This clipping at Newspapers.com shows that the Star had its Grand Opening on July 27, 1949.
The latest note I could find in the Albuquerque Journal was Dec. 20, 1968. It said that the Star, then showing Spanish-language films, would “close after this weekend.” (For the season?) Burglars stole two projection lenses according to a March 12, 1969 article.
Historic Aerials shows the drive-in still intact in 1981 but leveled by 1991.