The 49er Drive-In Theatre has been a Region staple for more than a half century.
Movie-goers have long flocked there to see a double-feature on the big screen under a star-dappled blanket of nighttime sky. But in order to spend a warm summer evening watching Hollywood’s latest blockbusters from the comfort of your car you’d have to bring cash.
When the 49’er Drive-In Theatre at 675 N Calumet Ave in Valparaiso reopens for the season near the end of April or in early May, it will accept credit cards for the first time in its history.
“I bugged my dad about it,” Jonathan Cotton said. “I put it in his ear.”
The Cottom family has owned the old-school drive in movie theater for the past 24 years. It’s one of just two drive-in theaters left in Northwest Indiana, along with the Melody Drive-In Theater in Knox in Starke County.
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Only about 10 drive-ins remain in the state.
“We’ve persevered because it’s obviously a good deal to get two movies for the price of one,” Cotton said. “There’s also the nostalgia part of it. We have a good following. People like to see a movie outside. All generations keep on coming here. We’ve got a good regular following.”
The 49’er Drive-In also has reached out to younger customers, recently adding Instagram and TikTok accounts so it wasn’t just on Facebook.
“We upped our social media game,” Cotton said. “We reached people who didn’t know we existed.”
The 49’er Drive-In is looking to get with the times by accepting credit cards because so many people no longer carry cash.
“People don’t always remember to pull out cash,” he said. “They won’t have to stop at the gate and run inside to use the ATM.”
Customers have been excited they will finally be able to pay with plastic.
“You can enjoy a movie without the hassle of cash,” he said. “It’s definitely more convenient.”
The seasonal business starts showing movies in the spring and stays open through October. It can host up to 600 cars. Many opt to sit outside on blankets with their kids and their dogs. It typically shows a pair of big Hollywood movies for two weeks at a time. It will often show more nostalgic classic films like “Twister” in the fall when there are fewer new releases.
“We have a booker who tracks what movies are going to do well and presents the best facts as we know them,” he said. “We make the final decision based on our knowledge of our audience. Northwest Indiana isn’t the same as Florida or other areas. We know our audience.”
The 49’er Drive-In will accept all credit cards except American Express, which charges processing fees the business deems too high. It’s charging $1 per credit card transaction, which will cover its processing expenses on most transactions but not on larger purchases at the concession stand, which sells favorites like popcorn, pop, chicken fingers, hot dogs, hamburgers, fries, nachos, funnel cakes and cheesecakes.
“We’re still cheaper than the movie theaters in Valparaiso and Portage,” he said. “The $1 helps us cover our costs. We’re a seasonal family-owned business.”
The old-school theater also will start showing ads for the first time, putting 20-second ads from 16 local companies on the big screen before screenings. It’s also going to put out banners.
“It’s all booked up,” Cotton said. “It kind of happened fast.”
For more information, visit 49erdrivein.com.
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