A true slice of Americana is officially on the market in Michigan’s Great Southwest and in this era of social distancing it could be somebody’s chance to carve out an entirely new niche for themselves as a Hollywood movie magnate bringing the silver screen to an audience that keeps its distance every time they show up for a movie.
The owners of two of the last ten drive-in theaters in all of Michigan has placed them on the open real estate market and would prefer to sell them as a package deal according to the Northville, Michigan Realtor who has the listing. The drive-ins are The Sunset Drive-In on Red Arrow Highway in Hartford and the 5-Mile Drive-In on M-152 in Dowagiac. They are 15.5-miles apart.
The 5-Mile theater is the larger of the two and can accommodate up to 500 cars, while Hartford’s Sunset Drive-In has a capacity of about 300 cars per showing.
Realtor Tjader Gerdom, owner and Associate Broker of Gerdom Realty & Investment of Northville, says in his online listing, “Ownership prefers to sell the theaters as a package.” He notes that both theaters show double-header feature films during the traditional May to September outdoor theater season, but says that new owners have the option to extend the season or add other events throughout the course of the week such as live music and concert series or host car shows, fairs or other “parking intensive” uses.
The Sunset in Hartford was first opened in 1948, while the younger property in Dowagiac was built 13 years later in 1961. Both have operated for decades of family fun in the region including concession stands to keep hungry kids occupied while the movies played out before them on the big screen through the windshield of their car.
Those interested in considering either or both of the few remaining Drive-In theaters in Michigan can reach out to Gerdom by phone at 248-242-6766, or to learn more about the listings he has on the market.
