Fruitvale


Yakima



Huge roadside sign for the place. Notice that the word "INDOOR" was superimposed in neon tubing over the word "DRIVE-IN", but not painted in. Thus the indoor feature is not advertised during the day, which would be the very time when they would need to draw patrons to a non-drive-in theater. Note also the U.S. 410 insignia. That highway has long since been turned into a state designation, and now ends 20 miles west of town. It has been replaced by U.S. 12, which now bypasses this street on a freeway.


This entrance sign was once covered over in duct tape, but the silvery part has falen off leaving just the netting and stickum.


Snack bar through the fence.


Is the central snack bar building also the indoor auditorium? No other signs of the promised indoor building were visible.

Jack Ondracek said:

"On the old Fruitvale Drive-In site, you wondered where the indoor auditorium was. The Indoor was a metal frame structure (pole building) that was built over a sloped foundation. A section was built over the original concession/booth building. The booth level of the new structure served the indoor screen and all 3 outdoor screens. The original booth became an extension of (owner) Jim Bonholzer's office. Seating capacity was around 400 in the single-screen auditorium. Mr. Bonholzer standardized on Brenkert projectors, and used various models of them in all his theatres (Prosser, Toppenish, Yakima and Anacortes). Lamp models tended to vary, though most xenon units were 2,500 watt ORC's. Light intensity on the drive-in screens was a common problem with undercut shutters causing a good deal of ghosting. Ironically, the indoor still had a pair of Brenkert Enarc lamps installed when we removed much of the remaining booth equipment.

"The property is now a collection of soccer fields, both indoor and outdoor. The original concession building remains as a headquarters building of sorts. Plans were to continue use of the concession portion to support the soccer activities."

He also added that the indoor theater was torn down in 1997 or 98.

USGS map of Fruitvale Theater.


Terraserver photo of Fruitvale Theater. Even though it is supposedly a tripple, it is still landscaped as one big lot. Marquee location is circled.

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