Drive-In Theater Makes Nostalgic Come Back In Wynwood

WYNWOOD (CBSMiami) – There's something special about a night at the Drive-In, where you can see a double feature and bring your own popcorn from home, and the kids can scream all they want without annoying someone in the next seat. Once, they were a fixture in almost every community. Now, many of them have gone dark. But a new drive-in movie theater opened in South Florida Friday night.

The Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In hosted a grand opening in Miami's Wynwood art district with a screening of "Back to the Future."

Texas writer Josh Frank launched a Blue Starlite Mini Urban Drive-In in Austin, Texas a few years ago. When he relocated to Miami earlier this year, he decided to launch one here as well.

"Our idea was let's take that '50's mentality of you're not just paying to enter our premises, you're paying for an experience' and it's our job to give you that experience," said Frank.

The theater capitalizes on novelty and nostalgia with speakers right in the car.  "It's kind of cool that it has that old feel to it," said Jeanette Pineiro who surprised Hansel Lopez with a date night at the Drive-In.

"She knows I always wanted to go to a drive-in movie just for the novelty of it," said Hansel Lopez.  The couple wasn't disappointed.

New technology and social media are helping promote the drive-in where

Visitors will find nostalgic remakes of vintage snacks at the concession stand, such as Frostie Blue Cream Soda and Pop Rock. There's also a cherry-red 1950s Chevy truck that was turned into the projection booth.

The movie screen is 23 by 12 feet and is waterproof.

The Blue Starlite accommodates 20 to 24 cars, and there are seats near the front of the viewing area for those who wander in on foot.

Take note though, there aren't any bathrooms yet, just portable toilets.

Drive-ins were once common in South Florida, but none remain in Miami. One of the most popular drive-in's was the Tropicaire Drive-In which operated for 38 years on Bird Road. It was torn down in 1987.

There is one in BrowardCounty and one in Palm BeachCounty.

Click here to see the Best Drive-In Theaters In South Florida