Capri Drive-In

The Capri Drive-In is a family-owned, two-screen drive-in movie theater located on US-12 just west of downtown Coldwater in southwest Michigan. It was built and opened in the summer of 1964 by John (Sr.) and Mary Magocs, and it has remained in the Magocs family for its entire history. The theater originally opened as a single-screen, 706-car drive-in; a second screen was added later, and the lot now accommodates about 900 cars. The Capri is one of the few remaining drive-ins in Michigan and is known for its nostalgic atmosphere, weekly new movie selections, and a concession stand that consistently rates highly. The Capri operates a single, two-sided ticket booth that feeds two entrance lanes into the two-screen lot. Sound is broadcast over FM stereo to patrons' car radios or portable radios (rentals available for $5). Screen 1 broadcasts on 89.7 FM and Screen 2 on 89.3 FM. Admission prices as listed on the official website are $12 for adults, $5 for kids ages 5–11, and free for children under 5. The theater is pet-friendly and offers a snack bar. The lot has been re-graded and covered with limestone to control mud and dust, and PVC poles were added in 2003 to help space vehicles for optimal sightlines. The drive-in was a family affair from the start: John and Mary, along with sons John Jr. and Tom, ran the operation. From 1964 through 1977 the Capri served residents of Branch and Calhoun counties. In 1977, operation was leased to William Clarke of Coldwater while the Magocs family resided in Florida. In 1980, Tom and John Jr. resumed operation. One of their first decisions was to install AM radio transmission of the movie sound—cutting-edge technology at the time—and all but five rows of speaker poles were removed. In 1982, Susan Magocs (Tom's wife) took over the snack bar, which had previously been run separately, marking a major upgrade for the concession stand. The Capri Drive-In remains an active, privately owned business. It shows first-run movies on two screens, typically changing offerings weekly. The theater has a strong local reputation, with over 1,500 Google reviews and an "Excellent" rating on its website. It is a landmark on the historic US-12 route between Detroit and Chicago, and its long lines during summer months are a testament to its enduring popularity.

The Capri Drive-In was built and opened in the summer of 1964 by John (Sr.) and Mary Magocs. The single-screen, 706-car drive-in opened on August 21, 1964. Shortly after opening, a contest was held to name the theater; the winning name, "The Capri," was submitted by Mary Magocs, who received a brand new sewing machine as the prize. Admission in 1964 was $1.00 and a cheeseburger cost 45¢. The snack bar was initially leased to Auto City Candy Company of Detroit. Operating the drive-in was a family affair: John and Mary, along with sons John Jr. and Tom, spent many nights ensuring the show went on. From 1964 through 1977, the Capri served residents of Branch and Calhoun counties. The 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s were boom times for drive-ins. In Michigan, there were 87 open drive-ins in 1954, peaking at 110 in 1958. The number remained relatively constant over the next 20 years, with 103 still open in Michigan in 1977. In 1977, operation of the Capri was leased to William Clarke of Coldwater while the Magocs family resided in Florida. In 1980, Tom and John Jr. resumed operation of the theater. They were 5 and 9 years old when their parents opened the theater, and after 16 years of learning the ropes, they took over. One of their first decisions was to install AM radio transmission of the movie sound, which was cutting-edge technology at the time in the drive-in industry. All but five rows of speaker poles were removed. In 1982, Susan Magocs (Tom's wife) assumed operation of the snack bar. Between 1964 and 1981, the snack bar had been run separately; this change was a major upgrade for the concession stand. The Capri Drive-In's concession now consistently rates as one of the best. The theater added a second screen at some point, expanding capacity to about 900 cars. In 2003, PVC poles were added to help space vehicles for optimal sightlines, replacing the function of the removed speaker poles. The lot has been re-graded and covered with limestone to keep it free of mud and airborne dust. The Capri Drive-In remains a family-owned and operated business. It is located on US-12, once the main route from Detroit to Chicago, with Coldwater as the halfway point. The theater is a classic roadside attraction and continues to show first-run movies on two screens, with FM stereo sound broadcast to patrons' radios. It is pet-friendly and offers a well-regarded snack bar. The drive-in has received over 1,500 Google reviews and maintains an "Excellent" rating on its website.

• 2003

  PVC poles added to help space vehicles for optimal sightlines.

• 1982

  Susan Magocs assumes operation of the snack bar, which had been run separately.

• 1980

  Tom and John Jr. resume operation; install AM radio transmission of movie sound.

• 1977

  Operation leased to William Clarke of Coldwater while the Magocs family resides in Florida.

• 1964

  Capri Drive-In opens on August 21 as a single-screen, 706-car drive-in, built by John (Sr.) and Mary Magocs.

• 1964

  Naming contest held; "The Capri" wins, submitted by Mary Magocs.

Nostalgic, family-friendly, affordable outdoor movie entertainment in southwest Michigan.

• Drive-in movie screenings

  First-run movies shown on two screens, typically changing weekly.

• Concession stand

  Snack bar offering food and drinks; consistently highly rated.

• Portable radio rental

  Portable radios available for $5 for listening to movie sound.

1. 1Capri Drive-In official websitecapridrive-in.com
2. 2Drive-In History - Capri Drive-Incapridrive-in.com
3. 3About Us - Capri Drive-Incapridrive-in.com
4. 4The Capri Story - Capri Drive-Incapridrive-in.com
5. 5Capri Drive-In - Wikidatawikidata.org