Mendon Twin Drive-In
A two-screen drive-in movie theater in Mendon, Massachusetts.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Mendon Twin Drive-In is a drive-in movie theater in Mendon, Massachusetts, United States. It opened on June 14, 1954, making it one of the long-running outdoor cinemas in the region. The venue is designed for audiences to watch films from their cars, combining a conventional theatrical program with the distinctive social and recreational atmosphere associated with drive-in entertainment. The theater originally operated with a single screen. A second screen was added in 1998, giving the business its current twin-screen identity and allowing it to present separate film programs at the same time. The site can accommodate approximately 800 cars. Movie sound is transmitted through FM radio signals, rather than through the metal speaker units that were once commonly mounted on poles beside individual parking spaces. This arrangement allows customers to listen through their vehicle audio systems and reflects the modernization of drive-in operations. Ownership changed in March 2014, when brothers Dan Andelman, Dave Andelman, and Michael Andelman purchased the theater from Susan Swanson and Kathy Gorman. Swanson and Gorman had operated the drive-in since 1986. Under the Andelman ownership, the venue added a 5,000-square-foot outdoor patio offering beer and wine, expanding the concession and hospitality dimension of the cinema beyond traditional in-car viewing. The business is primarily a local entertainment venue rather than a national cinema chain or widely distributed consumer brand. Its core offering consists of admission to outdoor film screenings, vehicle-based viewing, and associated food, beverage, and social amenities. Its two-screen format enables programming flexibility, while its large parking capacity makes the experience suitable for families, groups, and local community audiences. In 2020, Dave Andelman was removed from his ownership role after making negative comments about Black Lives Matter protests. The theater continued under the ownership of Dan and Michael Andelman. The venue remains identified with the Mendon community and with the surviving drive-in theater tradition in Massachusetts. In 2015, it was described as one of only three remaining drive-ins in the state.
History
Mendon Twin Drive-In opened on June 14, 1954, in Mendon, Massachusetts. It was established as an outdoor cinema built around the drive-in model, in which customers watch films from parked vehicles on a large theater field. The original venue operated with one screen and served local and regional audiences seeking an alternative to enclosed movie theaters. The drive-in's operating history spans several generations of exhibition technology. In its earlier form, sound was associated with the individual parking spaces through metal speakers mounted on poles. The theater later adopted FM radio transmission for movie sound, allowing customers to listen through their car radios. By the period described in reference materials, the old pole-mounted speakers were no longer in use. A major physical expansion occurred in 1998, when the theater added a second screen. This transformed the venue into a twin-screen operation and allowed it to show different films concurrently. The site can accommodate about 800 cars, making it a substantial outdoor entertainment facility rather than a small single-program venue. Susan Swanson and Kathy Gorman operated the drive-in from 1986 until 2014. In March 2014, they sold the business to brothers Dan Andelman, Dave Andelman, and Michael Andelman. The new ownership retained the core drive-in format while adding amenities intended to broaden the on-site experience. These included a 5,000-square-foot outdoor patio serving beer and wine, creating a more developed hospitality area alongside the movie fields and concessions. The venue's history also reflects the changing status of drive-in theaters in Massachusetts. In 2015, Mendon Twin Drive-In was identified as one of only three remaining drive-ins in the state. Its continued operation therefore represented both a local business and a surviving example of a once widespread American cinema format. In 2020, Dave Andelman was removed from his ownership position after negative comments concerning Black Lives Matter protests. The change altered the ownership group, while Dan Andelman and Michael Andelman continued as owners. The theater remains known for its two-screen outdoor programming, large vehicle capacity, FM-based audio, and community-oriented patio and beverage facilities.
- 2020
Dave Andelman leaves ownership role
[1]Dave Andelman was removed from his ownership role following negative comments about Black Lives Matter protests.
- 2015
Recognized as one of three remaining Massachusetts drive-ins
[1]The theater was described as one of only three remaining drive-in theaters in Massachusetts.
- 2014
Andelman family acquisition
[1]Dan, Dave, and Michael Andelman purchased the theater in March from Susan Swanson and Kathy Gorman.
- 1998
Second screen added
[1]A second screen was added, creating the twin-screen format used by the venue.
- 1986
Swanson and Gorman begin operating the theater
[1]Susan Swanson and Kathy Gorman began operating the drive-in and continued to do so until its 2014 sale.
- 1954
The drive-in opens
[1]Mendon Twin Drive-In opened on June 14, 1954, in Mendon, Massachusetts.
Products and positioning
A community-oriented outdoor cinema combining classic drive-in viewing with two-screen programming, vehicle-based FM audio, large-scale parking, and expanded food-and-beverage amenities.
Cinema exhibition · 1954
Drive-in movie screenings
The theater's central offering is outdoor film exhibition for customers who remain in or near their vehicles. Its large field accommodates approximately 800 cars, supporting a communal but vehicle-based cinema experience. The venue's programming is distributed across two screens, allowing separate films or programs to be presented at the same time.
Cinema format · 1998
Twin-screen operation
The second screen, added in 1998, expanded the original single-screen drive-in into a two-screen venue. This format increases programming flexibility and gives customers a choice of films during a visit. Both screens use FM radio transmission for soundtrack audio, replacing the older system of individual metal speakers mounted beside parking spaces.
Hospitality and concessions
Outdoor patio and beverage service
A 5,000-square-foot outdoor patio was added under the Andelman ownership period. The patio offers beer and wine and extends the venue beyond film viewing by providing a dedicated social and hospitality space. It complements the drive-in's traditional cinema activity and contributes to a broader community-entertainment positioning.
Controversies
Brand decisions
2020
Remove Dave Andelman from ownershipOtherBackground
Dave Andelman made negative comments about Black Lives Matter protests.
Action taken
He was removed from his ownership role.
Aftermath
Dan Andelman and Michael Andelman remained associated with ownership of the theater.
2014
Acquire the drive-in from its longtime operatorsM&ABackground
Susan Swanson and Kathy Gorman had operated the theater since 1986 before selling it in March 2014.
Action taken
Dan, Dave, and Michael Andelman purchased the business and assumed ownership.
Aftermath
The new ownership added a large outdoor patio offering beer and wine while retaining the two-screen drive-in model.
1998
Add a second cinema screenGeneration changeBackground
The theater had operated as a single-screen drive-in before expanding its physical and programming capacity.
Action taken
A second screen was added, creating the Mendon Twin Drive-In format.
Aftermath
The venue gained the ability to present two film programs simultaneously.
Sources1 sources
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