Aero Drive-In
Cheektowaga, New York1950-1971
Order Aero Drive-In tees, long sleeve tees and hoodies. Its slogan was a rhyme, bring your beau to the Aero, and a color postcard shows the name on a slanted red blade with a green arc behind it and a striped marquee at its foot. The 1971 season was its last, and the Consumer Square shopping plaza covers the site now. Choose a style below, and find the full Aero history further down. Every shirt is printed to order in the USA and carries the memories of bygone places and teams.
4 products
Aero Drive-In History
The Aero Drive-In in Cheektowaga, New York, opened on July 1, 1950, at 3755 Union Road, with John Payne in Captain China and Eddie Albert in The Dude Goes West. It had one screen and room for about 500 cars. Its advertising slogan was a rhyme: bring your beau to the Aero. A July 1950 Exhibitor item called it Al Wright's Aero Drive-In.
A color postcard shows a slanted red blade carrying the name, a green arc behind it and a striped marquee at its foot, with AERO spelled out again across a pale green screen.
Unlike most drive-ins, the Aero ran all year. In March 1961 a fire heavily damaged the concession building, which also housed the projection equipment. Co-owner Ronald J. Hoelcle put the damage at $75,000 to $80,000, and the trade paper said the Aero would be closed indefinitely.
In February 1965 Alvin B. Wright held an open house for a new restaurant beside the drive-in. It was a $400,000 place with 162 seats, curb service and parking for 200 cars, built by his company Holiday Showcase Restaurants. Its owners also opened the two-screen Holiday theaters on part of the lot on January 23, 1970, while cars were still parking next door. The 1971 season was the Aero's last. The drive-in was torn down, and a four-screen building opened on the land in May 1972. The Holiday lasted until August 1995.
The Consumer Square shopping plaza covers the site now. The old concession stand survived for years as a restaurant.