Twinair Drive-In
Pensacola, Florida1952-1979
Browse Twinair Drive-In tees, long sleeve tees and hoodies. The owner of Gulf States Theatres said his twins were born in April 1952 when the family had expected one child, and afterward he built twin screen drive-ins. The Twinair opened in Pensacola that October. Hurricane Frederic destroyed it on September 12, 1979, and a man-made lake sits on the site now. Pick a style below, then read the full Twinair history further down. Down Home Apparel is an American small business remembering the best places and teams of yesteryear, and every shirt is printed to order in the USA.
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Twinair Drive-In History
The Twinair Drive-In in Pensacola, Florida, opened in October 1952 with Scarlet Angel. It stood at 3910 Navy Boulevard, with two screens and room for up to about 1,000 cars. It was the first twin-screen drive-in in Pensacola, at a time when two screens on one lot were still rare.
The two screens trace back to a surprise at home. T. G. Solomon, president of Gulf States Theatres, told Boxoffice in 1972 that his twins were born on April 22, 1952, when the family had expected one child. After that, he said, he decided to build twin-screen drive-ins instead of single ones. The Twinair opened about six months later.
A small house stood in the middle of the lot so the manager could live on the grounds. The first screens were built of wood pilings and framing. After storms damaged them over the years, they were rebuilt in steel.
The steel did not save it. Hurricane Frederic destroyed the theater on September 12, 1979, and it was torn down and never rebuilt. A man-made lake now sits on the site.