Marbro Twin Drive-In

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Uploaded on: August 20, 2020

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1968 photo credit Nancy Zimmerman, description credit Marietta Daily Journal.

“Pictured is a photograph of Martin Theatres’ Marbo Twin Drive-In on Austell Road. According to Nancy Zimmerman, the twin drive-in opened in either late 1968 or early 1969. It was the last theatre that Martin built in Marietta and was the first and only twin drive-in theatre in the area. The theatre closed in 1987 and on the property now is The Ivy Commons Apartments. Pictured is the ground breaking breaking ceremonies on May 12, 1967. From left to right are, James Zimmerman, Atlanta Area District Manager for Martin Theatres; Rufus Bland, engineer/architect; Richard Stanley, Marietta City Manager; Bill Toney, Technical Director of all Martin Theatres; Herbert Duncan of C.W. Matthews Construction Co. in Marietta; and Ronnie Otwell, Vice President of Martin Theatres Zimmerman recalls going to the drive-in several times as a child in her pajamas with her parents and learning to drive at the drive-in. The manager of the drive-in was Richard Stanley, who treated Zimmerman like royalty in front of her friends and gave them free pizza, popcorn, whole dill pickles and drinks. She also pointed out that people often referred to the drive-in as The Marborol, but the name was Marbro which stood for the Martin Brothers – E.D. and Roy Martin Jr., who owned the theatre chain at the time. The Martin theatre chain was later sold to J.B. Fuqua Industries, then sold to C.L. Patrick who changed the names of all Martin Theatres to Carmike Cinemas and still operates the theater chain today.”