Yellow Jacket Drive-In

884 TX-115,
Kermit, TX 79745

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Dddawn
Dddawn on March 8, 2023 at 7:01 pm

My grandfather was Bill b Smith and I grew up in this theater and high school’s mascot was a yellow jacket in fact there was one painted on the tower and that was my first job starting at 8 years old I would count the heads in the car tell my grandmother and she would tell me how much money to ask for me and my brother would get a wheelbarrow and get the letters to put on the Marquee of what was the next movie to be showing and then when I turn 12 I started working at a concession stand and right before they sold it which was a devastating day for me I was learning how to run the projector and what the cigarette burn was all about

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on July 1, 2022 at 10:16 am

The Tower Drive-In Theatre launched in 1949. Sold in 1953, it would become the Yellow Jacket.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 15, 2020 at 1:50 pm

Billboard, May 16, 1953: “Paul W. Gay has taken over management of the Oasis, Kermit, Lariat and Tower Drive-In theaters in Kermit, Tex. … He replaces Frank Love Jr., who is retiring.”

driveinfan
driveinfan on March 17, 2020 at 5:15 am

In early 2019 a RV Park was opened up on the old drive in property and the concession building was torn down.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on October 30, 2019 at 2:26 pm

Probably the origin story, from the Aug. 16, 1952 issue of Billboard:

Frank Love Jr., manager of the Kermit Theaters, Kermit, Tex., announces that construction will start there soon on a 500-car capacity drive-in.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on March 3, 2019 at 9:35 pm

Did the high school mascot wear a yellow jacket?

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on March 3, 2019 at 8:54 pm

know i’m late but thanks!

driveinfan
driveinfan on December 4, 2018 at 5:31 am

dansdriveintheater….I have been doing research on the Texas drive ins for years. Plus I work with a gentleman who is from Kermit, Texas. There is your proof.

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on December 3, 2018 at 9:08 am

where did you hear that drive-inf fan. just curious i want proof! because if you lived in the area when the drive-in existed and the drive-in owners or school staff told you so then i’d believe you but if you didn’t grow up in the area i want proof!

driveinfan
driveinfan on December 3, 2018 at 7:23 am

The drive in was named for the High School mascot.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on November 28, 2018 at 7:15 am

Why the name Yellow jacket?

Kenmore
Kenmore on November 19, 2018 at 5:47 pm

A closer address is TX-115 and E Dallas Ave, Kermit, Texas. The drive-in was located on the east side of the town. It was built before 1968, but a 1996 aerial shows the screen was already down.

A 2013 Google street views shows the outline, ramps, and projection booth/concession stand are present.

https://tinyurl.com/y82ayj6d