Rustic Tri-View Drive-In

The Rustic’s days may be numbered. From an article in today’s Valley Breeze about extending a water main along Route 146 to encourage economic development - “someone was interested in buying the Rustic Drive-In to build stores, but with no water access, they pulled out.” https://www.valleybreeze.com/news/gateway-to-rhode-island-leaders-approve-tax-study-related-to-route-146/article_bb2e1d64-c511-11ee-8638-97fa4752504b.html

1942 ads for a Westacres Auto Theatre on Louisquisset Pike, one mile from Park Square, suggest that was an earlier name for the Rustic Drive-In.

My first time here was with friends on June 26, 1961 to see a double bill of “The Apartment” and Elmer Gantry.“ Pretty good program.

There’s a nice article about the Desmaris family and the Rustic in the Sept. 8, 1997 New York Times, still available online 20 years later. A real time capsule! It says Clem and Beverly met while working there in 1954. They bought the Rustic in 1988, threw out the X-rated movies and added two screens.

The 1952 and 1955-56 Theatre Catalogs list it with a capacity of 600 cars, run by M. Stanzler and Affiliated Ths. Corp.

The 1952-53 Motion Picture Almanac lists the owner as Rustic Drive-In, Inc. and that capacity at 600. That stayed the same through at least its 1966 edition. In 1982, the owner was Hallmark (not the card company, I hope!) and capacity was 500, and nothing changed through the MPAs' last drive-in list in 1988.

Drive In will be digital cinema starting Friday June 14.

Theres a house thats practically under one of the screens on the street level. I wish i lived in that house. You can tune into the movie on the stereo and watch the movie in the backyard, lol

Good idea.

I was wondering if anyone knew how to contact the owners or management for the Rustic? I wanted to see if I could hold an event at their site but the only phone number I can find is for their showtimes. If anyone can help i would be super appreciative!!!

Recently at Providence Place Mall there was an art display of Rhode Island buildings and places, each constructed out of tin cans. Here is the one representing the Rustic Drive-In.

Dimeo Construction built a model of the Rustic out of cans for CANstruction 2008. It’s on display at the Providence Place Mall through September 27. The exhibit is in the concourse that connects the mall with the skybridge to the Westin hotel.

I saw the post can someone post when it reopens I’d like to go with my bf.

Is the theater back up and running?

More Info..

Fire at Rustic Drive-In

on 06-04-2008 21:05

By JOSEPH FITZGERALD

NORTH SMITHFIELD â€" The big screen debut of the latest Indiana Jones flick and a few other big name movies opening at the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In this weekend could be delayed after fire broke out Wednesday morning in the building that houses the projection booth and concession stand.

Heavy smoke was reported in the kitchen and concession area of the building around 11:30 a.m. from a fire reportedly contained to a ventilation shaft between the first and second floors. Despite the clouds of thick smoke, the fire did not appear to have seriously damaged the two-story concrete building, which serves as a projection booth room on the second floor and concession area on the first floor serving everything from popcorn to clam cakes.
As of early yesterday afternoon, the cause of the fire had not been determined and it was unclear whether or not the Rustic â€" billed as Rhode Island’s only drive-in â€" would open for the weekend. Located on Route 146 on the southbound side in North Smithfield, the 57-year-old drive-in, which charges $20 per carload, is open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from April to September.
With summer like temperatures forecast for the weekend and some highly anticipated films showing on three screens, the drive-in is expecting big numbers. But whether or not the facility opens tomorrow depends on how much damage was cause. The damage was being assessed today by the drive-in’s owners, Cambridge-based Boston Culinary Group.
“If the projection room wasn’t touched then there shouldn’t be a problem, but I’m not sure about the kitchen,” said Christopher Bois, who recently started working at the drive-in cleaning up the grounds, a job his mother held before him.
Bois, who lives on Route 146 adjacent to the drive-in, was playing computer games yesterday morning when his mother called to tell him that the drive-in building was on fire. “I flew up there and saw the smoke,” said Bois, adding the fire appeared contained the ventilation shaft because flames could be seen shooting out of the ventilation tube on the outside of the building.
Bois said he was in the building for about 10 minuets earlier that morning and everything was fine. “I didn’t smell any smoke or anything like that while I was there,” said Bois, adding no one else was in the building at the time.
Former Rustic owner Beth Desmarais, whose family owned the facility since the 1980’s, stood back with a small group of onlookers as firefighters fought the blaze. Among the group were manager Jennifer Chenail and projectionist Bob Gosselin.
The Rustic opened in 1951 with a single screen. When her family bought the facility, Desmarais said, they added three screens that each show two movies per night. Currently the movies begin at 8:45 p.m. with the second feature on each screen beginning 15 minutes after the end of the first on that screen.
Desmarais’ family sold the drive-in to Boston Culinary Group in April.
Boston Culinary Group Director of Operations Deborah Belisle Wednesday said company officials will be in town today to assess the damage, adding she is hopeful the drive-in will open for the weekend.
“We’re going to do everything in our power to open for the weekend,” she said.
Belisle said the blaze was contained to the concession area of the building. “From everything we’ve heard from our people there, the projection booth, projection equipment and films weren’t damaged,” she said.
Boston Culinary Group is a privately-owned food service management company that provides food and beverages in the recreation and leisure industry. The company’s theatre division owns and operates 23 theatres throughout the northeast managing all aspects of theatre operations, including the projection booth, concessions stands and box offices. In addition to the Rustic Tri-View Drive-In, the company’s other Rhode Island theaters include Island Cinemas 10 in Middletown, Opera House Cinema 3 in Newport and Entertainment Cinema in South Kingstown.
The other movies opening at the Rustic this weekend include Kung Fu Panda, Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, You Don’t Mess with Zohan, Iron Man and Sex in the City.

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