REPORTER: THINGS ARE HEATING UP.
CARS ARE LINING UP.
AS THE SUN SETS OVER IS SOLD-OUT NIGHT OF THE DRIVE-IN.
A SCENE MANY OF US REMEMBER FROM OUR CHILDHOODS.
OR FRIDAY NIGHT OUT.
THAT -- BUT THIS IS 2020.
ESTABLISHED IN 1933, CAMDEN NEW JERSEY RECEIVES CREDIT AS THE FIRST OFFICIAL DRIVE-IN.
>> STEP RIGHT OVER TO OUR REFRESHMENT CENTER.
REPORTER: FAST FORWARD TO THE 1950’S AND 1960’S MORE, THAN 4 THOUSAND DRIVE-INS MARKED THE PEAK OF THIS TREND.
OVER TIME, BURDENED WITH INCREASING COSTS AND DWINDLING PATRONS, THOUSANDS WOULD BECOME EMPTY LOTS.
>> WHETHER IT BE THE NEED FOR MORE OPEN SPACE, OR MAYBE A BIT OF NOSTALGIA, WHATEVER THE REASON, THE DRIVE-IN IS SEEING A BIT OF A REBIRTH.
MASSACHUSETTS ALONE ONCE HOSTED NEARLY 90 OUTDOOR THEATERS.
TODAY, THERE ARE FEWER THAN TWO DOZEN DRIVE-INS IN ALL OF NEW ENGLAND.
INCLUDING ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR, OUR FIRST STOP BRINGS US TO THE OUTSKIRTS OF ROUTE SIX ON CAPE COD.
THE STORY, WELLFLEET DRIVE AND HAS WEATHERED THE ROLLER COASTER OF POPULARITY SINCE 1957.
>> ON CAPE COD, WHICH IS A TOURIST RESORT, AND PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR THINGS TO DO IN THE EVENING.
THAT MAKES IT A WIN.
REPORTER: JOHN VINCENT IS THE THEATERS CO-OWNER.
. HE SAYS AFTER SERVING AS A TICKET SELLER IN HIS TEENS, HE’S NEVER LEFT.
>> IT IS ONE OF THE FEW DRIVE-INS THAT IS LARGELY FROM A VISUAL PERSPECTIVE AND OPERATIONS PERSPECTIVE, EXACTLY LIKE IT WAS IN 1957.
REPORTER: RIGHT DOWN TO MANY OF THE ORIGINAL FIXTURES.
>> ONE OF THE LAST PROJECTORS CHANGEOVER IN SERVICE IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAD A CARBON RODS.
THEY WERE KIND OF LIKE WELDING RODS THAT WOULD MAKE -- THIS WAS 11,000 WATTS.
REPORTER: THOUGH TODAY’S FILMS RELY ON A MUCH SIMPLER AND SAFER SYSTEM.
>> IT HAS SOMETHING LIKE 13 DIFFERENT COMPUTERS IN IT AND IT IS FULLY AUTOMATED.
WE USUALLY PROGRAM THE WEEK AHEAD OF TIME.
GOSH FORBID NOBODY CAME TO THE DRIVE-IN FOR ONE REASON OR ANOTHER, THE MOVIE WOULD STILL RUN.
REPORTER: FORGET THE RADIO DIAL.
OLD-TIME SPEAKERS STILL WORK HERE.
AS FAMILIES PULL INTO THEIR SEATS, THE SLEEPING BAGS ROLLOUT, AS DO THE CHILDREN’S PIPEDREAMS THAT THEY WILL MAKE IT TO THE SECOND FEATURE.
>> DO YOU THINK YOU WILL MAKE IT THROUGH BOTH FILMS?
>> DEFINITELY NOT.
WE WILL SEE.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SUGAR.
REPORTER: AS LIGHT FILLS THE NIGHT SKY, PERHAPS THE MOST MEMORABLE SCENE IS NOT THE ONE ON THE BIG SCREEN.
BUT THE ONE PLAYING OUT IN THE PARKING LOT.
>> KIDS FOR THE FIRST TIME WITH THE BLANKETS AND PAJAMAS AND EVERYTHING.
I KNOW IT WILL BE A MEMORY FOR THEM FOR THE REST OF THEIR LIVES.
REPORTER: THE LAND THAT THE DRIVE-INS SIT ON IS OFTEN WORTH MORE THAN THE BUSINESS ITSELF.
SO THEATERS WORK HARD TO REPURPOSE IT DURING THE DAY.
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING THIS?
>> AND NUMBER OF YEARS.
REALLY A NUMBER OF YEARS.
REPORTER: WE KNOW IT IS AT LEAST THREE DECADES SINCE LORRAINE AND JOHN RHODES HAVE BEEN AMONG HUNDREDS OF VENDORS THAT MAKE UP THE WELLFLEET FLEAMARKET.
>> USED TO BUY A LOT OF STUFF IN SHOTS AND YARD SALES.
THEN WE FOUND OUT THAT WE DIDN’T HAVE THE ROOM FOR IT ANYMORE.
REPORTER: A NEED FOR SPACE AND A CRAFT BY KEEPS THIS COUPLE VERY BUSY.
>> ESPECIALLY WHEN WE ARE RETIRED, THEIR SOMETHING TO DO.
REPORTER: GIVES US AN INCOME.
BUYING THINGS THAT ARE OLD AND SO FORTH.
BUY SOMETHING TO FIX THAT UP, MAKE IT LOOK GOOD.
>> THAT IS A MOTHER-OF-PEARL.
MORE OR LESS YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A NICE PIECE.
BECAUSE WE LIKE TO BE VERSATILE.
>> SHE LIKES THE JEWELRY AND I LIKE THE TOOL AND.
REPORTER: THE SECRET THEY SAY TO THEIR LONG-LASTING VENDOR SHIP AND MARRIAGE.
>> IT BLENDS TOGETHER.
SO IT WORKS.
REPORTER: THE FLEAMARKET IS GREAT.
I’VE BEEN COMING HERE SINCE I WAS A KID.
REPORTER: AT 46, BRAD SLATER IS THE NEW KID ON THE BLOCK.
. HE FOUND HIS WAY HERE, LIKE MANY, LOOKING TO SAVE A BUCK OR TWO.
>> I WENT TO BUY A BARN WOOD TO MAKE A FRAME FOR SOMETHING ELSE.
IT WAS SO EXPENSIVE, I WAS LIKE, I KNOW WHERE THERE IS A TON OF DRIFTWOOD.
REPORTER: DRIFTWOOD WITH A HISTORY FORAGED ON A FARAWAY SHORE.
>> THE MORE INTRICATE FORM OF IT IS JAPANESE, BEFORE THEY HAD CAMERAS, FISHERMEN WOULD GO OUT AND CATCH FISH AND THEY ALWAYS LIKED TO BRAG.
THEY WOULD TAKE RICE PAPER AND DO BASICALLY WHAT I DO.
THEY WOULD TAKE THINK OVER THE FISH AND PLACE THE RICE PAPER OVER SO THEY CAN SAY, LOOK AT THE FISH I CAUGHT.
REPORTER: SLATER TRADED IN THE RICE PAPER FOR CANVAS.
>> THEY ARE ACTUAL FISH I EITHER CAUGHT OR FOUND.
IN BASICALLY, I PAINT THEM.
AND DRAPE WHATEVER FABRIC THAT I CHOOSE OVER IT, PRESSED DOWN, AND LIFTED UP AND I HAVE A PERFECT FISH PRINT.
ANTHONY: FOR A WHILE TECHNOLOGY MADE THOSE OLD SPEAKERS OBSOLETE, WITH DRIVERS ABLE TO TUNE IN THE MOVIE THROUGH THE RADIO.
THE WELLFLEET DRIVE-IN KEPT THE OLD SPEAKERS AROUND THOUGH, TO SERVE AS A WEATHER SERVICE FOR THE FLEA MARKET VENDORS.
NOW, THERE’S A NEW NEED FOR THE OLD WINDOW SPEAKERS.
SOME NEW CARS ARE MADE TO SHUT OFF AUTOMATICALLY, TO SAVE THE BATTERY.
TROUBLE IS, THAT INCLUDES THE RADIO.
UP NEXT, IN A PANDEMIC, DRIVE-INS DELIVER MORE THAN JUST