HANCOCK COUNTY, W.Va. ( WTRF ) – We all remember those warm summer nights, car windows down, popcorn in hand and a great movie playing at our local drive-in theatres.
West Virginia used to be home to 75 Drive-ins.
Over the years they started closing and now the Hilltop Drive-in in Chester, WV is on the market leaving less than a handful throughout the state .
Katie Beaver has been running Hilltop Drive-in with her father since 1988, but her time there started long before that.
Her father was one of the first projectionists at the drive-in and good friends with the family who started it back in the 1950s.
“Then I was too young to know any better, but it was fun. I would follow the very first owner, Chuck Pittenger, around like he had me on the leash. And my dad said that if he put his foot up against the wall, I would do the same thing and lean against it. And I loved it then, and I love it now.”
Katie Beaver | Owner, Hilltop Drive-In
She says between the hot days, long nights, deliveries, general maintenance and other daily tasks, a lot of work goes into keeping the Drive-in running.
Her late husband, Harry Beaver Sr. also helped run the Drive-in for many years and loved it.
Just recently, Beaver broke the news to the community that she is selling the drive-in.
In a Facebook post she says in part, “this is due to a lot of health issues, and I don’t like letting down the community, but this has to be.”
Community members shared an outpour of support in the comments, something Beaver says she is so grateful for.
“It’s nice to know that they care.”
Katie Beaver | Owner, Hilltop Drive-In
She says there are too many good memories to recall, and the good times far outweigh the bad.
“I just love the community and the people. They give you so much support and it’s good to see their faces.”
Katie Beaver | Owner, Hilltop Drive-In
Beaver says people from all over the Ohio Valley and surrounding areas have visited her Drive-in over the years.
She served well over thousands of people each summer. People she says are more like family.
“I think everything here is going to be so memorable that when it does sell, it’s going to be heart rending.”
Katie Beaver | Owner, Hilltop Drive-In
Her one message to the community who has supported her for these last 35 years is simply, “Thank You.”
Beaver says she is sad to see an end of an era, but excited to spend much needed time with her family and grandchildren.
As for the Hilltop Drive-in, there is a prospective buyer of the property.
Beaver says she’ll share those details with the public when they’re ready.
To answer the question everyone has been asking, will the Hilltop Drive-in remain a theatre?
The answer is… YES !
Beaver will be in partnership with the new owner until they learn how to run the Drive-in themselves. At that point, she will step back and watch her legacy grow from the sidelines, something she says she had always “hoped and dreamed” for.
She offers advice and well wishes to the newest owners.
“You have to give respect to get respect. I hope they thrive, and that the community will back them just the same way they’ve backed me.”
Katie Beaver | Owner, Hilltop Drive-In
Stay tuned for more details as they become available.
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WTRF.
Most Popular
Comments / 0