A staple of Lakewood’s history for more than 60 years, the Starlite Drive-in located at 8327 S. Tacoma Way, Lakewood, WA 98499 is being demolished this week to make way for a large complex that will house several industrial and commercial companies.
A bit of history
Star-Lite Park-In Theater was built in 1948 by E. Chester and Sue Nilsson and Charles L. and Cora Theuerkauf. It was the second drive-in theater built in Tacoma. Its original screen measured 39 feet by 54 feet. A newer, larger screen went up later.
The theater opened May 26, 1948, showing “Golden Earrings” with Ray Milland and Marlene Dietrich and “Adventure Island” with Rory Calhoun and Rhonda Fleming.
It closed as a drive-in theater in 1996 and operated as a swap meet site until 2019.
Source: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11390
Tacoma New’s Tribune article about the demolition
Read the article here: https://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/article231683183.html