Winchester drive-in gets new owners, facelift

WINCHESTER – A popular Randolph County entertainment spot could see new life by summer's end.

The sale of Airline Twin Drive-In, which has been in Winchester for decades and closed in late 2014, is pending, according to Pauletta Hummel, who bought the theater with her husband, Shawn Hummel.

"It's a staple of our community ... it's been here for decades," she told The Star Press Tuesday. "We really want to bring it back to what it was before."

The two-screen theater, located directly across from the Randolph County Airport on Ind. 32 east of Winchester, features a concession stand, restrooms and a box office. The 10-acre lot is large enough for up to 500 cars and could open by the end of the summer, Hummel said.

While she declined to say how much she and her husband were paying for the land and its amenities, Hummel did say it was a significant investment.

"It's not cheap, but this (investment) was one we made for our community, because everybody around here used to go to this drive-in on summer nights and on the weekends when it was open before," she sad. "It was something worth investing in."

Hummel said the theater's reopening will be limited to a single screen to start, but she said there will be plans to utilize the second screen as business increases. The Hummels are also planning on having other events at the drive-in, and will be looking for input from customers on what else the complex should host. The family is expecting to operate the theater themselves and may look to hire area high school students as part-time employees.

"We could host car shows in the field, or other events," she said. "We are open to new and different ideas. We want this to be a fun, engaging place."

The site is believed to come with at least one digital set-up that is Digital Cinema Initiatives-compliant, which has been a widely-held standard for all drive-in theaters for the last few years. Hummel said if the theater does not come with this set-up, a projection upgrade will be necessary.

An overhaul of the site itself is in order, including the renovation or replacement of the run-down concession stand near the west screen, Hummel said. There is also a playground area the couple hopes to improve, including through the likely addition of a fence surrounding that area.

"We want families that come here to be able to have a great experience ... we want the (children) to be safe when they're on the (jungle gym)," she said.

The Hummels are expected to close on the theater by the end of March, and will begin disseminating additional information about the project, as well as the potential timeline, in early April.

"It's going to have a family-friendly atmosphere and offer something different from what you'll find (elsewhere)," she said. "It's a great place. My husband and I both grew up in Randolph County and this theater has seemed to always be here. We want it to be here for generations to come, too."

To reach food and business development reporter Mickey Shuey, email mshuey@muncie.gannett.com or call 765-213-5847. You can follow him on Twitter and Instagram, too, @MickeyShueyTSP.