Pennsylvania couple takes out $1M loan to buy drive-in movie theater, now it earns them $550K a year
Published on Aug 30, 2025 at 7:20 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Aug 27, 2025 at 9:05 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
A US couple took out a $1 million loan and cashed in their life savings to buy America’s oldest drive-in movie theater, and their gamble paid off.
Movie buffs Matt McClanahan and Lauren McChesney were horrified when they learned that Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theater in Orefield, Pennsylvania, was at risk of being bought by developers and lost forever.
The drive-in opened up all the way back in 1934 and had a personal connection for Matt, who used to go there when he was a kid.
So, they decided to step in and rescue America’s oldest drive-in movie theater and have since turned it into a thriving business.
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The drive-in movie theater is making big money
Matt had previously managed another drive-in movie theater, and that’s actually how he and Lauren met.
“He took my ticket, and we started dating maybe a year after that,” Lauren told CNBC.
Now engaged, the couple decided to take a huge gamble to rescue America’s oldest drive-in movie theater.
They took out a $1 million loan, as well as cashing in their retirement funds, personal savings, and bagging some contributions from friends and family to stump up the $1.05 million required to save the drive-in.
The couple reopened the Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theater in November 2022 and admitted that it was a ‘rough’ start.
In 2023, Shankweiler’s made around $300,000 in total revenue, meaning that once all expenses were covered, the couple had ‘just enough to put groceries on the table’.
Unlike a lot of drive-in theaters, Shankweiler’s is open year-round.
Although the couple says that it operates at a loss throughout most of the year and the theater is carried by the money it makes during the summer.
In a bid to combat that, Shankweiler’s holds a number of events during the off-season, including a Trunk or Treat Halloween night and special Valentine’s Day events.
“Shankweiler’s was a quiet backyard theater. It existed to play the movies for its neighborhood, and that was really it. We’re trying to elevate that and bring it to another level,” Matt told CNBC.
Thanks to all of their hard work and dedication, Shankweiler’s began turning a profit in 2024 after making a total revenue of almost $550,000.
Running Shankweiler’s is about a lot more than money for the couple
But it’s not all about making money for the movie-loving couple.
“When the movies are playing and you’re watching hundreds of people share this amazing experience, and they’re having a great time and everyone’s happy, it’s like that weight is just lifted and you realize this is why we’re doing it,” Matt added.
“The community is coming together in this space, and we’re facilitating something really special.”
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Claire Reid is a journalist who hails from the UK but is now living in New Zealand. She began her career after graduating with a degree in Journalism from Liverpool John Moore’s University and has more than a decade of experience, writing for both local newspapers and national news sites. Claire covers a wide variety of topics, with a special focus on cars, technology, planes, cryptocurrency, and luxury.
