How romance and a road trip led to the purchase of the world's oldest drive-in theater

OREFIELD, Pa. (AP) — In a romance and adventure worthy of the big screen, a Pennsylvania couple is preserving the past and forging a future as the owners of the world’s oldest operating drive-in movie theater.

Lauren McChesney got more than admission to a double feature when she handed her ticket to Matt McClanahan at a different drive-in he managed in 2018. They started dating a year later, and, in August, got engaged. In between, they purchased Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre, which was Pennsylvania’s first drive-in and only the nation’s second when it opened in 1934.

The couple began brainstorming about drive-ins during a cross-country road trip that included stops at both operational and abandoned theaters. Their original goal was to open a new drive-in, but when they learned Shankweiler's might get sold to developers, “the light bulb went off,” McClanahan said.

“Why are we spending so much time trying to build one when there’s one literally down the road from our house that’s for sale and is like the most important drive-in?” he said.

The drive-in movie theater industry began in Camden, New Jersey, in 1933 and peaked in the late 1950s, with more than 4,000 drive-ins, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association. The numbers dropped rapidly in the 1970s and 80s as other entertainment options increased, along with land values that made selling for redevelopment attractive. Though popular during the pandemic, by 2024, there were only 283 left, according to the association.

McClanahan, 35, who grew up going to Shankweiler’s, had managed another drive-in and started a mobile movie business during the coronavirus pandemic. In contrast, McChesney, 41, had never been to a drive-in before 2018, and she left a stable corporate job in the health care industry to take on this new venture. Buying Shankweiler's was a risk for both of them — they pooled their savings and secured a $1 million loan to buy the drive-in in 2022 — but one they say has paid off.

“This was an undertaking that was leaps and bounds bigger than anything I’d ever done in my life, in terms of investment, monthly expenses, and debt,” McClanahan said. “It still feels surreal when I think about it.”

They’ve built a successful business with the help of strong summer attendance, the occasional big-name film like “Wicked,” and special events like Valentine’s Day “date night” screenings of “The Notebook.” The drive-in is open seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day, and Thursdays through Sundays the rest of the year. Tickets are $9 for children and $13 for adults.

Ken Querio, 52, of Kutztown, Pennsylvania, has been going to Shankweiler’s since he was a teenager. He made a point to seek out the owners before a recent viewing of “Jaws.”

“I actually thanked them,” he said. “It’s wonderful to have an old-school, an old venue like this still going.”

Wilson Shankweiler, a prominent hotel owner and movie buff, opened what was then called Shankweiler’s Park-In Theatre on April 15, 1934. McClanahan and McChesney are its fourth owners.

McChesney said the success of the business played a role in the timing of their engagement.

“We knew we’d eventually get married, but we kept doing other things instead, like starting businesses and buying movie theaters,” she said.

Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.

A reminder to turn off head lights at the entrance to Shankweiler Drive-In in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

A couple watches the movie "Jaws" at the Shankweiler Drive-In in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The Gambrill family, center, of Brookhaven, Pa., watch "Jaws" bundled up in front of their car at the Shankweiler Drive-In in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Mason Butz prepares a bag of popcorn in the refreshment stand at the Shankweiler Drive-In before the evening's double feature of "Jaws" and "Twisters" in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The sun sets on the Shankweiler Drive-In as cars arrive for the evening's double feature of "Jaws" and "Twisters" in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

The sunsets on the Shankweiler Drive-In as previews run before the feature film "Jaws" in Orefield, Pa., Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Hirving “Chucky” Lozano will not return to San Diego FC for a second season.

San Diego sporting director Tyler Heaps told reporters Friday that he is working on a departure for Lozano, the 30-year-old Mexican national team mainstay who joined the Major League Soccer expansion club for its inaugural season in 2025 as its first designated player.

Lozano scored nine goals in 27 appearances during the regular season and added two goals in the MLS postseason, but he also was benched late in the season after an altercation in San Diego's locker room.

San Diego finished atop the Western Conference during the regular season, setting MLS records for wins and points by an expansion team, before losing 3-1 to Vancouver in the conference final, with Lozano scoring San Diego's only goal.

“We have communicated with Hirving and his representatives that he will not be part of the sporting plans moving forward," Heaps said. "That was not a decision that was taken lightly. That was something that was well talked through from owners down to leadership down to myself and (head coach) Mikey (Varas), and has been communicated with the rest of the group. So we’re working with him and his representatives to find the best solution and the best environment for him moving forward.”

Lozano left PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands to sign a four-year deal with San Diego. He made $7,633,333 last season, ranking fifth among all players in MLS and complicating a potential transfer.

Heaps said Lozano's ability within San Diego’s desired style of play was a factor in the breakup. While Lozano had moments of success, Danish winger Anders Dreyer emerged as San Diego's best player and offensive focal point, scoring 19 goals and earning MLS Best XI honors as the league's newcomer of the year.

Lozano excelled at times in Varas' possession-heavy style of play, but he wasn't included on the roster for two late-season matches amid reports of the altercation in San Diego's locker room. Lozano vaguely apologized for his actions on social media, saying he was "proud to be a part of the club’s journey for many years to come.”

But Lozano returned to the roster largely as a reserve during the postseason, and now the club is moving on without a key attraction in its attempts to win over San Diego's large Mexican-American population.

“There’s no one moment that you can pinpoint,” Heaps said when asked whether the locker room altercation affected the club's decision. “It was more a wholly collective decision that we made on behalf of the group. We’re looking at not only short-term success, but also long-term how this club is built for the future.”

Lozano has been expected to be a part of Mexico's roster for its home World Cup this summer, but he likely will have to find a club landing spot quickly to gain the match sharpness necessary to contribute.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/soccer

FILE - San Diego FC midfielder Hirving "Chucky" Lozano (11) plays during the second half of MLS soccer's Western Conference semifinal against Minnesota United Nov. 24, 2025, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)