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

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.

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Ramer contributed from Concord, New Hampshire.