When Lauren McChesney handed her movie ticket to Matt McClanahan at a Pennsylvania drive-in theater in 2018, neither could have imagined they would soon become the guardians of America’s oldest continuously operating outdoor cinema.
Their love story, which began at the ticket booth, has blossomed into something far more significant than romance — it’s become a testament to the enduring power of faith, commitment, and cultural preservation in an age that too often discards the treasures of the past.
The couple’s journey from that first meeting to their engagement in August mirrors the kind of patient, purposeful courtship that Catholic teaching celebrates. But their decision to purchase Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre in Orefield, Pennsylvania, represents something even deeper: a willingness to sacrifice financial security for the preservation of authentic American culture and community gathering spaces.
“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?” McClanahan rhetorically asked about their decision to abandon plans for a new theater and instead rescue the historic venue that first opened its gates on April 15, 1934.
Shankweiler’s holds the distinction of being Pennsylvania’s first drive-in and only the nation’s second, opening just one year after the industry began in Camden, New Jersey. What Wilson Shankweiler, a prominent hotel owner and movie enthusiast, originally called “Shankweiler’s Park-In Theatre” represented the innovative American entrepreneurial spirit that built this nation — the same spirit that Catholic social teaching recognizes as essential to human flourishing and economic justice.
Drive-in theaters peaked in the late 1950s with more than 4,000 locations nationwide, according to the United Drive-In Theatre Owners Association. By 2024, only 283 remained. The rapid decline in the 1970s and 80s reflected broader cultural shifts as communities abandoned shared experiences for individualized entertainment and developers transformed gathering spaces into strip malls and subdivisions.
McClanahan, 35, grew up patronizing Shankweiler’s and had managed another drive-in before starting a mobile movie business during the coronavirus pandemic. McChesney, 41, had never experienced a drive-in before 2018 and left a stable corporate position in healthcare to join this preservation effort. Their decision required pooling their savings and securing a $1 million loan — a leap of faith that McClanahan says still feels surreal.
“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,” he reflected.
But their success demonstrates what happens when principled people commit to preserving institutions that strengthen families and communities. The drive-in operates seven days a week from Memorial Day to Labor Day, then Thursdays through Sundays the rest of the year, with tickets priced affordably at $9 for children and $13 for adults. Special events like Valentine’s Day screenings of “The Notebook” and the occasional blockbuster like “Wicked” draw strong attendance.
Ken Querio, 52, of Kutztown has been visiting Shankweiler’s since his teenage years and recently sought out the new owners before a screening of “Jaws” specifically to thank them. “It’s wonderful to have an old-school, an old venue like this still going,” he told them.
Such gratitude reflects something profound about human nature that Catholic teaching has long recognized — we are created for community, for shared experiences that bind us together across generations. Drive-in theaters represent a distinctly American form of this communal gathering, where families can enjoy entertainment together in their own vehicles, maintaining both togetherness and individual family space.
The couple’s approach to their engagement reveals the same thoughtful prioritization that Catholic teaching encourages in all aspects of life. As McChesney explained, “We knew we’d eventually get married, but we kept doing other things instead, like starting businesses and buying movie theaters.” The success of their business partnership played a role in their engagement timing, demonstrating the wisdom of building a solid foundation for their future family.
Their story resonates with the Catholic principle of vocation — the calling to serve God through one’s work and relationships. By preserving Shankweiler’s, McClanahan and McChesney have answered a calling that extends far beyond personal profit. They’ve chosen to be stewards of a cultural institution that brings families together for wholesome entertainment in an era when such opportunities grow increasingly rare.
The drive-in’s survival during the pandemic, when outdoor entertainment suddenly became essential, proved the enduring wisdom of preserving traditional gathering spaces. While other entertainment venues shuttered, drive-ins experienced a renaissance as families sought safe ways to maintain community connections.
This preservation effort reflects broader conservative principles about the importance of cultural continuity and the dangers of allowing market forces alone to determine what institutions survive. Sometimes the most valuable things — strong marriages, historic venues, community traditions — require sacrifice and commitment that transcends immediate financial calculations.
As McClanahan and McChesney prepare for marriage, they’ve already demonstrated the kind of partnership that Catholic teaching celebrates: mutual support, shared sacrifice for worthy goals, and commitment to something larger than themselves. Their success at Shankweiler’s proves that when people of faith engage culture with both business acumen and genuine love for community, remarkable preservation becomes possible.
The survival of America’s oldest operating drive-in theater offers hope that other threatened cultural institutions can be saved through the dedication of individuals willing to invest their lives in preserving what matters most.
In an age of digital isolation and cultural fragmentation, McClanahan and McChesney have created a space where families can still gather under the stars, sharing stories and creating memories that span generations!
