End of an era: Former Skyview Drive-In memorabilia being auctioned
The Skyview Drive-In sign is among the items up for auction. (Photo courtesy of Skyview Drive-in)
A wooden refreshment sign from Skyview Drive-In is among memorabilia up for auction. (Photo courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction)
Courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction
Courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction
This drive-in concession stand sign is being sold to the highest online bidder.
Courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction
Courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction
Courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction
Dining booths are part of the Skyview Drive-In online auction.
Courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction
Courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction
Snack lovers will enjoy having this popcorn machine for movie night.
Movie posters are among memorabilia being auctioned from the drive-in. (Photo courtesy of Joe R. Pyle Auction)
news@greenecountymessenger.com
From movie posters to concession stand equipment, a slice of Americana will go to the highest bidders as part of an online auction of the former Skyview Drive-in in Carmichaels.
Even the familiar roadside Skyview sign beckoning Greene County moviegoers to park for an evening of entertainment is being auctioned by Joe R. Pyle Complete Auction & Realty Service.
The drive-in was purchased by Advanced Masonry Construction & Consulting of Carmichaels, whose plans for the property have not been disclosed.
“They’re going to be doing some different things with the property and they’ve commissioned us to sell all of the contents,” said auctioneer Jordan Kiger. “There’s a lot of nostalgic type items that we’ll be selling.”
The drive-in opened in the late 1940s and was last owned by Charles and Elizabeth Walker, who bought the venue in 2007 and operated it until their deaths, within 10 days of each other, in October 2021.
In its heyday, the drive-in would host as many as 800 people on some nights.
In addition to showing movies, a variety of activities were held at the drive-in, including Trunk or Treat, Christmas events featuring Santa Claus and car shows, which were a personal favorite of Elizabeth Walker.
A preview day will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. Monday for people to take a look at all of the items up for auction. High bidders will pick up their items from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 24.
It’s been a popular auction so far, Kiger said, noting the broad range of items on the block. Among them are arcade games, such as pinball machines and a space gun; restaurant equipment, including a pizza oven, deep fryers and Slushie machine; vintage drive-in theater speakers, and high-quality cinema sound systems and projectors, some of which date to the early 1900s.
Kiger, a Mount Morris native, said he had never been to the drive-in during its heyday, but it was a place frequented by his father and some of his co-workers.
The venue was originally known as the Carmichaels Drive-In until the name was changed to Skyview in the 1950s.
“We’re expecting the list (of bidders) to continue to grow,” Kiger said. “I feel a lot of people will be participating in this auction to grab their last piece of their childhood memory.”
Bids are being accepted until 6 p.m. Tuesday and may be placed at https://bid.joerpyleauctions.com/ui/auctions/96859/.