Toms River, NJ – The drive-in movie theaters of Toms River once stood as community icons along Route 37 and Vaughn Avenue. Their large screens illuminated the night skies, beckoning movie lovers for an evening of cinematic escape nestled within the comfort of their cars. The humble township of Toms River boasted two drive-ins that were more than just venues for watching films; they were social rendezvous where memories were crafted under the starlit skies.
The drive-in theaters emerged as part of the booming drive-in culture of the mid-20th century, capturing the essence of American pop culture. Toms River was no exception to this trend, with its drive-ins acting as significant social hubs for the local community. These theaters thrived for several decades before the tides of change swept them away, leaving behind a legacy of shared experiences.
The Walter Reade Theaters opened a drive-in on Route 37 in the late 1940s, where the plaza that was previously home to K-mart sits. It had a 400-car capacity. Ten years later, Playdrome, a bowling alley, opened next door to the theater, making it one of the days for teens, young adults, and families. The movie theater shuttered in the early 70s.
The second theater was the Bay Drive-in, which opened in July of 1949. That drive-in held 300 vehicles initially and was later expanded to 650. Later, the Walter Reade Theatre Service would take over the drive-in before it too closed in the early 1970s.
That gave way to the Ocean County Mall in 1976, offering a completely new way to watch movies, shop, and have dinner all in the same place.
As time marched on, indoor theaters started to dot the landscape of Toms River. The Ocean County Mall Cinema, Dover Cinema, and another along Route 37 became the new havens for movie aficionados. However, like their drive-in predecessors, these, too, faced closure, gradually dimming the vibrant cinematic culture of the township. The theater in Ocean County Mall bid adieu, followed by Dover Cinema and the Cinema Alley theater on Route 37, each leaving a void reminiscing of Friday nights filled with popcorn and celluloid dreams.
Cinema Alley and the Dover Cinema were each dealt a blow when the Seacourt Pavillion opened. They managed to extend their lives by hosting b-films, older movies, and even the Rocky Horror Picture Show, but the end was imminent for both.
The most recent closure came with a heavy heart as the Seacourt Pavilion Theater shuttered its doors. Since the 1980s, this theater has been a cinematic home to many. The departure of the Seacourt Pavilion Theater left the Marquee Cinemas – Orchard 10 as the solitary bearer of the cinematic torch in Toms River.
Now standing as the last theater in town, the Marquee Cinemas – Orchard 10 encapsulates modern-day movie-going with its recliner seats, advanced screen, and sound technology. While it offers a comfortable and state-of-the-art viewing experience, the tales of drive-in movie nights under a canopy of stars resonate through the hearts of Toms River’s long-time residents.
No story about the history of movie theaters in Toms River is complete without the Traco Theater in Toms River. It started back in the 1920s until it burned down in 1962. It was rebuilt, and in the early 2000s, a second effort to revive the small downtown theater with old movies eventually failed, too.
The evolution of cinematic experience in Toms River mirrors the broader narrative of changing times. Yet, the nostalgia of the drive-in theaters and the memories forged in the quaint cinemas of yesteryears echo through the lanes of Toms River, painting a picture of a town deeply rooted in communal cinematic experiences.