The Motor Vu Drive-In Theater in Idaho Falls is trying something new during the pandemic, in the form of a flea market for local businesses and community members.
The theater’s revenue has suffered like so many other businesses because of the coronavirus pandemic, so the theatre starting looking elsewhere to see what other drive-in theatres are doing besides showing movies to bring in revenue. Jeremy Barry, the operations manager at the theater, said they looked online to see what they could try.
“We thought [that we had] to try this out,” Barry said. “We looked online…and [flea markets] were one of the main things we saw.”
Spots for the flea market start at $50 and people can sign up in-person or online.
Businesses can buy a spot and sell their goods, or community members can set up a stand and have a yard sale.
The theater could host other unique events in the future, but there isn’t any indication from Barry or other employees as to whether that will happen or not.
The theater has been playing classic movies to bring in revenue until it is ready to buy a new digital projector, which will allow the theater to play new movies as they are released by Hollywood. Barry said at this time with no new movies coming out, they can’t justify buying a projector that costs around $40,000.
The flea market takes place on the theater lot from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
If you want more information about the flea market, click here.