"Teton View Drive-In, Rexburg, ID 2006" photo credit: Darren Clark | click to see larger

by Dallan Wright

A few posts back we showed an old advertisement for the Teton Drive-In.  Since that time Michael Cousin added a comment about how he enjoyed being the kitchen manager of the “Teton-Vu” (current name).  He told how cram-car-night is no longer an option because movie companies don’t allow it, and that spurred a couple other questions I’ve had.  Michael agreed to fill us in and here’s the result.  Thanks Michael for taking the time to inform us, as well as thanks to Darren Clark for providing the wonderful time-lapse photographs of the Teton Vu.  I know I’ll be taking my family this coming summer .

Dallan Wright: It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the drive-in and I was curious if it was shut down for a period of time, and if so when was it resurrected?

Michael Cousin: The Teton-Vu has been closed for the better part of 10 years, opening sporadically at best. The owners of the property have been the same, but they don’t actually run the theater. It has been leased and run by several people over the years, but for one reason or another they have usually only stayed open one season. This past year (2009) was the first year we have done it. The people who leased the theater are the same people who own the Paramount Twin and Holiday 3 theaters in Rexburg now (they’ve owned the Paramount for about 15 years, and bought the Holiday only a year ago), so they know how to run entertainment in Rexburg. This year the landlord did quit a few physical improvements to give it a fresh look, and we brought in projection equipment and other modern equipment that made things easier.

Dallan: What have been the biggest challenges in getting customers?

Michael: The biggest challenge for getting customers is really just making sure people know we are there. We are a little out of town, so a lot of people will never drive past and see we are open. We’ve tried to market the best we can to the community, but there are still people I talk to who didn’t know we were even open last summer.

Dallan: How many movies do you show in a night? Do you still have dusk-till-dawn showings?

Michael: We show a double feature most nights. During most of the summer we are open six days a week (closed Sunday) and show both features every night starting at dusk.

"Family at Teton Vu Drive-In, Rexburg, ID 2006" photo credit: Darren Clark | click to see larger

Dallan: Are the window speakers still in use or do you transmit over AM or FM?

Michael: The window speakers were taken out of the theater before we took over, so we transmit the audio over an FM transmitter to you car or a portable radio.

Dallan: What’s the best food you serve and what’s the biggest seller?

Michael: Now the food is really where my expertise is best. We have a great lineup of food, but our biggest sellers would have to our burgers. We went to great lengths to get a classic style burger that isn’t what you get at fast food joints. We also had our Grand Teton Burger, which had 2 quarter pound patties, 2 slices of cheese, and then you can put on whatever you want from tomatoes, lettuce, onions, pickles, ketchup, mustard, ranch, mayonnaise, or our own brand of fry sauce. We hand cut our fries every day on the premises and cook them fresh, never frozen. Our fry sauce is my own recipe and is the best fry sauce out there in my opinion (but my wife say’s I’m biased).

Most of the money from tickets goes back to the movie companies (it doesn’t make us money), so the food and snacks are where we pay for our employees, power, and all the equipment it takes to show a movie. Because the money is made through selling food, it’s important to support your local theaters through buying their offerings, and we do our best to keep prices as low as possible. At the drive-in you can get complete meals, so we try to open early for families to come eat and play on our lawn, and have a great evening that includes a movie or two.

Dallan: What’s the best reason to come to the drive-in versus hitting a traditional theater?

Michael: The difference between a traditional theater and a drive-in is the experience. I remember going to the drive-in as a kid and it was great. All the cars, the people outside watching a movie, huddling together to keep warm, and eating the great food you don’t get anywhere else. If you want perfect lighting and the latest sound system, go to an indoor theater, but for a great family experience there is nothing like the drive-in.