Iconic Belleville business is looking for a new owner to keep the films rolling
Skyview Drive-In — a Belleville landmark and one of its longest-running businesses — is for sale.
The drive-in is owned and operated by Steve Bloomer, a third-generation member of the family that has owned it for 77 years.
“The gates are open, the popcorn is popping, and movies will continue to roll for seasons to come,” Gerry Davidson of Prestige Realty Group wrote in an online post.
The Bloomer family is looking for the “next great steward” to keep the drive-in open, Davidson wrote.
Phone messages left for Bloomer and Davidson were not immediately returned.
Skyview Drive-In was recently voted the No. 5 best drive-in theater in the U.S. in the USA Today’s Readers’ Choice Awards. It took the top spot in 2024 and 2025.
Business keeps rolling with the times
Skyview Drive-In opened in July 1949 under the ownership of Bloomer Amusement Company, which included brothers Wesley, Frank (Steve Bloomer’s grandfather) and Tom Bloomer.
The first film shown was “On Our Merry Way” (1948) starring Paulette Goddard, Burgess Meredith, James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and Dorothy Lamour. Tickets cost 60 cents.
From Hollywood’s silver screen legends and elaborate musicals to today’s box office blockbusters, the movie experience changed over the decades, and Skyview kept up.
Today’s Skyview no longer has analog film reels or car window-mounted speakers. Movies are digital and can be heard via radio.
Other changes include widening the original screen from 60 to 115 feet to accommodate Hollywood’s Cinemascope format. The property also saw tornado and wind damage and the addition of a second screen.
Bloomer recently told the BND one of the features of Skyview is the opportunity for movie-goers to socialize.
“The kids can play on the playground, you can socialize with the people that are sitting next to you when the weather’s nice,” said Bloomer, adding that most people bring lawn chairs and portable FM radios and sit out in front of their cars.
About Skyview Drive-In
Skyview Drive-In is located at 5700 North Belt West in Belleville. The box office opens 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday, Wednesday and Thursday.
Admission is $13 per adult. Admission for children 12 and under is one free for paying adult and $3 for each additional child. The box office is cash only. Debit and credit are accepted at the concession stand.
For showtimes and other information, visit skyview-drive-in.com.
This story was originally published June 5, 2026 at 4:03 PM.
