Loan from Turtle native helps Circus Drive-In stay open
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Customers crowd under the A-frame carport at Circus Drive-in in Beloit.
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Brad Bowman of Beloit uses the Servus Fone intercom to order for himself and Joan Grice from the comfort of their Yukon at Circus Drive-in in Beloit.
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Mackenzy O'Grady, 7, enjoys a cheeseburger on the picnic tables at Circus Drive-in in Beloit.
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Buddy Davis displays one of the heavily worn tokens that were once used for rides at Circus Drive-in. Rides will soon be returning to the restaurant.
BELOIT TOWNSHIP — After months of depressing stories about the international business climate, wouldn't it be nice to read some good news?
One that involves the kindness of strangers?
And french fries?
Here you go:
The iconic Circus Drive-In, 3535 S. Riverside Drive, Beloit, has been saved from closing.
Owners Buddy and Nicole Davis had until July 8 to make good on a $70,000 land contract with the former owner of the bright red and yellow A-frame restaurant between Janesville and Beloit.
The two have put about $40,000 into cleaning and renovating the building since they bought it in 2007, Nicole said. Business has been good, but not good enough to get another loan, she said.
"We went to several banks," she said. "As soon as you mention, 'Restaurant,' they all run."
Then The Beloit Daily News ran a story about the drive-in's plight.
Days before the deadline, a stranger called from South Beloit, Ill.
The stranger had read the story. He asked Buddy if he still was having financial problems and said he wanted to help.
"It was just that simple," Buddy said.
The caller was Rick Holmes, the owner of Qualified Reprographic Service, 537 Blackhawk Blvd., South Beloit, Ill.
Holmes didn't stop by to see the drive-in or ask about a business model. He just came up with the cash, Davis said.
Holmes is a Turtle Township native who remembered the Circus Drive-In, which opened in 1957 as The Golden Point.
As a kid, Holmes had been fond of the Toot-n-Tell, a drive-in up the road from the Circus Drive-In.
Holmes had some money to invest from selling his family dairy farm in Turtle Township, he said. The nostalgia of the Circus Drive-In appealed to him.
It reminded him of the story of the family from whom he bought his printing business last year.
They had been in business for 20 years and didn't want to sell to someone who would shut the doors, Holmes said.
"When I read the story in the newspaper, I thought, 'Maybe that's something for me to look into,'" Holmes said. "I just kind of shifted who they make the payments to on terms that enable them to keep it open."
Buddy's son, Lonnie, chipped in money as did Christine Charbonneau, the owner of The Little Bistro, 315 State St., Beloit.
The Davises know they have a lot of work ahead of them to keep business hopping. They have plans to paint the red A-frames back to their original gold and to clean the golden point on the roof.
Buddy hopes to enclose part of the restaurant for indoor dining.
Even more exciting are the plans to bring back kiddie rides to the lot around the drive-in.
Buddy was so excited about the rides he dashed out of an interview to grab a box of red and yellow tokens.
He pulled out one that has been worn dull from many uses. The words "Good for one ride" were faded in a ring around the edges.
"Just look at this," Buddy said. "Just think of all the rides this represents. How many little hands held this?
"It's kind of like we're recycling time," Buddy said.
Jul 13, 2009 at 10:52 a.m.
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I loved the Circus Drive In when I was a kid!! I grew up in beloit and went occasionally when we could afford to go out. I also loved the drive in movie theatres! What a wonderful thing to be able to take all the kids & mom & dad and see family friendly movies together, A lost art IMO. You can still go to drive in movies in Monroe and Jefferson though. I also miss the downtown theatres that use to be in Beloit & Janesville too. The park theatre was so ornate and you could see free movies with your kids once a month or once a week, I don't remember how often, but it was in the summer! Wow! that's a walk down memory lane!
Jul 12, 2009 at 8:51 p.m.
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What Beloit could use is a great German restaurant like Schultz's. It was on Liberty by Madison Rd.
Jul 12, 2009 at 4:57 p.m.
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That was a great story.....
Jul 12, 2009 at 3:03 p.m.
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I'm so stoked they're bringing back the rides and that there are still cool people who can help others.
Great story, Ann Marie!
Jul 12, 2009 at 2:49 p.m.
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I didn't really mean that the car makers were in cahoots with the drive-ins, I just meant that the public was being encouraged to think that everyone needed a car, and a big one at that. I had just recently read the story of GM buying and immediately scrapping U.S. electric trolley and streetcar systems in the '30s and '40s in an attempt to sell more gasoline-powered cars and buses. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Ameri...
Jul 12, 2009 at 1:53 p.m.
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Eksreigh - A big car just for drive-in entertainment purposes? Bit of a stretch in logic there. I think the size of vehicles had more to do with family size (often four kids or more back in the 60s) or "conspicuous consumption". But what the heck, let's say all the auto makers were in cahoots with drive-ins across the country, god bless 'em for promoting entertainment the whole family could enjoy week after week! Put the kids in their jammies, pack a cooler and off ya went. If you had money, you could partake in that delicious Castleberry's Pit Cooked barbeque, or light a PIC to keep the 'skeeters away. I can see the dancing popcorn boxes now...
Jul 12, 2009 at 10:15 a.m.
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I know drive-in restaurants and drive-in movies were big in the '60s, but doesn't it all seem a little bizarre now that we would want to eat or watch movies in our cars? As a kid I sometimes went to them too and the novelty was fun, but now as an adult I can't help but think the population was being bamboozled into thinking that large, roomy cars were necessary for a family's entertainment.
Jul 12, 2009 at 9:11 a.m.
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Awsome! i have so many memories of going here as a kid!
Jul 12, 2009 at 8:41 a.m.
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We need a place that has good home cooking. I am so sick of "theme" food. I am definitely going to check out the Circus and their honey chicken. MMMMMMMMMM
Jul 12, 2009 at 1:46 a.m.
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Zippy, please, we don't need another Mexican restaurant here in Beloit! LOL! I like the name though :)
Jul 11, 2009 at 11:11 p.m.
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I'd like to buy the old Toot-n-Tell, which was also the Honk-n-Hollar, and call it Toot-n-Hollar serving Beloit's hottest Mexican cuisine. too bad the place is turning into dust.
Don't forget Circus's famous Jumbo shrimp basket!
Jul 11, 2009 at 10:28 p.m.
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Great story and I love the suggestions of patronizing the business over the next week. My challenge would be to continue to frequent after your "next" visit.
www.spend-local.com
Jul 11, 2009 at 10:27 p.m.
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ha
Jul 11, 2009 at 8:43 p.m.
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I also grew up down the street from "The Circus". My sister painted the neat signs they had back in '79 or '80 and my brother's friend was a cook there, I think his name was Chip, and he would always make sure my BBQ sandwich was loaded with meat...lol. My very favorite thing about this place is that the menu is the same as it was 25 years ago! I had a Ringmaster Basket today and it was excellent. My hubby loved the deep fried mushrooms and the fries are a big hit with my two daughters. Nicole came out to see how our food was and she's a talker :) I love the personal interaction you get there with the owners. I think they're going to do very well. You should definitely make the trip to Beloit and try the Circus Drive-In.
Jul 11, 2009 at 8:42 p.m.
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Excellent! That's wonderful the Circus Drive-in is back in use. We stopped there on the way to Mid-City Drive-in many times too. My best pal and I were loyal drive-in movie buffs. Even celebrated "opening day" every year, which sometimes meant you had to pack mittens, hats, scarves and find a parking spot between snow piles. lol
Jul 11, 2009 at 7:07 p.m.
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I've also heard good things about The Little Bistro in downtown Beloit, which is a new addition there and sounds like it would be worth checking out.
Jul 11, 2009 at 6:57 p.m.
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Lets all support them by going there to eat the next two weeks. Get your roller skates on people. your going to be busy:-)
Jul 11, 2009 at 6:57 p.m.
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Ahhh...the Midcity Outdoor Theater, now that brings back some memories! Can't go there anymore, but I will be sure to stop into the Circus Drive-In and patronize them.
Jul 11, 2009 at 6:51 p.m.
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we would go there before going to the out door.
Jul 11, 2009 at 6:14 p.m.
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I grew up on Idlewild dr. in the late 70's so we just got to walk across the hwy when I was younger with our friends. What fond memories we had going there to get a flavored icy and fries and sitting on the picnic tables out back. I am so happy to see that we have strangers in this town to give a helping hand out when others need it. What a beautiful thing to do. I thank these people who gave money to help the circus drive in out. Thank so much! Maybe we can still give memories out to other children.
Jul 11, 2009 at 5:08 p.m.
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great story im very happy that someone could help them.there are still a few good people left.glad to hear the circus will stay open.
Jul 11, 2009 at 4:54 p.m.
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YAY!! How awesome!
Jul 11, 2009 at 4:11 p.m.
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What an awesome story. It's nice to see people giving back because they can. When we come back to town we like to go to Circus Drive-in with our daughter. We want her to be able to have fond memories of it like we do.
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