Haar’s Drive-In will be showing movies this summer, but with property up for sale, the future is still unclear – PennLive
The fate of Haar’s Auction and Drive-In has been uncertain since November of 2019, when Haar’s Incorporated president Vickie Hardy found a For Sale sign on the Dillsburg property.
As of March 11, that buyer has not yet appeared.
“We’ve been in contact with the realtor and we are aware that it’s still up for sale, and that they’re still entertaining offers,” Hardy said.
The land on which the auction house and drive-in movie theater operate was originally owned by company founder Vance Haar, but was sold to Giant Food Stores in 2003. Haar’s Incorporated has leased the land from the grocery store chain ever since.
A statement from Giant Food Stores later that November explained that the company had decided to sell the land after a review of their real estate portfolio, to “ensure it meets strategic priorities.” Their hope, however, was that whoever bought the land allowed the drive-in to continue operating there.
To that end, Haar’s Incorporated threw their own hat in the ring.
“I know that we did make an offer [on the property],” Hardy said. “But it was not something they were willing to accept.”
- READ MORE: Giant aims to sell land leased by Haar’s Drive-In, leaving fate of movie theater uncertain
But even with the possibility of an eventual sale, Hardy said that Haar’s Auction and Drive-In is “absolutely” still moving forward, and that “everything is still running as normal.”
The auction house on the property operates year-round and has been conducting business as usual, with another regularly scheduled Friday auction planned for March 13.
Furthermore, the drive-in movie theater will resume it’s regular schedule once the summer starts, Hardy said.
“We were going to open a little earlier, but we just spoke with a booking agent,” she said. “And because of the virus concern that’s out there, some of the movies are being delayed in when they’re opening. So at this point in time, we’re on hold.”
- READ MORE: Coronavirus in Pennsylvania
The Haar’s Drive-In operates from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and 2020 will be no exception – even if Giant Food Stores approves a sale tomorrow.
“There still will be a six month window [before the sale can be finalized],” Hardy said. “So that means we’re still going to be open for drive-in season. We’re definitely going to be open for drive-in season.”
And while their offer was rejected, Hardy and the rest of Haar’s Incorporated is still hoping to secure the ownership of the property once more.
“I know that what they’re asking for, we cannot come up with that kind of money,” Hardy said. “I can share that we have been in contact with our local politicians at the township, and even the seller Giant, everyone has the same interest: to keep the drive-in going. Not just this year, but in the future. I think we have good working relationships with the people who can make it happen, so we’re still hopeful.”
“Even if we do get our six-month window, this will still not be our last season,” she concluded. “We’re hopeful.”
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