There were more than 100 drive-in movie theaters in Michigan in the 1950s, showing many of the films considered to be classics today. "Ben Hur," "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes" and "Gunfight at the OK Corral" were seen for the first time on the big screens across the state, including the 131 Drive-In in Plainwell.

Today, there are only 10 drive-ins still open in Michigan. The old 131 Drive-In is also still there, complete with the traditional giant screen and concession stand. Approximately 1,400 vehicles fill the 10-acre lot every day, even though a movie hasn't been shown on the screen since 1983. It could be a scene in a science fiction thriller like "The Twilight Zone," but the truth is the old drive-in theater is now the home of Perk's Auto Parts and Salvage.

Chris Finch was working at an auto service shop across the street from the drive-in in the early 1980s when the shop's owner, Terry Perk, purchased an adjacent two-acre lot and decided to expand into the auto recycling business. One of the perks for working at Perk's was that you could see over the fence and watch movies like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and "Animal House" for free.

But it all came to an abrupt end in 1983, right around the time the Star Wars classic, "Return of the Jedi," was playing. After nearly 40 years, the 131 Drive-In was closed and put up for sale.

"The lot had been for sale for almost two years when Terry offered me a partnership opportunity to expand the salvage business. We made an offer on the drive-in contingent on the township issuing us a conditional-use permit. They issued the permit in the fall of 1985, and we moved in immediately," Finch recalled.

The business office started out in the concession stand until a new building was built in 1989. The concession stand remains and is a storage facility for parts. A brake lathe has been set up inside the base of the screen to resurface disk rotors.

"At first we decided not to tear down the screen because of how much that would cost, plus the fact that it really wasn't in the way. Then we discovered that it was a great landmark for driving directions. We're located about a mile out of town and a couple of miles from the expressway and, at least back then, everybody knew where the drive-in was," Finch explained.

Perk retired in 1991, and Finch is now the sole owner. But he is offering a buy-in opportunity to his general manager, Paul Johnson, that is similar to the one Perk offered him.

The business has continued to grow, specializing in late-model cars and light trucks, both domestic and foreign. Perk's Auto Parts and Salvage employs 16 people, and processes approximately 700 vehicles a year. It also has purchase contracts with two insurance companies to insure a steady flow of fresh inventory. Finch is in the process of purchasing an additional 10-acre lot adjacent to the drive-in, as well.

"The concession building is pretty run down now, so we're going to have to tear it down soon," he said. "But the screen is still standing, at least for now."