26-Year-Old Opened The First Black-Owned Drive-In Movie Theater In Houston

Grab your popcorn and get to the theater!

A 26-year-old man opened the first Black-owned drive-in-theater in Houston, Texas, Click 2 Houston reports.

Khairi Sharif is the owner of Space City Shows, a new drive-in movie theater just east of downtown Houston. Sharif said he first got the idea during quarantine due to the pandemic, boredom pushing him to get creative about a way to see a movie while not sitting by strangers. He eventually began researching how to open a drive-in movie theater, learning about licensing, liabilities, and screen projectors. With the help of his family and friends, he was able to get his dream off the ground. 

 

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“People say that idle time is the devil’s workshop, but for me it got my creative juices flowing. It was a huge feat in some people’s eyes, being a young Black man that I was able to accomplish this,” Sharif said. 

Space City Shows features a 20-by-40-foot screen supported by shipping containers. Tickets can be purchased online for $30 per car with shows at 8:30pm and 11:00pm on Fridays and Saturday. Parking spaces are assigned on a first come first serve basis. Sharif says he hopes his dream can inspire other Black youth to follow their passion and make it happen. 

“It’s a new place to quarantine. The best seats in the house are the ones you bring. This is something that I feel that [Black youth] can see as attainable,” said Sharif. 

The current season ends November 27, check out the website for more information here. 

Congratulations Khairi! Third Ward stand up!

Photo Courtesy of @ferrarikhairi/Instagram