I want to thank the dozens of people (edit – now hundreds and counting) who’ve reached out to us with their support after being shut down by Hays County. We have barely told anyone, not emailed our list or posted this message wide and it is touching. It has helped to restore the faith in people that has been robbed by our politicians and government.
This is not the Hays County I was born in, grew up in, that so many businesses have moved to be free of regulation that have made this area great and put it on the map. They are the reason why so many moved here or travel here. The caliche road is a hallmark of the area. Anyone who grew up here knows this. We see them when we frequent the businesses that have grown and achieved the American dream before changes were made to the code just this year in January that are big business friendly, not small business.
Further, we were working on becoming compliant and had obtained quotes on how to do so from local business and told we had until Dec 31 to do so. The additional requirement into 2021 of a septic system makes these goals very unachievable to raise capital while shut down, and these new regulations have ended not just ours, but many other businesses in Hays County. They said we must have two sheriffs onsite directing traffic to stay open which would cost $430 a show minimum. We make less than that in revenue let alone profit on many of our shows, and would reduce us to sub minimum wage hourly levels with admin and other costs of running a business.

This has not been an easy year as we lost our job and work due to COVID, we tried to make the best from the worst situation. To personify the American spirit of ingenuity and creativity even when times seem the darkest we knew there was light on the other side in the idea of our mini drive-in theater, not just for us, but for the community. We put all of our savings into this. It is tough.

I am sad that we will no longer be able to give back a percentage of our monthly profits to local non-profits as we have with Foster Village and PAWS Shelter of Central Texas. I am sad we cannot hold events for Fellowship of Christian Athletes again, for the Girl Scouts as we did to benefit Helping Hands. There was so much more we wanted to give back to, and were giving back besides a COVID safe place in this very rough year for everyone.

I do want to thank the aide to our House of Representatives Roger Williams, the only public official to express empathy for our situation. Her contacts are only at the state and federal level, but she so perfectly summed up the situation after being told of the challenges we faced with the words, “How does one ever even start a small business?”

In the meantime if you wish to support us now, our projector and screen are not only the highest quality cinematic screen available it is also portable. Reach out to info@drippingspringsdrivein.com for more information. We can bring this across central Texas and the Austin and also help with licensing films for public performance.

Ever the entrepreneur, we are working on a way to stay in business and keeping the faith.

I’m going to be very sad to not be there for Halloween, to not show the new movies we were finally able to book like Princess Bride, Home Alone, Star Wars, and more. I am beyond sad to lay off our three employees who made me so proud, and truly are what makes this area so great.

We’ll see you down the road.