SoCal Wheels and Reels offers drive-in movies on Huntington Harbour

Matthew Cramer was trying to set up a car show that could highlight his son Cole’s automotive business.

He lived close to the Stoney Harbour space in Huntington Beach, located along Warner Avenue. It seemed like the ideal locale, so Cramer connected with Michael Shorey of Stoney’s Pizza, who could rent out the space.

“I said, ‘We want do a car show,’” Matthew Cramer said. “They were just starting to go into the food trucks every Wednesday, and I just happened to be at the right place. Mike goes, ‘You’ve got to do more than one,’ and I said, ‘OK, all the way to Oct. 30.’”

The car show idea has turned into the big picture show.

Cramer and his three sons launched SoCal Wheels & Reels, a drive-in movie experience at Stoney Harbour, on Aug. 14. Every Friday night through the end of October, they will be showing a movie on an 18-foot-tall screen overlooking the ocean.

For a $100 fee per car, visitors get live music and comedy from 6 to 8 p.m., with the movie starting after that. There’s also a food truck on site, and each car receives a $20 credit with the entry price, though outside food and drink is permitted.

Wheels & Reels showed the original version of “Gone in 60 Seconds” for the first Friday night, and “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” last week. The featured film this week is the surfing classic “The Endless Summer,” which seems appropriate for Surf City.

The space can accommodate 40 cars with proper social distancing during the novel coronavirus pandemic, and Cramer, 58, and his sons are working hard to make the movie night more accessible. Walk-ins and people on bicycles will also be allowed starting this Friday, for $18 per person.

The band named Soli, with Don Kilcullen at left and Soli Satele at right, perfomed for movie-goers before “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” played on Friday.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

“People walk by and go, ‘What are you guys doing?’” said Matthew Cramer, a retired chiropractor. “I think it can take off, with the weather being nice this week and Labor Day weekend coming up.”

It’s a family affair, as Xander and Cole Cramer, both 23, are handling the website and Miles Cramer, 21, is taking care of publicity online.

Soli Satele, who calls his genre of music “island soul,” has been managing the company’s Instagram and Facebook presence.

“People have always labeled me as a reggae artist, but then if I go to a full-blown reggae concert they don’t know where to put me,” Satele said. “Then if I go to a R&B/soul venue, they go, ‘You’re too reggae for us to book you.’”

Satele is one of two musicians who perform at Wheels & Reels, along with Don Kilcullen of the Irish band Alehouse Fire. Each said they are grateful for the opportunity, as other performances have been cancelled due to COVID-19.

Zach Hale, who met the family as he works across the street from Cole’s 320 Industries automotive shop in Huntington Beach, provides the screen. Hale owned a company called Utah Outdoor Cinema in Salt Lake City and hopes to officially launch HB Outdoor Cinema soon.

Overall, it has taken teamwork to make Wheels & Reels come together.

Movie-goers enjoy “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” at a temporary drive-in theater called SoCal Wheels & Reels on Friday. Organizer Matthew Cramer will continue the outdoor movies until the end of summer.

(Raul Roa / Staff Photographer)

“We’re all just trying to work toward one common goal,” Cole Cramer said. “It was kind of a way to get a bunch of local start-up businesses together and get everybody moving.”

The drive-in movie has been popular during the pandemic. Starlite has been offering a drive-in movie each night at Fashion Island and the Irvine Spectrum, for $50 to $60 per car, but Wheels & Reels is aiming for something different.

“We’re trying to create a unique experience,” Xander Cramer said. “There are tons of drive-ins around, but who’s doing it on the water in Huntington Beach? It’s such a gorgeous view that it’s really just hard to top … We want a little bit more of an intimate, family-based experience.”

Cole Cramer called his father as being on “foot duty” to publicize the drive-in. Matthew smiled and called it “guerrilla marketing,” how he hangs out around Huntington Beach with a tablet trying to promote Wheels & Reels.

“If we break even, I’m still OK, but I don’t think we will,” he said. “I think we’ll do OK.”

Matthew, a single father who now sees his boys all grown up, is valuing the experience regardless of any financial motivation.

“It’s great to be with my kids and have this awesome adventure,” he said. “We’re just having a good time.”

For more information and upcoming movies, visit socalwheelsandreels.com.

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