One of Ontario’s last drive-ins was just snapped up for $1.25 million by the owners of Mexican food brand, Rebel Taco. The Mustang Drive-In, which has served moviegoers in Prince Edward County since 1945, will remain. As for the other nine acres of property? New owners Ian Chislett and Aravind Selvaraj have some big ideas.
The pair first met when Chislett was head chef at a local brewery. A few years before the pandemic, he hired Selvaraj, who had recently ditched mechanical engineering to pursue a career in the culinary arts.
After the chaos of Covid, Chislett decided to start his own business and opened Rebel Taco in 2022, which he describes as a “Tex-Mex state fair”-style taco stall. He offered his friend a job, but Selvaraj decided to open the rival taco stand Arvy’s Street Eats instead, which served up Oaxaca-style, traditional street tacos.
But two years in, they both realized they were getting little pieces of the pie. “If we work together, we could do a better job, have a bit more of a life,” says Chislett. So last year, the two companies joined forces under Rebel Taco. “The fact that our friendship survived that competition is pretty great,” he adds.
With the extra people power and equity, the pair were ready to scale up their operation and set their sights on purchasing the Mustang Drive-In—a dream Chislett held for more than two years. “I’m a bit of a sucker for drive-ins. I always have been,” he says. “It’s just such an experience, and I thought that would be a pretty cool thing to be a part of.”
The previous owners, Dawn Laing and Drew Downs, had purchased the drive-in in 2019 and transformed the place over several years. “They kind of saved this drive-in. They upgraded water systems, electrical systems, and added new hydro poles,” says Chislett. “I think they enjoy saving businesses. They invested a ton in the land.”
Now, Selvaraj and Chislett are gearing up to bring something fresh, fun, and affordable to the PEC entertainment scene.
The goal, Chislett says, is to offer activities the whole family can enjoy. They have plans for a beer garden; family-friendly lawn games, such as bocce ball; and they’re building the biggest sandbox in the county. On top of that, the Avry’s Street Eats and Rebel Taco will have stands offering their signature grub into the night when the cars pull up for the latest flick.
Spoiler alert: Chislett says they’ll likely open with Nacho Libre. Down the line, they hope to have more themed movie nights where the food matches the film. “We might play Pulp Fiction and do Royales with Cheese and milkshakes, or get a local seafood place to do a pop-up with us and put the Little Mermaid on,” says Chislett.
On a regular night, however, the menu will include staples, such birria tacos, chimichangas, and walking tacos (a Doritos bag filled with taco toppings). Chislett says they also want to incorporate QR code ordering, so audience members don’t have to leave their car for mid-movie tacos.
The revived Mustang Dive-In is set to reopen between mid-May and Victoria Day and will run into September, when Chislett says they plan to fill the slower nights with live music and stand-up comedy performances. The day-time operations will run from 12 to 7 p.m., with movies to commence around 7:30.
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