Birmingham, AL (9325 Parkway East)

9325 Parkway East, Store #372 (also known as Roebuck) was a Showbiz Pizza Place that opened in May 1983 with a Rock-afire Classic Stage.

They would be converted, and go through the Concept Unification process in an unknown date, likely early 1991, with the Classic Stage being retrofitted for a 3-Stage. Roebuck would eventually close permanently in 2007 for an unknown reason, with the whole shopping center being demolished for a Walgreen's, which is still open to this day.

This location should not be confused with Birmingham, AL (500 Old Town Rd), which opened in 1982, and is still open to this day.

This location should also not be confused with Birmingham, AL (4647 Hwy 280), which opened in February 2013, and is still open to this day.

History

Birmingham (Roebuck) opened in May 1983 on 9325 Parkway East Rd, as the second Showbiz Pizza Place in Birmingham, after 500 Old Town Rd opened in 1982. That would also make it the 6th Showbiz in Alabama, and the 182nd Showbiz Pizza Place to open in general. Unfortunately, barely any information on Birmingham as a Showbiz Pizza has surfaced, and no video has been found, and merely likely a few pictures. In an unknown date, likely 1991, they would receive Concept Unification, and would have the Classic Stage retrofitted into a 3-Stage. It is unknown if they kept the Showbiz Pizza sign post-CU, or if it was replaced. In the 1990s-2000s, they would remodel to Phase 2 and Phase 3 respectively, and they would remain at the location until closure.

Closure

In late 2007, the Roebuck Chuck E. Cheese closed permanently, after 24 years in operation in the area. The reason, to this day is still unknown, but the likely answer is that the shopping center it was in was practically abandoned by that point and the Chuck E. Cheese was the only thing left open. In early 2008, demolition began after the closure. The entire shopping center was demolished by early 2008 and Chuck E. Cheese was repurposed. Construction finished in mid 2008, when a Walgreen's opened in the space.

Stages

Originally, when this location opened, they had the standard Classic Stage at every Showbiz Pizza location. In an unknown year, likely 1991, the location would get Concept Unification and would turn the Classic Stage into a 3-Stage, which would be kept until the location's closing, Uniquely, the Helen at this location would have a green cheerleader outfit in the 1990s, much like Huntsville, AL (1220 Jordan Lane), and Mobile, AL (710 Downtowner Loop). Munch Jr. was also likely removed before closure. The stage would also go through an unknown fate after the location closed.


Stage	Installed	Removed	Notes
Rock-afire Explosion	1983	1991-1992	7th Showbiz Pizza store to open in Alabama.
3-Stage	1991-1992	2007	One of 7 Showbiz stores in Alabama to undergo Concept Unification. Colored Wink and Pasqually Seat Bricks sent to Madison, TN (2070 Gallatin Pike)

Animatronics

Animatronic	Serial	Whereabouts
Chuck E. Cheese / Rolfe DeWolfe	??-8? 1-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Pasqually / Dook Larue	??-8? 2-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Mr. Munch / Fatz Geronimo	??-8? 3-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Jasper T. Jowls / Beach Bear	??-8? 4-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Helen Henny / Mitzi Mozzarella	??-8? 5-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Billy Bob	??-8? 6-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Pizzacam / Looney Bird	??-8? 7-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Munch Jr. / Choo Choo	??-8? 8-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Building / Sun	??-8? 10-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Moon	??-8? 11-??	Unknown/Destroyed
Antioch	N/A	Unknown/Destroyed
Wink	N/A	Sent to Madison, Tennessee (2070 Gallatin Pike), now destroyed.

Gallery

Roebuck in the process of demolition (June 2008) (PC: Google Maps)

Videos


Link	Description	Filming Date
Link	Birthday Party	February 28th, 1998
Link	Birthday 2002; this was taken a few days before the store's closure according to the uploader.	November 2007