Panama City, FL (4432 US-98): Difference between revisions

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Panama City, FL (4432 US-98) was a Showbiz Pizza Place/Chuck E. Cheese that opened on May 7, 1986 and closed in Spring 2007.

Stages

When this store first opened, it featured a Rock-afire Explosion stage, as all Showbiz locations did. The stage would undergo Concept Unification in June 1991. Not much information is known about its stage, but the condition of it had reportedly deteriorated by 2006 and would not be repaired by the location's closure the following year. It is notable that this location kept its Munch Jr. animatronic and white carpet throughout its entire lifespan.

History

The building that would later house this location was built in or before 1980, and was originally home to a rustic home furnishings store called Cape Craftsmen Factory Seconds. Because of the business’ nature, the building’s frame resembled a barn, hence the store’s distinct shape even after being remodeled. After its closure in 1982/1983, a Western themed restaurant called the Frontier Club occupied it from January to June 1985, when it was sold to Dr. Palep Rao, a local gastroenterologist and future Showbiz franchisee.

Remodeling began in February 1986, and the first ads for the location were printed in April 1986, teasing a May opening. It held its grand opening as a Showbiz Pizza Place on May 7, 1986 as the last Showbiz Pizza Place to open in Florida, and featured the Rock-afire Explosion stage.

Between June 21 and 28, 1991, this store underwent Concept Unification and was billed as a Showbiz Pizza Place until February 1992. In 1993, the exterior signs were updated to the then-current Chuck E. Cheese logo, which would be displayed until its closure.

Not much information is known about this location, but it is believed that it had around 20 games in the arcade room (60 were advertised when it originally opened), and was at least 8,500 square feet.

In April 2006, the store would add a roof to the front entrance. This would be the last remodel that this location received to its exterior, as by May 2007 it would close down for unknown reasons.

In December 2007, Dr. Rao sold the property to a hospitality group, who began demolition of the store in January 2008. Construction on the hotel that sits on the site began in April 2008 and concluded in 2009.

Videos


Link	Description	Filming Date
https://youtu.be/qAIxKRmBNG8?t=487	(Begins at 8:07) Footage of the store's arcade and Rock-afire Explosion stage.	August 1990
https://youtu.be/OFxqkdeSCuA	Footage of animatronics performing Chuck E. LIVE! If You're Happy and You Know It 2000 in 2007.	April 9th, 2007
https://youtu.be/NQSBqGwE_9k	A kid playing Chuck E. Cheese's Ripper Ribbit at this store.	April 8th, 2007
https://youtu.be/AZftLUYHtZc	Family posing for a picture at a birthday party in front of the stage.	March 25th, 2007
https://youtu.be/a4VnTeFEm4Q	Family playing an arcade game together. This video shows a bit of the arcade.	March 25th, 2007
https://youtu.be/Jn1wfcDO6RU	Family preparing for a birthday party in front of the stage.	March 25th, 2007
https://youtu.be/_Z6VVcviU40	Footage of animatronics performing Chuck E. LIVE! If You're Happy and You Know It 2000 in 2006. This video has no audio.	December 17th, 2006

Gallery

Animatronics

Animatronic	Serial	Whereabouts
Chuck E. Cheese / Rolfe DeWolfe	N/A	Unknown
Pasqually the Chef / Dook Larue	N/A	Unknown
Mr. Munch / Fatz Geronimo	N/A	Unknown
Jasper T. Jowls / Beach Bear	N/A	Unknown
Helen Henny / Mitzi Mozzarella	N/A	Unknown
Billy Bob	N/A	Unknown
PizzaCam / Looney Bird	N/A	Unknown
Munch Jr. / Choo Choo	N/A	Unknown
Building / Sun	N/A	Unknown
Moon	N/A	Unknown
Antioch	N/A	Unknown
Wink	N/A	Unknown

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{Stub}}{{Generic|desc=A photo of Panama City's exterior before closure. (PC: LoopNet)|image=PanamaCityFLCECExteriorBeforeClosureHQ1.jpg}}
-'''''Panama City, FL (4432 US-98)''''' was a Showbiz Pizza Place/Chuck E. Cheese that opened in May 1986 (day not found yet) and closed in Spring 2007.
+'''''Panama City, FL (4432 US-98)''''' was a Showbiz Pizza Place/Chuck E. Cheese that opened on May 7, 1986 and closed in Spring 2007.
 ==Stages==
-When this store first opened, it featured a [[Classic Stage|Rock-afire Explosion]] stage, as all Showbiz locations did. The stage would undergo Concept Unification in 1992. Not much information is known about it's stage, but the condition of the stage had deteriorated by 2006 and was like this up until the store's closure. It is notable this location had kept it's Munch. Jr animatronic and the white carpet throughout the store's entire lifespan.
+When this store first opened, it featured a [[Classic Stage|Rock-afire Explosion]] stage, as all Showbiz locations did. The stage would undergo Concept Unification in June 1991. Not much information is known about its stage, but the condition of it had reportedly deteriorated by 2006 and would not be repaired by the location's closure the following year. It is notable that this location kept its Munch Jr. animatronic and white carpet throughout its entire lifespan.
 ==History==
+The building that would later house this location was built in or before 1980, and was originally home to a rustic home furnishings store called Cape Craftsmen Factory Seconds. Because of the business’ nature, the building’s frame resembled a barn, hence the store’s distinct shape even after being remodeled. After its closure in 1982/1983, a Western themed restaurant called the Frontier Club occupied it from January to June 1985, when it was sold to Dr. Palep Rao, a local gastroenterologist and future Showbiz franchisee.
-This location held its grand opening as a Showbiz Pizza Place in May 1986 as the last Showbiz Pizza Place in Florida, featuring the [[Classic Stage|Rock-afire Explosion]] stage as other Showbiz locations had.
+Remodeling began in February 1986, and the first ads for the location were printed in April 1986, teasing a May opening. It held its grand opening as a Showbiz Pizza Place on May 7, 1986 as the last Showbiz Pizza Place to open in Florida, and featured the [[Classic Stage|Rock-afire Explosion]] stage.
-Around 1992, this location received [[Concept Unification]], and would receive a couple remodels as the years went by.
+Between June 21 and 28, 1991, this store underwent [[Concept Unification]] and was billed as a Showbiz Pizza Place until February 1992. In 1993, the exterior signs were updated to the then-current Chuck E. Cheese logo, which would be displayed until its closure.
-Not much information is known about this location, but its been believed that this location had around 20 games in the arcade room, and was around 6,000 square feet.
+Not much information is known about this location, but it is believed that it had around 20 games in the arcade room (60 were advertised when it originally opened), and was at least 8,500 square feet.
-In 2006, the store would add a roof to the front entrance. This would be the last remodel that this location would receive (to it's exterior), as by May 2007, it would close down for unknown reasons, with all the signage remaining up after the store's closure.
+In April 2006, the store would add a roof to the front entrance. This would be the last remodel that this location received to its exterior, as by May 2007 it would close down for unknown reasons.
-In 2009, the site of this place would be demolished for a hotel, being complete the same year, which is what it currently sits as today.
+In December 2007, Dr. Rao sold the property to a hospitality group, who began demolition of the store in January 2008. Construction on the hotel that sits on the site began in April 2008 and concluded in 2009.
 ==Videos==
@@ Line 54: / Line 56: @@
 ==Gallery==
 <gallery>
+File:Showbiz Panama City Opening 050786.jpg
 File:PanamaCityFLCECExteriorBeforeClosureHQ2.jpg
 File:PanamaCityFLCEC1.jpg