Peoria, IL (2601 W Lake Ave)
Exterior of the store with 2005 remodel before getting 2.0. (PC: PJ Hoerr)
2601 West Lake Avenue, Store #360 is a Showbiz Pizza Place/Chuck E. Cheese that opened on December 3, 1982, as a corporate-owned Showbiz Pizza store with a Rock-afire Explosion, and is still open to this day.
It opened on the same day as the Flint, Michigan location. It is also located in the Westland Shopping Center.
Stages
Originally, Peoria featured a Rock-afire Explosion, as all other Showbiz locations did. It was also the 7th Showbiz Pizza Place to open in the state of Illinois.
In 1991, Peoria would receive Concept Unification replacing the Rock-afire Explosion characters with Chuck E. Cheese characters. It's one of 10 Showbiz Pizzas in Illinois to receive Concept Unification.
In August 2019, Peoria received 2.0 and removed their 3-Stage for the Dance Floor and later, the Video Wall.
| Stage | Installed | Removed | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock-afire Explosion | December 1982 | 1991 | 7th Showbiz Pizza to open in Illinois. |
| 3-Stage | 1991 | August 2019 | One of 10 Showbiz Pizza stores in Illinois to undergo Concept Unification. |
| Dance Floor + Video Wall | August 2019 | Still in use | 2019 Model. |
History
Peoria opened on December 3rd, 1982, as the seventh Showbiz Pizza Place in Illinois and was originally a corporate-owned store. originally featured the Rock-afire Explosion, as all other Showbiz locations did. Peoria would have it for a decade with the only change in 1988-1989 is the removal of older SPP decor for newer decor, and the change to the Billy Bob stage layout. In 1991, Peoria would undergo Concept Unification and received the 1988 Remodel removing all traces of SPP like the exterior and decor, adding newer decor, the blue and white awning, the checkers, and replacing the ball pit with CEC's Ball Crawl ball pit. In the mid 90's, Peoria received a minor remodel removing some older decor for newer decor. Peoria would receive the Phase 2 Remodel in the late 90's removing older decor for newer decor, removing the ball pit for SkyTubes and Toddler Zone, and changing the exterior logo. Peoria would then receive the 2010 update to the 2003 "Cool Chuck" Reconfiguration / Major Remodel Initiative in 2011-2012 removing older decor for newer decor, removed Showroom Walls, Balcony Seating, and relocated the stage, redoing the entrance, relocating the salad bar, painted some walls purple, and redoing the entire exterior. Peoria would remain like this until August 2019, when it would receive the 2.0 Remodel removing the 3-Stage for the Dance Floor and Video Wall. Currently, as of right now, Peoria still has the 2.0 Remodel and Dance Floor and Video Wall.
Animatronics
| Animatronic | Serial | Whereabouts |
|---|---|---|
| Rolfe DeWolfe/Chuck E. Cheese | 4-82 1-17 | Destroyed. |
| Dook Larue/Pasqually | 4-82 2-17 | Destroyed. |
| Fatz Geronimo/Mr. Munch | 4-82 3-17 | Destroyed. |
| Beach Bear/Jasper T. Jowls | 4-82 4-17 | Destroyed. |
| Mitzi Mozzarella/Helen Henny | 4-82 5-17 | Destroyed. |
| Billy Bob | 4-82 6-17 | Unknown/Destroyed. |
| Looney Bird/Pizzacam | 4-82 7-17 | Destroyed. |
| Choo Choo/Munch Jr. | 4-82 8-17 | Unknown/Destroyed. |
| Sun/Bulding | 4-82 10-17 | Destroyed. |
| Moon | 4-82 11-17 | Destroyed. |
| Antioch | N/A | Unknown/Destroyed. |
| Wink | N/A | Destroyed. |