ShowBiz Pizza Place
ShowBiz Pizza Place was a FEC chain that was founded on March 3, 1980 in Kansas City, Missouri, and was defunct by March 1993 (day unknown) due to Concept Unification. ShowBiz was known for the Rock-afire Explosion, a band created by Aaron Fechter of Creative Engineering. Showbiz had a total of 248 locations ever opened, with the last one opening in Richmond, Virginia.
Prehistory (1979-1980)
As Pizza Time Theatre began offering franchises, it attracted Robert L. Brock the founder of SPP, and in June 1979, Nolan Bushnell and Brock signed an agreement to open as many of 280 locations in 16 states. In late 1979, he noticed other companies making more advanced animatronics, especially Creative Engineering. By December, ShowBiz Pizza Place Inc., giving birth to the ShowBiz Pizza name. Months later, the first location opened in Kansas City.
Rise of ShowBiz (1980-1984/1985)
Instead of the Rock-afire Explosion (which was still in development) they had the Wolf Pack 5, which debuted in 1978 at IAAPA. Instantly after opening, ShowBiz Pizza was sued by Nolan Bushnell over a contract breach. The judge ruled in favor of Pizza Time Theatre in March 1980, forcing SPP to pay some profits to them. ShowBiz then proceeded to open over 200 locations throughout 1980 and 1984, marking a very successful chain, and ultimately became a rival of Chuck E. Cheese. According to a training video dating 1991, they would open location MILES from each other. By 1983, they were at their peak, but later that year, they began to slow down, and by Q4 1983, Showbiz was forced to close a location for the first time, which was in Abilene, Texas. Between 1984 and 1985, they were forced to close down so many locations. Their only possible decision at this point was to purchase their long time rival, Pizza Time Theatre in May 1985, which declared bankruptcy a year prior on March 28, 1984.
Formation of ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc. (1986-November 1989)
In late 1985, both companies were getting ready to merge. More locations were opened, and by early 1986, ShowbBiz Pizza Time Inc. was formed. As a result, ties began to sour with SPT and CEI. The CEI 1986 Liberty Tape Party proved this, and as a result, SPT suspended CEI from the entertainment division until Fall 1987. Chuck E. Cheese himself began appearing at restaurants as well. They retrofitted some locations with Chuck E.'s House, and this proved to be popular. As a result, a prototype CU stage was created in 1988/1989, but was rejected by executives. By November 1989, ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc. completely cut ties with Creative Engineering, and Concept Unification had begun.
Concept Unification and Aftermath (November 1989-March 1993/Today)
The first location to receive Concept Unification was Dallas, TX location in November 1989. Concept Unification involved changing the Rock-afire Explosion to the 3-Stage, removing all traces of ShowBiz, and changing the place's name to Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza. Over 150 locations were affected, and by March 1993, the final location had reopened as a Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza, ending ShowBiz Pizza's 13 year history. By later in 1993, ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc. finalized Concept Unification, making the name "ShowBiz Pizza" extinct. The Rock-afire Explosion's story, however, was not over yet. They began to appear in other FECs like Pistol Pete's Pizza, Billy Bob's (which were basically 3-Stages converted back to RAEs), and Billy Bob's Wonderland. Most of these however closed, and Billy Bob's Wonderland has the very last public RAE in operation.
Timeline
| Year | Notes |
|---|---|
| 1980 | ShowBiz Pizza Place opens its first location in Kansas City, Missouri. |
| 1981 | Locations begin to open in the masses due to them going public. |
| 1982 | ShowBiz moved its headquarters to Irving, Texas. |
| 1983 | ShowBiz closes its first location in Abilene, Texas. |
| 1984 | Brock Hotel Corporation, the parent company of SPP, begins to purchase Pizza Time Theatre. |
| 1985 | Same as 1984, but the purchase is complete. |
| 1986 | PTT and SPP merge into ShowBiz Pizza Time Inc., and SPT suspends CEI from making shows. |
| 1987 | Some locations begin to be replaced with Chuck E. Cheese content. |
| 1988 | SPP only opens 2 locations this year, and a prototype is produced. |
| 1989 | Concept Unification begins, and SPT cuts ties with Creative Engineering. |
| 1990 | ShowBiz Pizza's last location opens in Richmond, Virginia. |
| 1991/1992 | Concept Unification affects over 150 locations and reaches its peak. |
| 1993 | Concept Unification reaches its last location in Pasadena, California, ending their history. |