Topeka, KS (1301 SW Gage Blvd): Difference between revisions

From Cheese-E-Pedia
Content added Content deleted
VisualWikitext
(Improvements to the page)
mNo edit summary
 
(13 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown)
Line 1: Line 1:
{{Generic|image=topekagageshopoingcenter.png|desc=Exterior (June 27, 2019)}}
{{Generic|image=Topeka_Bobs.jpg|desc=Bob Brock and the Billy Bob mascot character outside of the Topeka Showbiz Pizza.}}


'''''Topeka, KS (1301 SW Gage Blvd)''''' was a [[Showbiz Pizza Place]] that opened on December 1st, 1980, and closed between 1985-1986.
'''''Topeka, KS (1301 SW Gage Blvd)''''' was a [[Showbiz Pizza Place]] that opened on December 1st, 1980 as the second store in Kansas, and closed between 1985 and 1986.


The location opened as a franchise, likely under the ownership of Topeka Inn Management, but was later acquired by SPP on February 25, 1985.

⚫
== Stage ==
The Topeka Showbiz Pizza was the 6th store to receive the in-development (Beta) variant of the [[Classic Stage|Rock-Afire Explosion]] show.

After the closure, the animatronics were sold off in an auction and later repurchased by Creative Engineering.
== History ==
== History ==
In 1984 this Showbiz Pizza, among others, received a "Noteworthy" rating on their second quarter (1984) quality assurance evaluations.<ref>https://showbizpizza.com/info/documents/spp/spp_bulletin04.pdf</ref>
Topeka, KS opened its doors on December 1st, 1980, as the Second store in Kansas. This was one of 18/19 stores to receive a Beta RockAfire Explosion show, though it was very bit different in several ways. Not much is known about the store while it was open outside of the Beta Rock-afire. They would close forever in either 1985 or 1986. After the closure, the animatronics were sold off in an auction. This led CEI to buy back the show from a third party and send a letter to SPT. The building itself was gutted and was replaced by a few businesses over the years before the building was demolished in the 2020s and replaced by an Amoco Gas Station and Max's restaurant.

It is also worth noting that the Billy Bob hot air balloon may have visited this Showbiz during its heyday.<ref>[[:File:Hotair.png]]</ref><ref>http://ltairway.com/fleet.htm</ref>

Between the years of 1985 and 1986, this Showbiz Pizza permanently closed and the building would be occupied by several different businesses over the years, the last of which being Sun Resorts Tanning and Fitness<ref>https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fkur2DWRY8DwdLrC9</ref>.

A more notable tenant of the former Showbiz, "The Vintage", was popular among local politicians and was the unfortunate site of a fight between [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westboro_Baptist_Church Westboro Baptist Church] and counter protesters over the hiring of a gay waitress in the mid 1990s. <ref>https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/crews-tearing-down-former-vintage-restaurant-for-1-25m-gas-station-project/</ref><ref name=":0">https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/remember-the-vintage-city-votes-to-tear-the-now-vacant-building-down/1639596204/</ref>

The building was unanimously voted on by the city to be demolished in 2018, and two years later, between April and June of 2020, a majority of the building was demolished. As of current, an Amoco gas station is now in the place of the former Showbiz Pizza Place.<ref name=":0" /><ref>https://maps.app.goo.gl/8LDaHHArJXmbV31P9</ref>

== Arcade Machines ==
Machines identified in [https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/promo/spp/spp_81franchise.pdf 1981 Franchise brochure]

* Whack-A-Mole
* Skeeball
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/red-baron Red Baron]
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/pac-man Pac-Man]
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/lunar-lander Lunar Lander]
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/fire-truck Fire Truck]
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/star-castle Star Castle]
* [[Billy Bob's Musical Ferris Wheel]]

Additional Machines identified in [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_nqw97cCN4 Operation Promotion video]


* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/donkey-kong Donkey Kong]
As of April 2024, the Amoco Gas Station and Max's restaurant are still there.
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/centipede Centipede]
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/make-trax Make Trax]
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/space-invaders Space Invaders]
* [https://www.arcade-museum.com/Videogame/frogger Frogger]
* [[Billy Bob Merry Go Round]]


== Stages ==
== Video ==
Originally when the store opened, they had a Rock-Afire Explosion, they were the 6th RAE installed, and until closure, they kept the "Beta" bots, which had hollow frames.
{| class="wikitable"
{| class="wikitable"
⚫
|+
⚫
!Stage
!Link
!Installed
!Description
!Removed
!Filming Date
!Notes
|-
|-
|https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_nqw97cCN4
|[[Classic Stage|RockAfire Explosion]]
|Training Video
|December 1, 1980
|July 1, 1980s
|1985-1986
⚫
|
|}
|}

⚫
==Gallery==
⚫
<gallery>
File:Topeka Flyer.jpg|Flyer for the Topeka SPP.
File:Topeka.png|Exterior
File:Topekaservice.png|Service Area
File:Topekagameroom.png|Playroom
File:Topekarockafire.png|The Rock-Afire Explosion
File:Topekasalad.png|Salad Bar
File:Topekakitchen.png|Kitchen
File:Topekagageshopoingcenter.png|Exterior (June 27, 2019)
⚫
File:Topekagage2012.png|Exterior (October 2012)
⚫
</gallery>


== Animatronics ==
== Animatronics ==
Line 28: Line 72:
!Whereabouts
!Whereabouts
|-
|-
|Beta Rolfe DeWolfe
|[[Rolfe Dewolfe & Earl Schmerle (Animatronic)|Rolfe DeWolfe]]
|7-80 1-6
|7-80 1-6
|Unknown
|Unknown
|-
|-
|Beta Dook Larue
|[[Dook Larue (Animatronic)|Dook Larue]]
|7-80 2-6
|7-80 2-6
|Unknown
|Unknown
|-
|-
|Beta Fatz Geronimo
|[[Fatz Geronimo (Animatronic)|Fatz Geronimo]]
|7-80 3-6
|7-80 3-6
|In Storage
|In Storage
|-
|-
|Beta Beach Bear
|[[Beach Bear (Animatronic)|Beach Bear]]
|7-80 4-6
|7-80 4-6
|Unknown
|Unknown
|-
|-
|Beta Mitzi Mozzarella
|[[Mitzi Mozzarella (Animatronic)|Mitzi Mozzarella]]
|7-80 5-6
|7-80 5-6
|Owned by Sully.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5gnQEUsnaw</ref>
|Owned by Sully.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5gnQEUsnaw</ref>
|-
|-
|Beta Billy Bob
|[[Billy Bob (Animatronic)|Billy Bob]]
|7-80 6-6
|7-80 6-6
|Unknown
|Unknown
|-
|-
|Beta Looney Bird
|[[Looney Bird (Animatronic)|Looney Bird]]
|7-80 7-6
|7-80 7-6
|In Storage
|In Storage
|-
|-
|Beta Choo Choo
|[[Choo Choo (Animatronic)|Choo Choo]]
|7-80 8-6
|7-80 8-6
|Unknown
|Unknown
|-
|-
|[[Sun (Animatronic)|Sun]]
|Beta Sun
|7-80 10-6
|7-80 10-6
|Unknown
|Unknown
|-
|-
|Beta Moon
|[[Moon (Animatronic)|Moon]]
|7-80 11-6
|7-80 11-6
|Unknown
|Unknown
|-
|-
|Beta Antioch
|[[Antioch (Animatronic)|Antioch]]
|N/A
|N/A
|Unknown
|Unknown
|}
|}

⚫
==Gallery==
⚫
<gallery>
⚫
File:Topekagage2012.png|Exterior (October 2012)
⚫
</gallery>


== References ==
== References ==

Latest revision as of 16:59, 5 June 2024


Bob Brock and the Billy Bob mascot character outside of the Topeka Showbiz Pizza.



Topeka, KS (1301 SW Gage Blvd) was a Showbiz Pizza Place that opened on December 1st, 1980 as the second store in Kansas, and closed between 1985 and 1986.

The location opened as a franchise, likely under the ownership of Topeka Inn Management, but was later acquired by SPP on February 25, 1985.

Stage

The Topeka Showbiz Pizza was the 6th store to receive the in-development (Beta) variant of the Rock-Afire Explosion show.

After the closure, the animatronics were sold off in an auction and later repurchased by Creative Engineering.

History

In 1984 this Showbiz Pizza, among others, received a "Noteworthy" rating on their second quarter (1984) quality assurance evaluations.[1]

It is also worth noting that the Billy Bob hot air balloon may have visited this Showbiz during its heyday.[2][3]

Between the years of 1985 and 1986, this Showbiz Pizza permanently closed and the building would be occupied by several different businesses over the years, the last of which being Sun Resorts Tanning and Fitness[4].

A more notable tenant of the former Showbiz, "The Vintage", was popular among local politicians and was the unfortunate site of a fight between Westboro Baptist Church and counter protesters over the hiring of a gay waitress in the mid 1990s. [5][6]

The building was unanimously voted on by the city to be demolished in 2018, and two years later, between April and June of 2020, a majority of the building was demolished. As of current, an Amoco gas station is now in the place of the former Showbiz Pizza Place.[6][7]

Arcade Machines

Machines identified in 1981 Franchise brochure

Additional Machines identified in Operation Promotion video

Video

Link Description Filming Date
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_nqw97cCN4 Training Video July 1, 1980s

Gallery

  • Flyer for the Topeka SPP.

    Flyer for the Topeka SPP.

  • Exterior

    Exterior

  • Service Area

    Service Area

  • Playroom

    Playroom

  • The Rock-Afire Explosion

    The Rock-Afire Explosion

  • Salad Bar

    Salad Bar

  • Kitchen

    Kitchen

  • Exterior (June 27, 2019)

    Exterior (June 27, 2019)

  • Exterior (October 2012)

    Exterior (October 2012)

Animatronics

Animatronic Serial Number Whereabouts
Rolfe DeWolfe 7-80 1-6 Unknown
Dook Larue 7-80 2-6 Unknown
Fatz Geronimo 7-80 3-6 In Storage
Beach Bear 7-80 4-6 Unknown
Mitzi Mozzarella 7-80 5-6 Owned by Sully.[8]
Billy Bob 7-80 6-6 Unknown
Looney Bird 7-80 7-6 In Storage
Choo Choo 7-80 8-6 Unknown
Sun 7-80 10-6 Unknown
Moon 7-80 11-6 Unknown
Antioch N/A Unknown

References

  1. ↑ https://showbizpizza.com/info/documents/spp/spp_bulletin04.pdf
  2. ↑ File:Hotair.png
  3. ↑ http://ltairway.com/fleet.htm
  4. ↑ https://maps.app.goo.gl/Fkur2DWRY8DwdLrC9
  5. ↑ https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/crews-tearing-down-former-vintage-restaurant-for-1-25m-gas-station-project/
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/remember-the-vintage-city-votes-to-tear-the-now-vacant-building-down/1639596204/
  7. ↑ https://maps.app.goo.gl/8LDaHHArJXmbV31P9
  8. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5gnQEUsnaw
Retrieved from "https://cheeseepedia.org/wiki/Topeka,_KS_(1301_SW_Gage_Blvd)?oldid=33447"