Edison, NJ (1120 Route 1)

1120 Route 1, Store #487 was a Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza that opened on September 20th, 1993, with a 1-Stage, which is still open to this day. This location received the 2.0 remodel in September-October 2022. It is located in the Edison Woods Shopping Center.

History

Edison opened on September 20, 1993, as a Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza in the Edison Woods Shopping Center with a 1-Stage. Due to New Jersey gambling laws, the store opened without any ticket redemption system or skee-ball type games. Edison remodeled to the update of the 2003 'Cool Chuck' Reconfiguration / Major Remodel Initiative in September of 2009. During the '09 remodel, Chuck E. Cheese's opened a lease on the adjacent storefront, and the wall separating Chuck E. Cheese's and the next-door property was removed, along with the existing merchandise closest. This nearly doubled the unit's square-footage. Tickets and redemption games were also added under the New Jersey Tickets Per Token System. Edison has the very first model of the Chuck E. Cheese's/Blue Bunny ice-cream vending machine, which is considered a prototype. In 2016, Edison received an update including PlayPass, 2010 carpeting, digital menu boards, the removal of SkyTubes, integrated WiFi and store server, and 6 new booth tablesets, along with a standard game package. The store was also slotted to receive a used Circles of Light stage in 2017, presumptively from the Wilmington, DE (3601 Silverside Rd) store. This was cancelled upon the announcement of the 2.0 test concept. During the 40 Years of Fun Celebration, Edison was one of the top 10 contributing stores to CEC's World Record Breaking of 'Most Party Blowers Blown at One Time.' The Edison Woods Shopping Center plaza signage retained a plain Thumb Chuck until Avenger signage was added in 2018. After Chuck E. Cheese began reopening stores post-COVID, Edison was CEC Entertainment's highest revenue unit due to ongoing lockdowns in California and vaccine mandates in New York City. The mandates and post closure of Union, NJ resulted in a large share of Staten Island clientele patronizing the Edison store. Therefore, the previously cancelled 2.0 remodel of Edison was made priority #1 in New Jersey. The store was remodeled again to 2.0 beginning September 19, 2022, being wrapped up sometime in October 2022. The store's Grand Reopening took place on December 13th, 2022. As of June 2023, Edison still has the 2.0 Remodel & 2021 Model Dance Floor + Video Wall. The 2.0 remodel retained Edison's existing front doors, cashwrap countertops, salad bars, soda machines, and back-of-house equipment. New paint, signage, ticket blaster, carpeting, and other common 2.0 features were installed. Edison still has the Amutec Horse Carousel ride that has been in the store since it opened in 1993.

Stages

The store had a 1-stage upon opening until its removal on October 5, 2022, after the Dance Floor was installed and activated. The entertainment control system was one of the first to come pre-installed with the Navori receiver. The Video Wall was installed on October 12th, 2022. The new showroom was moved to where the Alley Roller Classic games previously resided. As of June 2023, Edison still has their 2021 Model Dance Floor + Video Wall. Initially, the 1-stage had draw curtains which were replaced by lift curtains in 2001. Edison's Cyberamic Chuck E. was the very first Cyberamic produced by Animation World, delineated as Cyberamic Serial #2000.

Stage	Installed	Removed	Notes
1-Stage	September 1993	October 5, 2022	One of six 1-Stages installed in New Jersey. 2nd to be removed, 1st to be removed in a 2.0 remodel, not by a closure like Paramus, NJ (221 South Dr) back in 2010. Installed on the back wall.
Dance Floor + Video Wall	October 5, 2022	Still In Use	2021 Model. Installed where Alley Rollers used to be. First 2.0 Store In New Jersey. Signature store with mural.

Animatronics

Animatronic	Manufacturing Date	Whereabouts
Chuck E Cheese (Cyberamic)|Chuck E. Cheese (Cyberamic)	1993	Cyberamic mech including original cosmetics owned by a private collector/former cast member.
Helen Henny (Cyberamic)	1993	Cyberamic mech owned by a private collector.
Mr. Munch (Cyberamic)	1993	Cyberamic mech including some original cosmetics owned by a private collector.
Jasper T. Jowls (Cyberamic)	1993	Cyberamic mech owned by a private collector.
Pasqually (Cyberamic)	1993	Destroyed. Some of the remains owned by a private collector.
Wink (Cyberamic)	1993	Owned by a private collector.

Videos

Link	Description	Filming Date	Published Date
Link	Earliest known video of Edison following the Phase 1 (1994) remodel. Brief clip of Chuck E's Jukebox Jam Show, Macarena '97 and Birthday Star 1995.	Q1 1997	September 26. 2022
Link	A video showcasing the store, games, and 1-Stage sometime in 1999.	1999	February 8, 2006
Link	Unremodeled Edison two years before the CEC 2005 Remodel Program remodel. This is the last known video of Edison prior to CEC 2005 Remodel Program.	Fall 2007	October 1, 2007
Link	Edison a couple months after replacing the blue Cool Chuck shirt with the Avenger. This was the last outfit change to the Chuck E. animatronic not including the 2013 hat removal.	March 15, 2011	March 17, 2011
Link	Birthday 2009 in 2012. This is how Edison's stage looked for most of the early 2010's.	January 15, 2012	January 17, 2012
Link	Edison with Christmas decorations in December 2012	December 31, 2012	January 1, 2013
Link	1-Stage a couple months after Chuck's cap removal	January 26, 2014	January 27. 2014
Link	'Gamin' Time' from Show 3 2016 being performed on Edison's 1-Stage.	May 4, 2019	May 11, 2019
Link	Store Tour from July 2022.	July 8, 2022	July 2, 2023
Link	'Song of Summer' from Show 3 2021 being performed on Edison's 1-Stage.	July 8, 2022	July 2, 2023
Link	'Beach Party Bash being performed on Edison's 1-Stage	July 8, 2022	July 2, 2023
Link	'Dog Days of Summer' from Show 3 2021 being performed on Edison's 1-Stage.	July 8, 2022	July 2, 2023
Link	'Join the Party' from Chuck E. Cheese Summer of Fun 2022 Show being performed on Edison's 1-Stage.	July 8, 2022	July 2, 2023
Link	'Let's be Friends' from Show 3 2021 being performed on Edison's 1-Stage.	July 8, 2022	July 2, 2023
Link	'Out of this World' from Show 5 2016 being performed on Edison's 1-Stage.	July 8, 2022	July 2, 2023
Link	Store Tour of Edison during the 2.0 Remodel	September 25, 2022	October 9, 2022
Link	One of the last videos of the store's 1-Stage before removal.	October 2, 2022	October 2, 2022
Link	A short showing the current location of the costume room where Chuck E. comes out after stage removal.	October 22, 2022	October 22, 2022
Link	A livestream showcasing the store, games, and 2021 Model Dance Floor & Video Wall	June 28, 2023	June 28, 2023