Kansas City, MO (2726 NE Vivion Rd)
2726 NE Vivion Rd, Store #82(1) was a Chuck E. Cheese's that opened as the first ShowBiz Pizza Place on March 2nd, 1980https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/documents/spp/spp_memos_80.pdf(2), and closed in Spring 2007 as a Chuck E. Cheese's with a 3-Stage. It is commonly referred to by fans as 'Antioch.'
This location is not to be confused with the current location, which opened on August 4, 2008 and is still open today with the 2.0 remodel.
History
The store would post job listings during February & March 1980. Kansas City (Antioch) opened in the Antioch Shopping Center on March 2nd, 1980 with a Wolf Pack 5 show. Differences to the WP5 show were made for the store, such as the use of the SPP logo on Dingo's Drum front, & changing Queenie to Mini Mozzarella. In April 1980, ShowBiz corporate wanted to replace the Wolf Pack 5 show or possibly have Billy Bob on Stage but Creative Engineering declined(0). In 1981, the Wolf Pack 5 Show was shipped to the Orlando, FL (47 W Jefferson St) and was replaced with the Rock-afire Explosion. The Store received the 1988 Remodel in the late '80s, which involved removing and replacing the artwork, renaming the restaurant to ShowBiz Pizza, added checkers inside and outside the store, and receiving the Showbiz Pizza Campground Upgrade. In 1991/1992, Kansas City received Concept Unification, keeping the 1988 remodel, renaming the restaurant to Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza, replacing ShowBiz decor for CEC decor, and retrofitting the Rock-afire Explosion into Munch's Make Believe Band. In the early 90s, the store got the SPT 1992 Remodel. The store later received Phase 1 (1994) as well, which added the 'Chuck E. Cheese's' - Letters / Thumb Logo (Star Cap) (SPT Exterior Signage)|'Cool Chuck' Star Cap Exterior logo, new decor, and new merchandise. The store possibly received Phase 2 (1997) in 1997. Their show would receive plastic masks in the late 90s and early 2000s. Kansas City would close in Spring 2007 for unknown reasons, but likely that Antioch Center, the mall it was in, was entirely abandoned, and Chuck E. Cheese's was the only thing that was left. The location was left abandoned along with the rest of the mall for 5 years until it was demolished beginning in January 2012. As of June 2023, a different shopping center takes its place.Stages
Originally when the store first opened as a Showbiz Pizza Place, they had the Wolf Pack 5, later, the Rock-afire Classic Stage. When they got Concept Unification, they kept the stage. It remained at the location until the Spring 2007 closure.Stage | Installed | Removed |
---|---|---|
Wolf Pack 5(0)(3)(4) | March 1980 | 1981 |
Wolfman Disco Room? | March 1980? | 1981? |
The Rock-afire Explosion | 1981 | 1991/1992 |
3-Stage(5) | 1991/1992 | Spring 2007 |
Animatronics
Name | Produced | Installed | Serial Number | Removed | Whereabouts | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The Wolfman (Animatronic)(0) | 1979? | March 1980 | 1981 | Sent back to the Orlando, FL (47 W Jefferson St) In 1981. Currently being moved to the Creative Engineering Museum. | Possibly from the 1979 IAAPA Show. | |
Fats Gorilla (Animatronic)(0) | 1979? | March 1980 | 1981 | Sent back to the Orlando, FL (47 W Jefferson St) In 1981. Currently being moved to the Creative Engineering Museum. | Possibly from the 1979 IAAPA Show. | |
Dingo Starr (Animatronic)(0) | 1979? | March 1980 | 1981 | Sent back to the Orlando, FL (47 W Jefferson St) In 1981. Currently being moved to the Creative Engineering Museum. | Possibly from the 1979 IAAPA Show. | |
Beach Bear (Wolf Pack 5 Animatronic)(0) | 1979? | March 1980 | 1981 | Sent back to the Orlando, FL (47 W Jefferson St) In 1981. Currently being moved to the Creative Engineering Museum. | Possibly from the 1979 IAAPA Show. | |
Mini Mozzarella (Animatronic)(0) | 1979? | March 1980 | 1981 | Sent back to the Orlando, FL (47 W Jefferson St) In 1981. retrofitted back to Little Queenie during the mid 2010's. Currently being moved to the Creative Engineering Museum. | Possibly from the 1979 IAAPA Show. | |
The Wolfman (Animatronic)? | ??? | March 1980? | 1981? | Possibly used in the possible Wolfman Disco Room. Unknown Whereabouts. | ||
Rolfe Dewolfe & Earl Schmerle (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 2007 | Removed In 2007. Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. received Plastic Mask in the late 90's / Early 2000's. | |
Dook Larue (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 2007 | Removed In 2007. Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. received Plastic Mask in the late 90's / Early 2000's. | |
Fatz Geronimo (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 2007 | Removed In 2007. Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. received Plastic Mask in the late 90's / Early 2000's. | |
Beach Bear (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 2007 | Removed In 2007. Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. received Plastic Mask in the late 90's / Early 2000's. | |
Mitzi Mozzarella (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 2007 | Removed In 2007. Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. received Plastic Mask in the late 90's / Early 2000's. | |
Sun (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | Unknown | Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. | |
Moon (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | Unknown | Unknown Whereabouts. | ||
Choo Choo (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | Unknown | Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. | |
Antioch (Animatronic)|Antioch (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 1991/1992 | Turned into the Wink | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. | |
Wink (Animatronic) | 1990's | 1991/1992 | 2007 | Removed In 2007. Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. | |
Billy Bob (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 1991/1992 | Unknown Whereabouts. | ||
Looney Bird (Animatronic) | 1980/1981 | 1981 | 2007 | Removed In 2007. Unknown Whereabouts. | Retrofitted in 1991/1992. |
Mascot Costumes
Head | Outfits & Suits | Accessories | Whereabouts |
---|---|---|---|
Billy Bob Kansas City Walkaround | Billy Bob Kansas City Walkaround | Unknown | |
Chuck 1998 (Costume Head) | Unknown |
Videos
Link | Description | Recorded |
---|---|---|
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsVA1GIrXU8 | Footage of The entire Wolf Pack 5 ShowBiz Tape. | 1980 |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kc_K_tEvyY | Footage of the Fats & Dingo Animatronics, along with some possible arcade shots. | 1980 |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12Xj8huC7BA | Footage of The 3-Stage. | May 8th, 1997 |
References
- https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/documents/cec/cec_focus-2005-12.pdf
- https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/articles/spp/spp_80kansascity.pdf
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsVA1GIrXU8
- https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/promo/spp/spp_80franchise-wp5.pdf
- https://www.showbizpizza.com/photos/cec/mo_antioch/03.jpg
The Store's WP5 Beach Bear<ref>https://www.showbizpizza.com/photos/spp/mo_antioch/index.html</ref>, 1980.
Antioch's Exterior Sign<ref>https://www.showbizpizza.com/photos/cec/mo_antioch/index.html</ref>, 2005.
The Wolf Pack 5 Stage<ref>https://www.showbizpizza.com/photos/spp/mo_antioch/index.html</ref>, 1980.