Pizza Show Biz
- President and Chairman of TIM: Robert L. Brock
- Vice-President, Operations: Rolfe Kennard
- Vice-President, Real Estate & Finance; General Counsel: Jim Parrish
- Vice-President, Franchise Sales and Site Analyst: Mickey Powell
- Senior Vice-President; Chief Financial Officer: Andrew J. Whelan
- Architect: Leonard Eudaley
- Interior Designer: John Fulton
- Field Operations: Harry Badford
- Director of Electronic Planning: Doughlas J. Harper
- Director of Education: Clay Harvey
- Director of Construction: Craig S. Sweeney
- Project Coordinator, Central Region: Thomas J. Corcoran, Jr.
- Project Coordinator, Southern Region: Bill Ridgway
- Project Coordinator, Florida Region: Jack Sargent
- Project Coordinator, Northern Region: Craige Chandler Sweeney
Pizza Show Biz was an internal division of Topeka Inn Management, Inc. that was built some time during or after June of 1979 to manage a range of planned Pizza Time Theatre franchize locations, before being reworked in December of 1979 to form its own company, and direct collaboration with Pizza Time Theatre ending in early 1980 to be spun off as ShowBiz Pizza Place.
History
Throughout Pizza Time Theatre’s early expansion in 1979, which by this point had 3 locations opened and plans for 12 by the end of the year, the company would begin talks with Topeka Inn Management headed by Robert L. Brock to develop more Pizza Time Theatres as its first franchize partner. [1]
The companies would reach an agreement in June of 1979, allowing TIM exclusive franchizing of Pizza Time Theatres in 16 states, that being Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin. PTT and TIM would be co-developing these locations under the agreement. The contract would target 285 stores in 5 years, with 85 for sub-franchizing. The agreement would set to cost TIM $200,000,000 to develop. [3][7]
At some point after the agreement, the Pizza Show Biz division of TIM would be founded, being fully staffed for the management of the restaurants, alongside sub-franchizing arrangements for interested parties. On November 5th, 1979, Pizza Show Biz would get its own offices at Topeka, KS (2209 W. 29th Street).[2]
Uncertainty
During the first operating months of Pizza Show Biz, Bob Brock had become frustrated at having to be a franchizee of the upcoming locations rather than a full owner. It is implied that Brock needed this agreement due to Pizza Time Theatre’s exclusivity on mass-producable animatronic entertainment, as well as that the upcoming Creative Engineering was described by Nolan as “a kid making junk in his garage” and not a serious source of animatronics. Robert Brock was personally concerned with the quality of PTT’s animated characters, which Nolan assured him that in time they would become better.[3]
By late November the company was already trying to find ways to back out of the agreement, and when attending the November 1979 IAAPA convention in New Orleans, Louisiana, TIM was able to see Creative Engineering’s shows for themselves. CEI would be debuting the Wolf Pack 5 and Hard Luck Baers at the expo. CEI was already familiar with Pizza Time Theatre, with attempts to purchase both their characters and integrate the company in Pizza Time Theatre at prior IAAPA’s. After the IAPPA show, Robert Brock and an unnamed TIM employee would visit Creative Engineering and meet with its president Aaron Fechter directly. Brock explained the situation with PTT and the thought of CEI being used by a competitor for its superior animation. [3]
By early December PTT would internally announce its partnership with TIM, noting that both the Kansas City (Antioch), MO (2726 NE Vivion Rd) and Overland Park, KS (10510 Metcalf Lane) locations were in development by both companies.[7]
After the visit TIM and CEI would then begin talks and negotiations. CEI would note their turnaround time for animatronic shows was 6 months, and with the upcoming Kansas City (Antioch), MO (2726 NE Vivion Rd) location set for around March of 1980, this wouldn’t be enough time. Both would agree that this first location would go forward with using Pizza Time Theatre animatronics, and that CEI’s animation would continue from the second store onwards. This time was also allocated so CEI could develop a brand new exclusive show for the company.[6][4]
In mid December of 1979, Brock would contact Nolan Bushnell demanding they be released from the contract on the grounds of misrepresentation. Bushnell would refuse the offer. Brock would then declare the contract void and back out of the agreement, though still working with PTT for the first store.[3]
Company Spin-Off
Brock near the end of the month would spin the Pizza Show Biz division off into its own company, with TIM controlling an 80% stake and CEI 20%. Around this time Pizza Time Theatre would sue TIM and Brock over breach of contract, with TIM filing a counter-suit for misrepresentation.[3][4] With PTT equipment already at the Kansas City location, Brock would change his mind and stop the inclusion of PTT characters and branding for the store, now naming it to Pizza Show Biz as well. This would require Creative Engineering to send its Wolf Pack 5 show to the restaurant to have something ready for its opening. It is unclear if the location had already recieved PTT characters, though it is noted PTT was informed of this change after “franchisee material” had been sent to the location.[3]
Between January 24th and February 12th, 1980, the company would rename itself and its stores to ShowBiz Pizza Place. Despite this, tokens had already been produced under the Pizza Show Biz naming, and were available in the first runs given to customers. The Kansas City store would have the Wolf Pack’s original showtape changed around to include new SPP branding, alongside the Queenie character being replaced by Mini Mozzarella the mouse, as to have her go along with the pizzeria theming of the store. The Cabaret area would be replaced by the Disco Room, with a separate Wolfman Show present inside. By the store’s opening it would be fully rebranded and marketed as a ShowBiz Pizza Place, with TIM claiming plans to open 200 ShowBiz locations, and with no mention of PTT. Despite this, the store would still hold design language from its construction as a PTT, alongside keeping the iconic Cheese Crawl. [8][9]
References
- https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune/82325882/
- https://www.bizapedia.com/addresses/2209-w-29th-st-topeka-ks-66611.html
- https://showbizpizza.com/history/index.html
- https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/retro_pizza_zone/the-pizza-show-biz-working-name-and-its-use-before-t3597.html
- https://www.newspapers.com/image/1273743609/?clipping_id=187067296&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjEyNzM3NDM2MDksImlhdCI6MTc2NjEwODk5NywiZXhwIjoxNzY2MTk1Mzk3fQ.KIjWN8fSIYKEUbPiO8zCetBu1aRylzVQvgw6aT1qQSA
- https://www.newspapers.com/image/677907907/?clipping_id=142595236&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjY3NzkwNzkwNywiaWF0IjoxNzY2MTEwOTI1LCJleHAiOjE3NjYxOTczMjV9.RUqHcha63A1a_SaYUKtslnwpLGeQ_h_boFWZXMzbYyc
- https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/documents/ptt/ptt_pizzatimes-1979.pdf
- https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-kansas-city-star-the-showbiz-pizza-p/163148728/
- https://www.showbizpizza.com/info/documents/spp/spp_memos_80.pdf
