All Star Chuck
01-16-2011, 08:06 PM
Just thought I’d share today’s experience at 2 different CECs in AZ. I haven’t been to a CEC in over 8 years and today was an interesting day. :-S
The first store we went to was the famous ‘Northern’ store, which was recently taken over by corporate and no longer a franchise location. It looks completely different everything has changed. It’s completely remolded and the showroom walls are gone. There are tons of new games and it looks really nice. Last time I was there it was a dump. They still have the 3 stage show and it was in really good working order, EXCEPT there was no sound at all the amp burned out or something and it hasn’t been working for 2 weeks now. I talked to one of the employees and she said they have been doing live shows with a tiny boom box, and she said it’s been horrible. It was nice to see they still had the 3 stage I was afraid it would be gone.
Store number 2 the East Bell rd store, the one I stared at 12 years ago. WOW this place has changed sooo much I am still a little weirded out by it. The store has been through the latest remodel and has no showroom walls anymore and the place is bright as a stadium. Lots and lots of games packed into the game room and all the TVs that were once around the game room and kiddie room are all gone. They still have the Studio C alpha which was in ok working condition, EXCEPT you couldn’t hear the show the volume was so low. Chuck (the bot) was filthy absolutely disgusting there had to be an inch of dust on his hat, his face was so gross black grime and pizza sauce all over. The curtains never closed, Chuck just stood there during the whole intermission. Most of the lights worked except the robo scan and some of the TVs in the showroom were going out and flickering. They have so many rows of tables now you can’t even move at all, and they go all the way to the stage. I asked an employee how they dance she said ‘we don’t’ and laughed she said they pretty much just clap their hands. I talked to her for awhile and she said things have really gone downhill and the Melvins don’t seem to care anymore and that was obvious. The carpet and bathrooms were filthy. Oh and they are switching to Pepsi they had signs everywhere and all they had was Coke and Diet Coke that’s it.
I was at both stores for over an hour and didn’t see Chuck out at either store. All in all it was a crazy day, and for the most part disappointing. I took lots of pics and videos though, lol.
The first store we went to was the famous ‘Northern’ store, which was recently taken over by corporate and no longer a franchise location. It looks completely different everything has changed. It’s completely remolded and the showroom walls are gone. There are tons of new games and it looks really nice. Last time I was there it was a dump. They still have the 3 stage show and it was in really good working order, EXCEPT there was no sound at all the amp burned out or something and it hasn’t been working for 2 weeks now. I talked to one of the employees and she said they have been doing live shows with a tiny boom box, and she said it’s been horrible. It was nice to see they still had the 3 stage I was afraid it would be gone.
Store number 2 the East Bell rd store, the one I stared at 12 years ago. WOW this place has changed sooo much I am still a little weirded out by it. The store has been through the latest remodel and has no showroom walls anymore and the place is bright as a stadium. Lots and lots of games packed into the game room and all the TVs that were once around the game room and kiddie room are all gone. They still have the Studio C alpha which was in ok working condition, EXCEPT you couldn’t hear the show the volume was so low. Chuck (the bot) was filthy absolutely disgusting there had to be an inch of dust on his hat, his face was so gross black grime and pizza sauce all over. The curtains never closed, Chuck just stood there during the whole intermission. Most of the lights worked except the robo scan and some of the TVs in the showroom were going out and flickering. They have so many rows of tables now you can’t even move at all, and they go all the way to the stage. I asked an employee how they dance she said ‘we don’t’ and laughed she said they pretty much just clap their hands. I talked to her for awhile and she said things have really gone downhill and the Melvins don’t seem to care anymore and that was obvious. The carpet and bathrooms were filthy. Oh and they are switching to Pepsi they had signs everywhere and all they had was Coke and Diet Coke that’s it.
I was at both stores for over an hour and didn’t see Chuck out at either store. All in all it was a crazy day, and for the most part disappointing. I took lots of pics and videos though, lol.