Question About U-NJ

[JAC07901]

We all know that the Union, NJ store was renovated about
4-5 months ago, but my question is: Why? Why did they renovate the store? I want to hear what you say first, then I will respond, because Union was a very special store to me.

(Hint, hint, I am almost telling you my location.)

[CEC3066]

(Hint, hint, I am almost telling you my location.)

lemme guess... Union,NJ

[Rapid T Rabbit]

I was Chuck E. there at the Union NJ store for 9 years, and I was part of the history of that location literally from day One when the restaurant first opened on August 2, 1984; and I was actually one of the guests invited to the (private) grand opening back then (I still have the press kit). Most of you here on this board are aware of how I lost my mouse ears there after the corporate takeover from the franchise operation, being that I was not rehired due to my issues of limited availability (i.e. mainly fulltime job elsewhere). But then I later found out too that under corporate management, they no longer have any commitment to having Chuck maintain a steady personal costumed presence in the store...in SHARP contrast to the former franchise management who made sure Chuck E. was out often (or at least regularly) each and every day, and he even came out on request.

Personally I felt the location physically needed the renovation anyway, the last one having occurred here back in 1992 around the same time that Munch's Band arrived. Despite some retouching over the past decade, all of the decor was starting to show its age. The building itself too was rather old, having originally been a twin-screen movie theater, of which hidden remnants still existed behind the walls and above the ceiling. From the business standpoint, I'm sure CECE was only too happy to gain control of this holdout franchise, certainly the last original franchised PTT location in the New York City/Northern New Jersey metro area, and maybe even the entire Northeast. Completely making over the store was a sure way of bringing this longtime renegade location aestetically in line with the rest of the nationwide chain.

Having said all that, I personally feel sad that all signs of my old performing space and haven there have been completely wiped out (the new Studio C having been completely located away from where the old Munch stage was), and my old bosses there who absolutely loved my appearances and appreciated my personal dedication to Chuck E. are now gone. Sometimes I can't help feeling that Chuck E. himself is somewhat "gone" too, or at least makes himself extremely scarce just because those now running the store don't want to pay for someone who really has the heart for the character.

[JAC07901]

Okay, RTR, I see that. Also, did you notice the show (stage) before renovation? I think that the company also wanted to get rid of the show because it was in disrepair. I could write a whole essay about the problems that thing had every month. But anyway, there was always a problem (espcially starting with Jan. '03, when it seemed like the techs were trying to get Pasqually to blink [that's right kids, Pasqually didn't blink for about the first year I saw him]. However, what they got were eyes half open [or his eyelids were stuck halfway]). This problem quickly spread to Jasper, like a disease. But this was only one problem.

BTW, I live a few towns WEST of Union, where the real estate is some of the highest in the country!

[menutia]

BTW, I live a few towns WEST of Union, where the real estate is some of the highest in the country!

Yeah, yeah, brag brag....

FYI-- VegaNova lives in Denver Colorado, and we ALL know his property is the "Highest" Heck, it's the Mile High City! :rollin


(Wow, I need more sleep)

~M

[pizzacam]

:lol :lol |I

[Rapid T Rabbit]

During my years there, maintenance on Munch's band was performed rather sporadically, often in response to my personal complaints, since I was the only cast member who seemed to really pay attention to the stage show. I remember one time I noticed that Chuck's right eye was rotating freely left/right and not in step with the left eye. This had the ugly effect of making it look like Chuck E. had developed cataracts in his right eye whenever he nodded his head, the force spinning the eyeball past the point where the pupil was no longer visible. So I jumped up onto the stage and temporarily wedged a piece of duct tape onto the top of the eyeball to at least keep the pupil centered until I got the tech. to fix the problem.

[CEC Kid Check]

THATS JUST CREEPY AND UGLY! So it wasnt like this---8o , lol lol lol:rollin :lol :rollin :lol :\ |I

[MatHat13]

Yeah, I remember that happaned at my local store, one of Chuck's eye pupils were like...gone, torn off...pretty scary.:|

[JAC07901]

I remember a lot of strange things happening at Union. During the show with the song "Shout," the show started with the band's up/down (or as I call it, "Vertical") curtains stuck halfway through during the song. I told someone who I think was a tech (or the referee shirt guy, as I called them), and he fixed the problem. Another time, During Summer '03 (I think), the show started and then the animatronics froze. I didn't see them freeze, I just saw them frozen. The Union stage was unique, and it is a shame thinking that they had to throw it away.

(I also remember tripping over a wire in the gameroom and accidentally shutting off a game!)

[Rapid T Rabbit]

Originally both stages at Union had split horizontally drawing curtains but there were often problems with the set around Munch's stage with the longer distance the drapes had to travel so in the later years there were replaced with the single verticle drop curtain.

Yes I remember quirks with the Cyberstar system too, especially when switching to the standalone Birthday Show tape. I often knew when the birthday show was going to "drop dead" suddenly if after loading the tape it shot past its cue point without pausing (i.e. the point at which you would normally push the button to start the show when the cast was ready). I think we really wore out our copies of the standlone Bday tape, and we had to rely on hitting the reset button often to correct the problem.

[JAC07901]

All this talk about random movement reminds me of the times between about April '03 and the replacement of the stage, because that was when the curtains never worked, and sometimes, the characters didn't have random movements! It was kinda creepy seeing them standing there frozen.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

For me...it was just nostalgic.

Remember, CEC shows orignally had NO curtains whatsoever and the characters onstage would just "go to sleep" after the music stopped.

The curtains did'nt arrive until Showbiz went under....ever notice how the curtains are the very same ones that were used for the RAE Shows?

I like the curtain feature on the modern stages....i hope those Stores who already have them disabled get them going again soon.