What am I remembering?

[dstrohmeng]

Sorry if this has been covered before, but I'm not really sure what this was. At the Thruway Mall store in Buffalo, NY in the early 80's, there was a small room to the left of the stage. I seem to remember there being a small opening that you could through, but I don't really remember there being much inside. It seemed like a place kids go without adults because the adults wouldn't be able to fit through the opening. Did other stores have this?

Also, does anyone have any memories of the Thruway Mall store?

Dave

[captslappy]

If it was near or under the stage you are probably thinking of Munch's Mad house which was a black light/strobe room.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Yeah..

Munch's Madhouse was freakin' sweet!!! :D

Captain, when we reopen PTT in a few years, we HAVE to have a Madhouse!!

[dstrohmeng]

I thought that's what it was. I read a little bit about Munch's Mad House, but I didn't remember the room having strobe lights. Thanks!

[pizzacam]

PTT and the CEC crossover had some really cool stuff. I remember the CEC here on Military Dr. kept the strobe light room even after Munch's Madhouse was done away with. :p

[dheineCECfan]

Was the Thruway Mall Buffalo, N.Y. CECPTT location the only PTT in the Buffalo, New York area? Were there any CECPTT locations in the Rochester, New York area in the 1980's? I know there were a few CECPTT locations in Syracuse, New York - And the Syracuse, New York area theme park Enchanted Forest Water Safari uses recycled CECPTT robots for its Country Jamboree show located in the park in the Klon**** Kate's location.

[YoungCaliHottie]

madhouse? hmm... all i remember was a room with a strobelight... did there used to be more to it?


pico rivera, ca had it. under the c stage. u put in a token and the light would stobe for a minute or so.


i think some others around here might have had it because of how high the stages are.

[MMBBfan327]

I'm too young to remember Munch's MadHouse, however the Chase Ave. store I think had a Cheese funhosue by the ballcrawl for awhile.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

That would be the "Cheese Factory" and that store was one of only a lucky few that had that installed in there location.

Munch's Madhouse was basically just a small crawl space lit with backlight (UV light...makes your cloths glow!) and a strobe light. It was often at the end of the more common Cheese Maze that most locations had in the early 80's. I remember the one in Brandon, FL well. I LOVED it!!!

[YoungCaliHottie]

cheese maze? what was that?

the only ones ive seen it at had it under the stage. u just open the door and walk in. i never saw a maze. sounds fun!

[MMBBfan327]

Wow, I knew Chase was historic, but I didn't know that thing was rare! What other stores do you know of have had the cheese playhouse?

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Our own Danvers Ma location had the famous Cheese Factory mini fun house. It was a major attraction in these parts for years, right up until they trashed it in July of 89' during the 2nd remodel. Darn shame they did too...it was a gem, but a reall hassle to keep clean. It was also becoming a liability issue...folks attitudes were changing and most wanted to be able to see there kids.

The Cheese Maze was usually a kiddie maze that was made to resemble swiss cheese. It was located right underneath the Classic Balcony stages in most locations, built right into the building itself. Most of these dissapeared when the Rocker Stages came in ( around the mid 80's in most cases). It did'nt matter much to the Guests as by then CEC's had added the then brand new Ball Baths and pre-Sky Tube contraptions.

When working for the Company, i had a meeting with a higher up from the Corporate office and during lunch i asked him more about the Cheese Factory and the CEC Ice Cream Emporiums. He said the Ice Cream shops were only at about 50 locations, and the CF's were at only about 30 locations. Keep in mind that this was back in the early 80's when CEC only had about a 100+ locations in exsistance.

[dheineCECfan]

50 Chuck E. Cheese's Ice Cream Emporium locations, Wow! And I thought it was a few locations test concept to compete against the then in business Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor locations (Speaking of Farrell's: I visited recently on my San Diego vacation the only surviving today Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor location near Mira Mesa in the San Diego area). I know only 2 of the 50 CEC Ice Cream Emporium locations - Hayward, CA. and Brandon, FL. Any others? And all CEC Ice Cream Emporium locations carried the Little Shavers animatronic show. And I hope someday a CEC Ice Cream Emporium paper menu surfaces somewhere around at some antique show or flea market or even e-bay.

Regarding the Cheese Factory: I know Hotel Harmony was one of the Cheese Factory features.

[Shiney Happy Jenn]

Funny you should mention the paper menu...

I HAD one of the neat menus from the Ice Cream Emporium back in 82' but it did not survive the move up here to MA. All of my PTT collectibles arrived safely ( thanks goodness) but for some odd reason a few paper bits were missing, one of which being the rare menu.

It was basically about the size of a CV Program, and was printed on thick textured tan cardstock paper. It was printed in brown ink, and the I.C.Emporium logo was on the front. The logo was the same shape as the classic PTT logo.

Inside was listed the different flavors availible ( basically all the common flavors most ice cream places serve) as well as a list of all the special sundaes. This was the cool part, as all the sundaes were nicknamed after the PTPlayers. If you have seen the inside of the 1977 PTT menu, you will know what i mean.

Stuff like "Mr. Munch's Mud Sundae" (chocolate ice cream with chocolate syrup topping) and other names were listed and made the place fun. Yes, they had there own animated show located in the Emporium, and it was the Little Shavers. It was a very crappy show...with very limited movements on the figures and barbershop music was all they sang. The Emporium was cool...and it's true that it was just at a few test locations. I could be wrong, but i think the guy i talked to said 50, but perhaps it was 30? I forget now....it was so long ago. Basically, the Cheese Factory and the Emporium were quite rare and a store that had them was very unsusual. I'm glad i was able to experience both in the day!

[JyPsy]

This is what you probably are remembering that everyone has explained very well..
This is the Chase Ave store in 1985, PTT of course..

i3.photobucket.com/albums/y96/Jypsy/pttstage.gif (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y96/Jypsy/pttstage.gif)

You can see the warblettes in the background, the swiss cheesey place under the stage, and the band board above the door...

now the next picture is not the greatest, but it shows where the little door next to the door went...

i3.photobucket.com/albums/y96/Jypsy/clapperslide.gif (http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y96/Jypsy/clapperslide.gif)

Yep those are the clappers, and me in the blue shirt looking off into oblivion!

just noticed one thing, the kid in front of me's pants seem to be coming off haha!

[dheineCECfan]

Nice 1985 CECPTT photos, JyPsy!

[MMBBfan327]

DUDE!!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR POSTING THOSE PICTURES!!!! If you could, could you get more Chase Ave. pictures up here? I'd love that so freakin' much!!!

[JyPsy]

well as we talked about through IM, i only have so much bandwidth on photobucket and imageshack...

i also submitted all of my pics to this site, but have yet to see them posted.

Ill see what I can do.

[MMBBfan327]

Ok, thanx. Hopefully we'll see more pics posted on the Photo Gallery.