BTW, this articles will be written like they were CEP articles. also feel free to ask any questions.
Long Beach (230 Palm City Dr) is a Chuck E Cheese’s that opened on February 3rd, 1980 as a Pizza Time Theatre. The Store is one of many archival stores under CEC entertainment’s 2019 Archive Locations project to keep several store’s in tact while keeping in line with 2.0 elements.
History
Pre-PTT History
Long Beach (230 Palm City Dr) was originally built in 1957 alongside the Palm City Drive shopping center. the building housed a department store from 1959 to 1973, with David Green purchasing it in 1973 to build a toy store. the Toy store ‘TOYS PALM CITY’ was opened in 1976, but closed soon after in 1978, leading Mark Green, David Green’s brother and business partner, to buy it and later begin the processes of turning it into a PTT after a franchisee license was signed in May of 1979.
PTT History
Long Beach (230 Palm City Dr) opened as a Pizza Time Theatre on February 3rd 1980. The grand opening event saw a visit from a local TV station, who covered the store’s grand opening in a now lost 30 minute news segment on the chain and the store.
In May, the store housed an Arcade tournament in competition with Huntington Beach CA. In October, a Halloween event was held. In December, a Christmas event was held, with a Chuck E Treats event being held on December 23rd.
The Store received the 1981 logo in 1982, with parts of the store being changed. In 1984, The Store rejected the purchasing of a Balcony Stage from another location, as Long Beach was already suffering from the bankruptcy.
CEC History
The Store became a part of SPT, remaining under a Franchise. The Store may have received the 1986 remodel, but no confirmation is known. It is known they got the Thumb Chuck remodel in September 1996, alongside Phase I & Phase Ii around the same time or later.
The was originally planned to receive the 2005 remodel, but instead just gained a new road sign and some 2005 remodel posters. The showroom walls were removed between 2014 and 2015.
The store officially became an Archival location in 2024 after outcry from the fandom and a large local campaign of CEC fans in the region.
Stage History
Theatre/Show Room
The Store opened with a Cyberamics Shelf with portraits. sometime between 1981 and 1982, the Outer wall was removed. The stage remained the same until 1992, when the Stage was updated with a some 2-stage/1-stage décor on the bottom of the wall. Besides this, the store would not remodel the show room until 1995, when walls were changed, and the walls were painted white. Shelves for Phase I & phase II were also added. The Store is now the last one with this stage, though many claim CEC originally planned on moving it to the canceled CEC museum.
As for the animatronics, all were cosmetically updated in 2004 to cool chuck outfits and masks, and have remained like that to this day.
Cabaret
The Store opened with only Dolli Dimples. She remained until around 1982, when The King was installed. Th King was removed in 1990, when the room was transformed into extra seating.
Lost Media
- Original grand opening news coverage (1980)
- local news coverage (1982-1987)