Topeka, KS (1301 SW Gage Blvd)

Topeka, KS (1301 SW Gage Blvd) was a Showbiz Pizza Place that opened on December 1st, 1980 as the second store in Kansas, and closed between 1985 and 1986. The location opened as a franchise, likely under the ownership of Topeka Inn Management, but was later acquired by SPP on February 25, 1985.

Stage

The Topeka Showbiz Pizza was the 6th store to receive the in-development (Beta) variant of the Rock-Afire Explosion show. After the closure, the animatronics were sold off in an auction and later repurchased by Creative Engineering.

History

In 1984 this Showbiz Pizza, among others, received a 'Noteworthy' rating on their second quarter (1984) quality assurance evaluations.⁽¹⁾ It is also worth noting that the Billy Bob hot air balloon may have visited this Showbiz during its heyday.⁽²⁾⁽³⁾ Between the years of 1985 and 1986, this Showbiz Pizza permanently closed and the building would be occupied by several different businesses over the years, the last of which being Sun Resorts Tanning and Fitness⁽⁴⁾. A more notable tenant of the former Showbiz, 'The Vintage', was popular among local politicians and was the unfortunate site of a fight between Westboro Baptist Church and counter protesters over the hiring of a gay waitress in the mid 1990s. ⁽⁵⁾https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/remember-the-vintage-city-votes-to-tear-the-now-vacant-building-down/1639596204/ The building was unanimously voted on by the city to be demolished in 2018, and two years later, between April and June of 2020, a majority of the building was demolished. As of current, an Amoco gas station is now in the place of the former Showbiz Pizza Place.⁽⁰⁾⁽⁶⁾

Arcade Machines

Machines identified in 1981 Franchise brochure

• Whack-A-Mole
• Skeeball
• Red Baron
• Pac-Man
• Lunar Lander
• Fire Truck
• Star Castle
• Galaxian
• Billy Bob's Musical Ferris Wheel

Additional Machines identified in Operation Promotion video

• Donkey Kong
• Centipede
• Make Trax
• Space Invaders
• Frogger
• Billy Bob Merry Go Round

Video

Link	Description	Filming Date
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_nqw97cCN4	Training Video	July 1, 1980s

Animatronics

Animatronic	Serial Number	Whereabouts
Rolfe DeWolfe	7-80 1-6	Unknown
Dook Larue	7-80 2-6	Unknown
Fatz Geronimo	7-80 3-6	In Storage
Beach Bear	7-80 4-6	Unknown
Mitzi Mozzarella	7-80 5-6	Owned by Sully.(7)
Billy Bob	7-80 6-6	Unknown
Looney Bird	7-80 7-6	In Storage
Choo Choo	7-80 8-6	Unknown
Sun	7-80 10-6	Unknown
Moon	7-80 11-6	Unknown
Antioch	N/A	Unknown