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Kids' emporium of games, pizza also serves beer, wine. The result? Heated melees
By Bob Dyer
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 07:24 a.m. EST, Jan 10, 2009
During the past three years, Fairlawn police have been called to the Chuck E. Cheese's on West Market Street 49 times.
That's more calls than any other stand-alone business in the city — including bars.
Only Summit Mall, a 120-store behemoth, produces more police reports.
Apparently, this is not particularly unusual. The Chuckster seems to be developing a national reputation for disorderly conduct.
If you haven't parented young kids during the past couple of decades, Chuck E. Cheese's is a nationwide chain of human anthills that are half-gaming parlor, half-pizza parlor, designed specifically for children. Well, except for the beer and wine.
I always thought the availability of alcohol was a well-conceived bribe to win over parents who normally would not be amenable to spending a couple of hours in a place where the noise level approximates that of the Blue Angels' afterburners.
Over the years, I have occasionally screwed up my courage and ventured into the never-ending whirl of yelling, running, screaming, jumping, falling, leaping and crashing. I am always struck not only by the incongruity between fuzzy robotic cartoon animals and free-flowing Budweiser, but also by the big age range among the kids.
Obviously, a big age range creates big size differences. And when large kids and small kids are mingling in an atmosphere of perpetual chaos — crawling through mazes and diving into small plastic balls — things can get a bit dicey.
Mix in a wide cross section of adults — including the type who never use their turn signals and wouldn't hold the door for somebody without a court order — and perhaps it's no wonder things can get a bit messy. Or more.
Major blow-ups According to the Wall Street Journal, law-enforcement officials across the country say Chuck E. has played host to a remarkable number of arguments and fights, mostly involving adults.
At some locations, the confrontations have been so heated that maybe Chuck E. — a smiling mouse who wears a ball cap — ought to vacate in favor of the Chucky in the horror movies. In Brookfield, Wis., last year, seven cops were needed to break up a melee involving 40 people who were knocking over chairs and screaming at each other right in front of the stage where a singing chicken and a guitar-playing hound dog deliver their merry tunes.
That was only one of 12 fights there that required police action. Whack-a-Mole, indeed.
In Toledo, four mothers were arrested after a brawl that followed an argument about the length of time someone's daughters were hanging out at a drawing machine. Ten people squared off. In the featured bout, one loving mother was using the entrance rope as makeshift nunchucks, swinging the metal hook at another of the loving mothers. What's next, beer pong in convents?
''A lot of it is perceived actions against children, or somebody bumps into somebody and it becomes verbal,'' Fairlawn Police Chief Kenneth Walsh says. ''And a lot of it . . . is the 'Mother Bear' feeling. They're protecting their children. There's a dispute over [game] tokens or somebody thinks another customer is using a machine too long, and it becomes argumentative.'' Walsh says none of his 49 disturbances ended in an arrest. Often, he says, at least one of the squabbling parties has departed by the time officers arrive.
Jackson is mellower In contrast to Fairlawn's track record, Chuck E.'s joint on The Strip in Jackson Township seems downright sedate.
Jackson Township Police Chief Harley Neftzer says that last year, his department was called to only four incidents that merited a report: two thefts, a fire and a shoving match in the parking lot. ''I don't have any grandkids yet,'' Neftzer says, ''but I wouldn't be hesitant about sending anybody at all to our particular location.''
The Chuck E.'s are owned by a Texas company, CEC Entertainment, which runs more than 525 of them, 19 in Ohio and three near Akron. The third is in Parma, near Parmatown Mall. A spokesman for the Parma Police Department says their Chuck's doesn't have a reputation for brawling, but that things have not always been dreamy.
''For a while, they were hiring our officers to work in there because of incidents of theft and things of that nature,'' Detective Marty Compton says. ''You know, a parent gets up to go play with their kid and all of a sudden somebody walks out with a purse.''
Liquid courage?
Although mixing toddlers and booze might sound dissonant, authorities say alcohol usually is not a factor in the flare-ups. Nationally, only a few Chuck E.'s have discontinued liquor sales. Beer and wine are still available in this area, including Jackson Township, where Chuck has been leading a mellow life.
Lindsey Phillabaum, a manager there, attributes the lack of arguments to her particular clientele. She also says employees try to swoop down on any conflicts before they escalate.
In Fairlawn, says General Manager Jamie Rohrer, the problem is not so much the type of people but their number. ''It's just because it's crowded,'' she says. ''People just get irritated. When it comes to people's kids, they just get off the edge.'' Her palace of overstimulation has taken to hiring off-duty sheriff's deputies on winter weekends, which are the biggest period of the year both for crowds and disagreements.
But keep in mind that, even in Fairlawn, you're not exactly taking your life in your hands. Conflicts are relatively rare, and often a good time can be had by all.
Even adults (not mentioning any names) have been known to revel in some of the games of skill. As corporate spokeswoman Brenda Holloway points out, ''We served approximately 75 million people in 2008, and the occurrences are actually very rare.'' Still, whether Chuck E. Cheese's is consistently ''a magical place for families,'' as its telephone greeting insists, is open to debate.
Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com.
During the past three years, Fairlawn police have been called to the Chuck E. Cheese's on West Market Street 49 times.
That's more calls than any other stand-alone business in the city — including bars.
Only Summit Mall, a 120-store behemoth, produces more police reports.
Apparently, this is not particularly unusual. The Chuckster seems to be developing a national reputation for disorderly conduct.
If you haven't parented young kids during the past couple of decades, Chuck E. Cheese's is a nationwide chain of human anthills that are half-gaming parlor, half-pizza parlor, designed specifically for children. Well, except for the beer and wine.
I always thought the availability of alcohol was a well-conceived bribe to win over parents who normally would not be amenable to spending a couple of hours in a place where the noise level approximates that of the Blue Angels' afterburners.
Over the years, I have occasionally screwed up my courage and ventured into the never-ending whirl of yelling, running, screaming, jumping, falling, leaping and crashing. I am always struck not only by the incongruity between fuzzy robotic cartoon animals and free-flowing Budweiser, but also by the big age range among the kids.
Obviously, a big age range creates big size differences. And when large kids and small kids are mingling in an atmosphere of perpetual chaos — crawling through mazes and diving into small plastic balls — things can get a bit dicey.
Mix in a wide cross section of adults — including the type who never use their turn signals and wouldn't hold the door for somebody without a court order — and perhaps it's no wonder things can get a bit messy. Or more.
Major blow-ups According to the Wall Street Journal, law-enforcement officials across the country say Chuck E. has played host to a remarkable number of arguments and fights, mostly involving adults.
At some locations, the confrontations have been so heated that maybe Chuck E. — a smiling mouse who wears a ball cap — ought to vacate in favor of the Chucky in the horror movies. In Brookfield, Wis., last year, seven cops were needed to break up a melee involving 40 people who were knocking over chairs and screaming at each other right in front of the stage where a singing chicken and a guitar-playing hound dog deliver their merry tunes.
That was only one of 12 fights there that required police action. Whack-a-Mole, indeed.
In Toledo, four mothers were arrested after a brawl that followed an argument about the length of time someone's daughters were hanging out at a drawing machine. Ten people squared off. In the featured bout, one loving mother was using the entrance rope as makeshift nunchucks, swinging the metal hook at another of the loving mothers. What's next, beer pong in convents?
''A lot of it is perceived actions against children, or somebody bumps into somebody and it becomes verbal,'' Fairlawn Police Chief Kenneth Walsh says. ''And a lot of it . . . is the 'Mother Bear' feeling. They're protecting their children. There's a dispute over [game] tokens or somebody thinks another customer is using a machine too long, and it becomes argumentative.'' Walsh says none of his 49 disturbances ended in an arrest. Often, he says, at least one of the squabbling parties has departed by the time officers arrive.
Jackson is mellower In contrast to Fairlawn's track record, Chuck E.'s joint on The Strip in Jackson Township seems downright sedate.
Jackson Township Police Chief Harley Neftzer says that last year, his department was called to only four incidents that merited a report: two thefts, a fire and a shoving match in the parking lot. ''I don't have any grandkids yet,'' Neftzer says, ''but I wouldn't be hesitant about sending anybody at all to our particular location.''
The Chuck E.'s are owned by a Texas company, CEC Entertainment, which runs more than 525 of them, 19 in Ohio and three near Akron. The third is in Parma, near Parmatown Mall. A spokesman for the Parma Police Department says their Chuck's doesn't have a reputation for brawling, but that things have not always been dreamy.
''For a while, they were hiring our officers to work in there because of incidents of theft and things of that nature,'' Detective Marty Compton says. ''You know, a parent gets up to go play with their kid and all of a sudden somebody walks out with a purse.''
Liquid courage?
Although mixing toddlers and booze might sound dissonant, authorities say alcohol usually is not a factor in the flare-ups. Nationally, only a few Chuck E.'s have discontinued liquor sales. Beer and wine are still available in this area, including Jackson Township, where Chuck has been leading a mellow life.
Lindsey Phillabaum, a manager there, attributes the lack of arguments to her particular clientele. She also says employees try to swoop down on any conflicts before they escalate.
In Fairlawn, says General Manager Jamie Rohrer, the problem is not so much the type of people but their number. ''It's just because it's crowded,'' she says. ''People just get irritated. When it comes to people's kids, they just get off the edge.'' Her palace of overstimulation has taken to hiring off-duty sheriff's deputies on winter weekends, which are the biggest period of the year both for crowds and disagreements.
But keep in mind that, even in Fairlawn, you're not exactly taking your life in your hands. Conflicts are relatively rare, and often a good time can be had by all.
Even adults (not mentioning any names) have been known to revel in some of the games of skill. As corporate spokeswoman Brenda Holloway points out, ''We served approximately 75 million people in 2008, and the occurrences are actually very rare.'' Still, whether Chuck E. Cheese's is consistently ''a magical place for families,'' as its telephone greeting insists, is open to debate.
Bob Dyer can be reached at 330-996-3580 or bdyer@thebeaconjournal.com.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Akron, OH
Posted 09:40 PM, 01/09/2009
Why would you want to encourage frustrated parents to drink then drive their kids home?
Posted 10:16 PM, 01/09/2009
Shades of hell, the only words to describe Fairlawn Chuck E. Cheese, on a winter Saturday night!!!!!
macon, ga
Posted 11:09 PM, 01/09/2009
nothing I like better than watching 2 women fight
macon, ga
Posted 11:14 PM, 01/09/2009
hello everyone in ohio
Anti-Politically Correct & Anti-GOP, OH
Posted 11:24 PM, 01/09/2009
Shut it down! It is a haven for gangs and violence!
Akron, OH
Posted 01:02 AM, 01/10/2009
The CEC in Fairlawn is a joke--way too small. As for the one in Jackson, it's ok, but someone stole an Ohio State Brutus magnet off the back of our mini van last spring. Very mature.
Akron, Oh
Posted 04:52 AM, 01/10/2009
just look around people you are destroying the fabric that a once older community sewed together through years of hard work and determination.
you have created a race of heartless self minded people who have no regards to anyone but themselves whose lifestyle is to drink do drugs alcohol and wave rampage on the innocent bystanders who repel their beliefs. wake up people see what you are becoming.
Posted 08:32 AM, 01/10/2009
Betamax must be out of town but he will like this.
Bob, normally your articles are not offensive and sometimes enlightening, but not this one.
Where did you get the idea for this article?
Could it possibly have been from something very, very, very, very similiar that was on MSN.com a while back?
Just wondering.
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 08:39 AM, 01/10/2009
Chuck the cheese and take your kids to the Tallmadge McDonalds indoor play area. You and the kids have a wonderful time.
akron, oh
Posted 08:43 AM, 01/10/2009
This is what happens when you get a bunch of parents who are uneducated, waste of fresh air, and have 10 kids with no father around. They dump there kids there and sit in the back yelling at someone on their cell phones. Stay home and let the normal working families enjoy a day out.
akron, OH
Posted 08:44 AM, 01/10/2009
ya
Posted 08:58 AM, 01/10/2009
Its sad How ever expected
I Took my Daughter to this chucky cheese and I swear I wont go back I will go to the canton one
The Reason People here are very very rude I never seen so many rude kids in my life and mom and dad just sat there Its not about gangs or boose its about teaching your kids respect in order to get it you must give it
akron, oh
Posted 09:04 AM, 01/10/2009
Two words: White Trash.
Coal Pit Hollow, WV
Posted 09:17 AM, 01/10/2009
Reminds me of an incident when I lived in Rochester NY about 15 years ago. At that time, the Chuck E. Cheese character outfit had a tail. At one kids' party, the person in the outfit made a quick turn and the tail knocked a kid down. The parent ended up filing a police report afterward. No word if Chuck was arrested for assault. Now, the CEC character outfit has no tail.
Akron , OH
Posted 10:11 AM, 01/10/2009
"Its sad How ever expected
I Took my Daughter to this chucky cheese and I swear I wont go back I will go to the canton one
The Reason People here are very very rude I never seen so many rude kids in my life and mom and dad just sat there Its not about gangs or boose its about teaching your kids respect in order to get it you must give it"
I totally agree with you Laura, we experienced a similar situation the weekend before Christmas. we stayed long enough for someone to steal my wife's cell phone. then we had enough and left. we still have like 100 tokens left.
Posted 10:59 AM, 01/10/2009
i myself have been to that chuckie cheese in fairlawn and have seen parents that sit back and drink their beer and argue with people on their cell phones and not paying any attention to their children.and these are the children that obviously learned manners and respect from their parents because they will shove, cut in front of, and push other children out of their way.then if that parent says anything to the parent thats not paying attention to their child(ren) a fight starts and of course the rude ones wind up staying and the others just leave.and why would they sell any kind of alcohol their? are they permitting parents to put their children in vehicles when they have been drinking? parents need to pay attention to their children leave their cell phones alone,and chuckie cheese should not sell any type alcohol,this is a kids place,you dont see these games at your local bars THIS PLACE IS FOR KIDS TO HAVE FUN!
Akron, OH
Posted 11:08 AM, 01/10/2009
This should produce some needed appreciation for teachers and what they have to put up with every day, with lawsuits and firing threatening them if them even touch an incorrigible kid to protect a victim.
People complain about the schools, but the very people ruining the fun at CEC are the same ones who comprise the schools. A lot of it is due to too many kids never hearing the word "NO" at home--it might cause them to have "issues". . . what a crock!
One thing we always noticed at CEC was how so many adults would either sit there or leave their tables overflowing with food trash falling to the floor. They made no effort to clean up the space they occupied for several hours.
They teach their kids to disrespect the workers and others' property, too. That carries over into school, too.
In the name of "protecting the child's self-esteem", dopey psychologists have led parents to think they should not firmly correct or punish them.
The inmates now run the asylum.
Akron, Oh
Posted 11:24 AM, 01/10/2009
Two more words: trailor park. And don't believe the Fairlawn Manager. It is indeed about the types of people who go there and not the number. Let's face it, she's not the most objective source for this type of information.
Posted 11:38 AM, 01/10/2009
I quit taking my kids there, long ago. It is loaded with Copley Road Hood Rats. I hope they do away with the alcohol, so I can start going back and legally carrying my handgun, like I do everywhere else.
Posted 11:40 AM, 01/10/2009
we held a birthday party there as a last resort, long story! I must say I was pleasantly surprised by the way it all went down. granted it was at 4pm so the crowds were thin, but the staff at the CEC in Fairlawn were amazing! We all had a very nice time!
I remember when I was younger you were not allowed there without a parent. I noticed many middle school age kids there with no adults, how is that possible? There is no reason for 13 year olds and 3 year olds to be playing on the same toys. Set an age limit and stick with it, that will help keep the trash away and keep the place nice for kids!
Cuyahoga Falls, OH
Posted 11:58 AM, 01/10/2009
There's a Chuck E. Cheese in Fairlawn?
Akron, oh
Posted 12:14 PM, 01/10/2009
Yes Crime of the Century, the easiest way to find it is by looking for the soccer mom wagons parked near the Escalades with 22's. Inner city and suburbia mixing it up, I love it.
Posted 12:48 PM, 01/10/2009
Should've NEVER closed the Chapel Hill location. It was the BEST ever!!! Showbiz on Romig Rd. comes in a close second. Chuck E. rules.
Posted 01:32 PM, 01/10/2009
This article is a hatchet job meant to tear down an otherwise reputable business.
Even the author admits that things have been pretty calm at Chuck E. Cheese restaurants in Fairlawn, Jackson Twp. and Parma. Yet his tone and even the headline would make you think this place is worse than even the lowliest dive bar.
Even the cops say alcohol doesn't usually play a role in these altercations, yet the author tries to make readers somehow think that CEC is a den of drunkeness and violence.
Do you know where else you can drink beer and wine in the presence of children? The family Christmas party. The kids' family birthday party. TGI Fridays. Professional baseball games. Cedar Point. Applebee's. Olive Garden.
This writer needs to get a clue.
Akron, oh
Posted 02:04 PM, 01/10/2009
Valid point spellbound. Dyer is attacking a seemingly successful business that employs akron citz. One wonders what his true intentions are.
Akron, OH
Posted 02:17 PM, 01/10/2009
I don't think this article tears down the business at all. It points out how disgustingly RUDE and trashy this society and patrons have become.
It's not CEC's fault if trashy parents are half-drunk and yelling on their cell phone while their kids act like wild animals.
Those are the same parents who yell at teachers who give their kids the grades and discipline they deserve, and somebody needs to address it. All authority figures are losing authority because of this behavior.
Akron, Oh
Posted 02:47 PM, 01/10/2009
"One wonders what his true intentions are?" Paranoid much? Did it ever dawn on our paranoid posters that the writer's purpose was simply to do his job?
akron, oh
Posted 02:54 PM, 01/10/2009
'Trailer trash' no longer has to live in trailers. No they live in McMansions in Copley, etc.
Akron, Oh
Posted 03:43 PM, 01/10/2009
BREAKING NEWS.......
After futher review of the messages that are left on this site, The United States Department of Education has declared an Academic Emergency. Never before in the history of the United States of America has there been such a gathering of ignorant people.
Akron, oh
Posted 04:45 PM, 01/10/2009
Wikipedia philosophy on Journalism:
Most of the time, journalists are expected to be responsible and objective in their analysis, and are supposed to refrain from personal biases or prejudices.
Does that sound like Dyer?
Posted 04:52 PM, 01/10/2009
Thank you to all poster for making me laugh at my otherwise boring job!
Akron, OH
Posted 04:53 PM, 01/10/2009
Sorry about the person who leaves when there are black people there. They might be ok . . but he'll never know - I just want to be warned when GLOCK has his glock. that's all we need, a shooting over a game token!!!
Oh, never mind - I won't set foot in there anyway.
copley, oh
Posted 04:53 PM, 01/10/2009
We have had only two such incidents at the Fairlawn location. We had a birthday party there and several wrapped gifts were stolen from the gift table. Try to explain that to a four year old. We also attended a party there (shame on me). Our daughter arrived with a new down coat. She left without a coat. Her coat was stolen. Try to expalin that to a four year old. Why do people think they are entitled to someone else's things? Obviously, we no longer feel safe there. We will not return. Sad.
Fort Jennings, Oh
Posted 05:14 PM, 01/10/2009
Why not post employees near each area to monitor things... stop kids from cutting in line, etc. They could also set time limits to avoid those who do not share and play well with others. (Including the parents!)
akron, oh
Posted 05:23 PM, 01/10/2009
Why not have a reasonalbe expectation that parents would monitor their own kids?
Posted 05:26 PM, 01/10/2009
Fairlawn stories...2 years ago I overheard a mom tell her boy (about 5 or 6 years old) that she would be back in about an hour. She left him at Chuck E Cheese. I kinda watched him for awhile and he was definately alone. She waddled in about 2 hours later and yelled at the kid because he used all of his tokens. I felt so bad for him. Two months ago, I was enjoying a game with my son and another kid about 5 years old came up and tried playing the game while we were using it. I brushed his hands away and said excuse me. He just gave me a blank stare. This kid smelled like puke. This kid just stunk like he never had a bath. Poor kid. He was dressed in dirt clothes also. Unfortunately, we did not have the pleasure to drive to the strip where that location is clean and more family friendly and the customers are not as gross....
Posted 06:26 PM, 01/10/2009
You gotta have a license to have a dog but anybody can have a kid.....
Akron, Oh
Posted 06:40 PM, 01/10/2009
"Does that sound like Dyer?"
YES, it does.
Akron, Oh
Posted 06:42 PM, 01/10/2009
"Why not have a reasonalbe expectation that parents would monitor their own kids?"
Word, how dare you be so judgmental and racist! wink, wink!
Akron, Oh
Posted 06:44 PM, 01/10/2009
Isn't it telling when describing a children's restaurant in America, we need to describe it as a war zone. Nice!
akron, oh
Posted 07:20 PM, 01/10/2009
The mouse should be allowed to pound the stuffing out of the little brats and their trashy parents.
akron, oh
Posted 07:21 PM, 01/10/2009
I bet most of the self-indulging, self-indulgent parents are fat too.
Akron, OH
Posted 03:31 AM, 01/11/2009
Why?
Posted 05:41 AM, 01/11/2009
HOLY MOWLY! ONLY IN AMERICA.
N. Canton, Oh
Posted 07:39 AM, 01/11/2009
The Chuck E. Cheese at the Strip in Belden seems to be a great place to take kids. I have taken my grandkids there on many occasions and it has been noting but a very good time, noisy but a great time for the kids.
Posted 09:32 AM, 01/11/2009
well pwilson from the responses left by most of these idiots it's 50/50.
It seems we have one set of racist people who are saying it's all the 'white trash' while the other half are preaching 'hood rats'.
Posted 09:47 AM, 01/11/2009
to mischief, that was a good one. Escalades with 22's. However, you won't find too many soccer moms there. The West Akron soccer moms take their kids to the CEC at the Strip down 77. We do and it is much more pleasant and well worth the drive. There are plenty of Escalades in the parking lot.
Akron, Oh
Posted 09:54 AM, 01/11/2009
When they first started serving beer i was like what the hell are they serving beer for? We dont even allow beer at family events. You get what you get. and yes i have seen parents leave their kids at Chuckee before. I was kinda glad my daughter grew outta that stage. Being a large blackman I always get the short stick for having sense when trying not argue with stupid wimmens. Oh well...they get what they get.
akron, oh
Posted 09:55 AM, 01/11/2009
I have taken my son to both the Fairlawn and Jackson locations, and the the Jackson location is indeed much more pleasant. Jackson Twp. is a more upscale area,and the patrons there aren't acting foolish like they do in Fairlawn. It's not racial, it's cultural and economic. Go anywhere in Goodyear Heights and you will see white kids dressing, talking and acting just as foolish as the black kids on the west side.
akron, oh
Posted 10:27 AM, 01/11/2009
Been there once.
Immediately sensed out-of-control environment where a small kid could get run over by larger manerless little thugs who had a certain gleam in their eye and no sence of fair play or respect for their elders.
The racial makeup was unlike any other in Fairlawn.
Happened to be there towards the first of the month...
Seems a certain segment of the population has decided that kids parties at
CC is the way to go.
When I read the number of police calls, it came as no surprice.
GHETTO CHEECE would be a better monicker AND the pizza tasted like cardboard.
akron, oh
Posted 10:38 AM, 01/11/2009
Glock 20,Please use the reason God gave you and leave the piece in the car or home.
When I took the CCW class there were far too many newly minted gunslingers ,like yourself, equating concealed weapon permit with manhood.
It's a kids arcade.Love it or hate it but please keep it weapons free.
Akron, , OH
Posted 11:01 AM, 01/11/2009
Fools raising fools
Akron, Oh
Posted 11:11 AM, 01/11/2009
WOW, knock knock is anyone home. This is a place for kids to go and have fun. Its not a hang out for teenagers and its not a bar for parents. The problem is lack of supervision, its not the employees of CEC responsibility to baby sit the kids, its the parents resonsability. Get rid of the beer and wine and only allow kids in that have a parent with them. Its not an issue of white or black, for crying out loud every thing I read after every article on this web site refers back to black or white. People, we are all human, no matter what color or race, lets all have some respect for each other and get along. :)
Wadsworth, OH
Posted 12:53 PM, 01/11/2009
The beer is not the problem. They have a limit of 2 beers, and they are small beers.
The problem is that some kids have poor manners and bad parents. This problem isn't unique to CEC, but for some reason, it seems to be intesified there.
Posted 01:04 PM, 01/11/2009
white trash? last time I stopped in there I was the only white person in there.
Portage Lakes, OH
Posted 06:49 PM, 01/11/2009
No don't get rid of the alcohol, please! Not while I still have grandkids... we have a party coming up in a couple of weeks at the Belden location. Last time there I swore I'd never go back. I hate Chuck E Cheese's! When my kids were little we took them to Show Biz Pizza on Romig Road. The place was nice, and most people watched over their kids back then, too. Chuck E Cheese's is just noise and rampant nutso land. I am glad they serve alcohol. Bet your bottom dollar I'm not going to stay any longer than necessary, either. I love my grandkids but hate that sort of environment. You need valium even if you never take them.
Posted 08:05 PM, 01/11/2009
BV doesn't need any akron low lifes, there are enough coming from canton as it is.
Posted 09:17 PM, 01/11/2009
There's nothing more annoying than a parent who thinks that their kid is special. The horrible thing about birth control is that it allows people who reason objectively to opt out of the gene pool, so there's no one left breeding except fruitcakes and trash. America has a dismal future ahead of it.
akron, oh
Posted 04:37 AM, 01/12/2009
Anyone that sees a parent just 'drop off' a kid at this place should call the police and report a child being abandoned.
Akron, OH
Posted 08:53 AM, 01/12/2009
A public place serving booze for adults where little ones are present: just a screwed-up idea. Imagine what is placed in the minds of children watching such "adult" behavior. Hatred won't end anytime soon thanks to such sub-humans.
Grump's right. The play station at McD's is better. And if'n the tykes get too rowdy, Grump will surely be the first to let you know.
Wadsworth, OH
Posted 09:42 AM, 01/12/2009
@Truth Patrol: So you don't take your kids to Applebee's, Friday's, Rockne's, Macaroni Grill, Olive Garden, Pizza Hut, Outback, etc. -- because all of those places serve booze and are restaurants where you often see familes?
Wadsworth, OH
Posted 10:18 AM, 01/12/2009
People should not be allowed to leave their kids their alone. There should be workers at each station monitoring the situations.
Also, I would like to see it for children 12 and under only. When I go, which is rare, once a year, my son is 6, and I stay right with him the whole time, I would never leave him unattended or allow him to run wild.
Barberton, OH
Posted 11:23 AM, 01/12/2009
This is a big deal about nothing at all. Of course you have to expect an incident from time to time when you have pride filled parents mingling with alcohol and their kids. We are animals after all.
Chuck E. Cheese's is not that bad of an atmosphere for kids, and it's a lot better than Dave and Busters up in Cleveland. Dave and Busters STYLES itself as a Chuck E. Cheese's for adults, but there's always more kids than adults there and they're serving TOP SHELF LIQUOR within 5 feet of kids playing Street Fighter. I've seen drunks stumble and fall over kids there a number of times, so if they want to do a story on a franchise like this, direct it towards Dave and Busters.
Akron, OH
Posted 12:02 PM, 01/12/2009
Lebowski, the kids aren't running all over the place in the places you mention. Uh, on second thought, mebbe they are. But the original implied empahsis behind CEC was kids & fun, not family restaurant. Perhaps CEC's focus has changed.
Haven't had "kids" in a long time myself. But I'd rather throw a kids' party at home anymore compared to what seems to happen, and what they become exposed to by pseudo-adults (aka: uncouth trash) in commercial establishments.
Posted 12:10 PM, 01/12/2009
49 calls in 3 years, more than any other stand alone business including bars. That's not good for a place that is supposed to be kid and family oriented.
As many said it probably has less to do with the alcohol and more to with the attituded of some kids and parents. Running around crazy with no supervision or limits is how some people live. Then they are surprised when they are not welcome in places that demand a little more civility.
Barberton, OH
Posted 12:27 PM, 01/12/2009
Why doesn't everyone just drop all their kids off alone! The enviornment at CEC would probably be alot more peaceful considering it's the adults who are acting like the children!!! GROW UP PEOPLE!
shadyside, oh
Posted 01:11 PM, 01/12/2009
1st of all the parents need to take control of their children. 2nd of all even if alcohol isnt the main reason for the police to be called why would it be served? 3rd when some of the parents act like children themselves there will be nothing but trouble. 4th It is not a white or black thing it is simply people that were not taught how to treat each other with respect.
Posted 01:43 PM, 01/12/2009
I don't get why half of you think that having a beer or two in front of your kids is a mortal sin. At least these parents are taking their kids out to have a good time instead of making them sit around the house and watch tv or play video games.
Posted 01:44 PM, 01/12/2009
RichardB, I'm pretty sure white trash is just as much to blame as anyone else. I've been there, it's ridiculous and apparently so have other people. Unless you've got some police reports, etc, to back it up, why blame black people just because. At least produce something else your word is worthless.
Wadsworth, OH
Posted 02:20 PM, 01/12/2009
@Truth Patrol: All I am saying is that alcohol isn't the real problem at CEC. If it was, you would be seeing the same problems at the CEC at The Strip, but that isn't the case.
The problem is the parents. Drive a few more miles west on 18 to Amazone in Medina and look at the difference. Amazone has the exact same concept as CEC, yet none of the problems. Why? Better class of people. I hate to say it, but it is true.
Akron, OH
Posted 02:46 PM, 01/12/2009
Tis true, Lebow. Tis true.
Too bad Fairlawn has apparently fallen to the uncivilized.
Make the world a better place... punch a Steeler fan in the face, .
Posted 04:42 PM, 01/12/2009
This is just a symptom of the helicopter parents who won't let their kids venture out on their own or work things out between kids. Anything that doesn't work according to plan is a "big" deal, so is it surprising to see this manifested at a Chuck E. Cheese's?
Posted 07:59 AM, 01/13/2009
I glad that I took my daughter before they start doing that stuff!!!!!!!!!!!! ~MALEAH~
uniontown, OH
Posted 09:03 AM, 01/13/2009
there should not be alchohol at a place for children. also i have been taking my kids to cec in jackson for a long time and i have never seen them allow any child in there by them selves. maybe the parent takes them in there and gets a stamp and then leaves you all need to quit blaming the kids for their behavior. it is their parents fault. my son is four and he is very well mannered. he love going to cec and i let him run and play i do stay with him but i let him have fun. that is what cec is all about. kids having fun. wake up parents cec didnt give birth to your children you did. to those parents who dont watch their child grow the heck up and pay attention to your kids. and for the grandparents who despise cec that place isnt for you it is for the kids. so suck it up. life is too short too be a partypooper
Posted 09:42 AM, 01/13/2009
Remember Discovery Zone at Chapel Hill? That place was awesome to a kid! But yea, I agree it's all about the type of people who hang out there. Generally it's the people who aren't always there for their children and thus teach them that they don't need to respect authority or anyone else. Courtesy is a rare thing nowadays.
Akron, OH
Posted 11:30 AM, 01/13/2009
These places are a HyperStimulus Zone.
The kids don't get recess now at school and this is one of few places classmates can run around and blow off steam together.
Kids love to climb, jump and slide and they need some physical activity every day. The schools could have a small gym area like these with climbing, sliding etc. available during a recess of 20 minutes or so.
Playground behavior needs to be learned with adult supervision. If the kids had a chance to play and blow off steam a bit during school day, they'd be less antsy in class and CEC-type places wouldn't be such a big deal that the kids go wild.
Posted 05:07 PM, 01/13/2009
If you want your blood pressure to rise and have fun, go to Cedar Point, if you want your blood pressure to rise and maybe be assaulted, go to CEC at Fairlawn. A horrifying place, it's definitely not a race thing, it's a terrible lack of civility that emanates from the parents. True story - went there 3 years ago, one little boy kicked an unsuspecting girl in the back as hard as he could, same cute little guy jumped on the ride my 2 year old was enjoying and cussed at my wife; and for the trifecta, the same kid was told by a "grown up" to "go punch Chuck E Cheese" the mascot. Gee, I Wonder why the kid was out of control? 49 police calls in 3 years is about 1.4 times a month for a KID'S PLACE!! How many calls to the police aren't made, 10, 20, 30, 100 per month? Don't go there, but if you must, act like you don't speak english and avoid eye contact with all grown-ups who are wearing sweat pants.
Kent, oh
Posted 11:33 AM, 01/15/2009
Fairlawn has become ghetto.
Atlanta, Ga
Posted 01:16 PM, 01/15/2009
Hey Glock 20 what does Copley Rd and hoodrst got to do with Chucky Cheese boy AMIND IS A TERRIBLY
THING TO WAST IT SHOW WHEN EVERY YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH NOTHING COME OUT BUT s***
I SURE HOPE YOU DONT HAVE ANY CHILDREN CAUSE THEY'LL BE LOST LIVING UNDER A ROOF OF DISPEAR
Posted 04:56 PM, 01/15/2009
The problem is that the parents and their children, whether they are white, black, asian, or pygmy, are not/have not/refuse to be taught manners or respect for others. They just take what they want when they want it and God help anyone that gets in their way.
7thsign...a roof of dispear?! Really? Would that be a disrespectful spear holding up a roof? Are you typing/speaking english? Admit it, you're a member of the Akron School Board aren't you?
Atlanta, Ga
Posted 02:39 PM, 01/16/2009
NO I AM NOT A MEMBER OF THE SCHOOL BOARD.
I DO SPEAK ENGLISH, I LIKE TO GET A RISE OUT OF PEOPLE YOU SEE THEY CAN DISH BUT THEY CANT TAKE IT
WELL STOP TALKING TRASH.
POT CANT CALL THE KETTLE BLACK.
I MAKE WAVES AND EXPRESS THE SECRET OF A DISHONEST
COMMENTS YEA FREEDOM OF SPEECH JUST LETTING PEOPLE
KNOWWHEN YOU SAY HURTFUL THING IT CAN BE RETURN NO
PUN ENTENDED.
Posted 05:22 PM, 04/06/2009
Dear 7thsign,
Please learn where the caps lock key is and turn it off. Then I suggest you buy a book entitled "English for Dummies." Pay special attention to the chapter on punctuation.
Good luck.
