Citi Trends interior
Citi Trends (13,150 square feet)
4027 West Mercury Boulevard, Hampton Plaza, Hampton, VA
Opened in 2004, renovated in January 2020; originally part of GEX (August 9th, 1962-1977), later Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre (May 1982-1993), Chuck E. Cheese's (1993-May 2002)
In years past I've visited Citi Trends to get some pairs of jeans for myself, and with the cold winter season coming up I figured it was time to pick up a few more. And while I left here empty handed due to not being able to find my size, I did document their salesfloor since it got a refresh almost three years ago. Oh, and did I mention that this was my childhood Chuck E. Cheese's? Yezzir!
The Pizza Time Theatre opened in May 1982 by Family Entertainment Centers Inc., a franchisee based out of Maryland that operated a handful of locations in that state, as well as the original two RVA locations and Hampton Roads' other locations (Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach). Most of their restaurants shuttered in 1984-1985 during the company's bankruptcy, but Hampton proved to be one of the franchisee's most successful units so they weathered the storm (though I believe another franchisee may have acquired it around that time). The location kept most of its' original appearance until the late 1990s, when they received a "Phase 3" renovation that looked similar to this location. It was also during that time that Hampton Towne Centre was developed a little further north, and a few years later in 2002 a new Chuck E. Cheese's was built on a vacant plot of land next to the center's T.J. Maxx store. That newer restaurant is slightly larger and is in a more viable location, next to a thriving AMC theater and visible from I-64 running behind it. It also would appear that they were operating on a 5-10 year lease in Hampton Plaza, and with the May 2002 renewal approaching they decided to terminate it and move to the new building instead. And after that series of events Citi Trends came and took over their old space.
The sad but expected part is that Citi Trends gutted the entire building, with zero traces of CEC left unless you wanna count the drop ceiling. The last time I was here during the CEC days was probably in 2001, so my memory is a little hazy about the store's layout, but I'll do my best to describe where things were. The location had its' entrance in the center of the storefront, with sections divided into two. In this photo I'm standing in the left front corner of the building, and ahead of me would've been where the ordering counter, prize wall, salad bar, kitchen, and restrooms would've been located. Behind them was a small pocket of space housing coin-op style rides. The right side of the building was opened up for the games/rides floor, with the Skytubes situated almost dead center (somewhere near where the "girls" and "plus size" signs are hanging now). And the showroom consumed the entire back wall, pretty much the entirety of Citi Trends' stockroom now. The best comparison I can make to currently operating CECs would be a location like Whitehall, PA or Cherry Hill, NJ, but due to Hampton opening as a Pizza Time Theatre it's not the exact same. I tell ya what, if I had a time machine then this old CEC would be one of the places I'd visit, because it sure did leave an impression on me even twenty some years later!
Citi Trends interior
Citi Trends (13,150 square feet)
4027 West Mercury Boulevard, Hampton Plaza, Hampton, VA
Opened in 2004, renovated in January 2020; originally part of GEX (August 9th, 1962-1977), later Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre (May 1982-1993), Chuck E. Cheese's (1993-May 2002)
In years past I've visited Citi Trends to get some pairs of jeans for myself, and with the cold winter season coming up I figured it was time to pick up a few more. And while I left here empty handed due to not being able to find my size, I did document their salesfloor since it got a refresh almost three years ago. Oh, and did I mention that this was my childhood Chuck E. Cheese's? Yezzir!
The Pizza Time Theatre opened in May 1982 by Family Entertainment Centers Inc., a franchisee based out of Maryland that operated a handful of locations in that state, as well as the original two RVA locations and Hampton Roads' other locations (Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach). Most of their restaurants shuttered in 1984-1985 during the company's bankruptcy, but Hampton proved to be one of the franchisee's most successful units so they weathered the storm (though I believe another franchisee may have acquired it around that time). The location kept most of its' original appearance until the late 1990s, when they received a "Phase 3" renovation that looked similar to this location. It was also during that time that Hampton Towne Centre was developed a little further north, and a few years later in 2002 a new Chuck E. Cheese's was built on a vacant plot of land next to the center's T.J. Maxx store. That newer restaurant is slightly larger and is in a more viable location, next to a thriving AMC theater and visible from I-64 running behind it. It also would appear that they were operating on a 5-10 year lease in Hampton Plaza, and with the May 2002 renewal approaching they decided to terminate it and move to the new building instead. And after that series of events Citi Trends came and took over their old space.
The sad but expected part is that Citi Trends gutted the entire building, with zero traces of CEC left unless you wanna count the drop ceiling. The last time I was here during the CEC days was probably in 2001, so my memory is a little hazy about the store's layout, but I'll do my best to describe where things were. The location had its' entrance in the center of the storefront, with sections divided into two. In this photo I'm standing in the left front corner of the building, and ahead of me would've been where the ordering counter, prize wall, salad bar, kitchen, and restrooms would've been located. Behind them was a small pocket of space housing coin-op style rides. The right side of the building was opened up for the games/rides floor, with the Skytubes situated almost dead center (somewhere near where the "girls" and "plus size" signs are hanging now). And the showroom consumed the entire back wall, pretty much the entirety of Citi Trends' stockroom now. The best comparison I can make to currently operating CECs would be a location like Whitehall, PA or Cherry Hill, NJ, but due to Hampton opening as a Pizza Time Theatre it's not the exact same. I tell ya what, if I had a time machine then this old CEC would be one of the places I'd visit, because it sure did leave an impression on me even twenty some years later!