luvvyamy: Import from Cheese-E-Pedia revision 274f085c7132d784f81b7a4cbd96e7a0922db854

2026-10-03T07:45:55Z

Import from Cheese-E-Pedia revision 274f085c7132d784f81b7a4cbd96e7a0922db854

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{| class="wikitable cep-infobox" style="float:right; clear:right; margin:0 0 1em 1.5em; width:24em; max-width:100%;"
! colspan="2" | Source metadata
|-
| colspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | [[File:Sparks, NV (530 Greenbrae Dr) - Sparks Exterior in Remodel Plans - 1982-05-21.avif|frameless|300px]]
|-
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:35%;" | Type
| Locations
|-
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:35%;" | Dates
| 1979-12-20 – 1984
|-
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:35%;" | Floor space
| 9500
|-
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:35%;" | Coordinates
| 39.54738367, -119.7511583
|-
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:35%;" | Tags
| Pizza Time Theatre
|-
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:35%;" | Contributors
| sudo-trans-pony
|-
! style="text-align:left; vertical-align:top; width:35%;" | Downloads
| [https://archive.org/download/95-8431-bz-plans/-%3DFloorplan%20Archive%3D-/Pizza%20Time%20Theatre/Nevada/1_1_1982%20-%20MICROFILM%20PLANS%20PIZZA%20TIME%20-%20530%20-%20GREENBRAE%20DR%20-%20%20-.pdf May 1982 Remodel Plans]
|}

'''''Sparks, NV (530 Greenbrae Dr)''''' is the seventh Pizza Time Theatre, the first to open outside of California, and the first franchised location, opening on December 20th, 1979, and lasting until 1984.<ref name="cep1">[https://archive.org/details/the-pizza-times-newsletters/1979%20The%20Pizza%20Times%201-1/mode/2up?q=nevada archive.org]</ref><ref name="cep4">[https://www.newspapers.com/article/reno-gazette-journal/36450747/ newspapers.com]</ref>

== History ==

=== Pre-Opening ===
The building would begin construction in early October of 1979 in a former Safeway grocery store.<ref name="cep4" /> The first mention of the location would be of a job posting for a assistant manager and technician on November 19th, 1979.<ref name="cep3">[https://www.newspapers.com/article/reno-gazette-journal/6844541/ newspapers.com]</ref> Gene Landrum would decades later note this exact store as being at the point the Chuck E. Cheese walkaround cost only $300, down from the $5,000 cost at the [[San Jose, CA (370 S Winchester Blvd)]] location. In December PTT would note that the location would be opening on December 20th, and having its Grand Opening Party on Janury 7th of 1980. It would also be noted that the store was the first franchised location, owned by Gary Harwin, which would also be the store's manager. Gene Finnigan, a contractor for PTT which had built 3 previous stores, and now the Sparks location, would be co-owning the venture as well.<ref name="cep2">[https://archive.org/details/the-pizza-times-newsletters/1980%20The%20Pizza%20Times%202-1/page/n5/mode/2up?q=nevada archive.org]</ref> PTT would also note that they had previously recieved a $2,000,000 loan from Bank of America to expand stores into new areas, with this being likely one of the first stores to use that.<ref name="cep1" /> Gary and his wife, Cindy, would get PTT themed licensed plates for their new venture, with hers reading "PIZZA TME", and his reading "PZATME"<ref name="cep2" />

=== Opening ===

The store would open on December 20th, 1979. Sparks Mayor of the time, Ron Player, would greet the newcomer to the state, saying "We're delighted to have Pizza Time join the Sparks scene. Our city is growing at a phenomenal rate and this is a great addition.".<ref name="cep2" /><ref name="cep4" /> The store would have 325 seat capacity and 55-60 arcade games.<ref name="cep4" /><ref name="cep18">[https://www.newspapers.com/article/reno-gazette-journal-pizza-time-openeing/11194879/ newspapers.com]</ref> On December 25th the store would post another job listing for bartenders.<ref name="cep5">[https://www.newspapers.com/image-view/1012353732/?clipping_id=135287216&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjEwMTIzNTM3MzIsImlhdCI6MTc2NTE1MTU5MiwiZXhwIjoxNzY1MjM3OTkyfQ.JIbcJH2IsSLhkhuouUEYMEGcIXwRmfBc--hFYW-MwzU newspapers.com]</ref> The store would send out 30,000 postcards to Reno and Sparks residents ahead of the opening, with Nolan Bushnell noting the store had "...gotten off to a faster start than any of the others.".<ref name="cep4" /> On January 7th, 1980, the store would have its Grand Opening.<ref name="cep1" /> At the grand opening, Cindy Harwin would hide diamond earrings in the pizza of a friend by the request of the friend's husband, who was unable to make it to the opening and was celebrating his 20th anniversary back in Los Angeles. The store would also be featured on Channel 2's 'PM Magazine' the same day.<ref name="cep2" />

=== 1980's to Closure ===
In mid-late 1980, the store would participate in the local Golden Key Dinner Club, a $20 6-month subscription that allowed customers to dine at various local restaurants, where after ordering multiple meals, the cheapest of them would be deducted from the final bill.<ref name="cep8">[https://www.newspapers.com/article/nevada-state-journal/143520567/ newspapers.com]</ref> The store would also be the only one aside from [[San Jose, CA (370 S Winchester Blvd)]] to not recieve Artie Antlers.

In July of 1981 the location would offer a baseball hat in multiple sizes when bringing in a coupon and buying a large pizza.<ref name="cep11">[https://www.newspapers.com/article/reno-gazette-journal/6863369/ newspapers.com]</ref> By the end of the year the location had reported their walkaround had become a regular visitor to the Reno St. Mary's Hospital, and that a fundraiser was held by PTT for the Sparks Chamber of Commerce.<ref name="cep16">[https://archive.org/details/the-pizza-times-newsletters/1981%20The%20Pizza%20Times%201-3/page/n5/mode/2up?q=nevada archive.org]</ref>

In May of 1982 the store would recieve plans for a remodel, with it removing various walls and setting up the [[Balcony Stage]] to replace its shelf stage.<ref name="cep17">[https://archive.org/details/95-8431-bz-plans archive.org]</ref>

The location would close in 1984, and its auction set on December 5th of that year. The auction would be ran by Stanly M. Friedman, Inc..<ref name="cep14">[https://www.newspapers.com/article/reno-gazette-journal/32411267/ newspapers.com]</ref>

=== Remodels & initiatives ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Start !! End !! Serial !! Notes
|-
| [[PTT Standard Layout]] || 1979-12-20 || || ||
|}

=== Stages ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Start !! End !! Serial !! Notes
|-
| Portrait / Shelf Stage || 1979-10 || 1982-05 || || 2-Wall
|-
| [[Balcony Stage]] || 1982-05 || 1984 || ||
|}

=== Franchisees ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Start !! End !! Serial !! Notes
|-
| Gary Harwin & Gene Finnigan || 1979-12-20 || || ||
|}

=== Animatronics ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Start !! End !! Serial !! Notes
|-
| [[Chuck E. Cheese (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Warblettes (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Guest Star / Helen Henny (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Mr. Munch (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Pasqually (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Jasper T. Jowls (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Dolli Dimples (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Applause Board (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Drum Board (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|-
| [[Flag Wavers (Cyberamic)]] || 1979-12-20 || 1984 || N/A || Unknown
|}

=== Attractions ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Name !! Start !! End !! Serial !! Notes
|-
| [[Cheese Crawl]] || 1979-12-20 || || || Seen at the opening and in January 1982.
|-
| Rondina Helicopter Kiddie Ride || || || || Seen in January 1982.
|-
| Jasper's General Store || 1979-12-20 || || || Mentioned during the opening.
|}

== References ==
<references />

== Import provenance ==
Imported from [https://github.com/The64thGamer/cheeseepedia/tree/274f085c7132d784f81b7a4cbd96e7a0922db854 Cheese-E-Pedia] at source revision <code>274f085c7132d784f81b7a4cbd96e7a0922db854</code>. Source material is provided under [https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/ CC BY-SA 4.0].

Sparks, NV (530 Greenbrae Dr) - Revision history

luvvyamy: Import from Cheese-E-Pedia revision 274f085c7132d784f81b7a4cbd96e7a0922db854