So Long, Gigglebees
As kids, Dad would take us to Sioux Falls in August to go shopping for school supplies. (He’s a teacher, so he had summers off too.) Then we’d get to eat out for supper and do something fun. It was called “Kids’ Day”, (since our parents each had their own parental day). More often than not, our Kids’ Day celebration was at Gigglebees. As my brother, Adam, and I got older, we ventured on to other things like Thunder Road or a movie, but since my sister, Marissa, was 5 years younger than me (8 years for my brother), we still went to Gigglebees every few years, and still enjoyed it. We all had birthdays in April, and we’d get a coupon in the mail from Wilbur, so many of our early birthdays were spent there as well.
I was fascinated by the robotic raccoon-like animal on the tricycle. I remember the day I figured out that the robot was controlled by the guy behind the mirror – and that was a sad day. I had grown up. I also remember all the useless trinkets I would get as prizes for games like skee ball. Like the chinese finger trap I accidentally broke many years after I forgot I had it.
Dad recalls memories of Gigglebees adventures: “I remember the tradition of going to Gigglebees on many birthdays. The video games and bumper cars were fun. And you kids either loved or were terrified of Wilbur!” Our feelings toward Wilbur are confusing for us too, Dad.
Adam remembers, fondly: “My Gigglebees memory is when dad was playing a racecar driving game and I needed money. So he gave me his wallet and I took out some money. Then I put his wallet on the floor next to him. Well, either he forgot this or he never knew I put it there, but anyway after we left Gigglebees he realized he didn’t have it, so we went back to that spot and the wallet was still there. Unfortunately, none of his cash was.” What a great place.
Marissa struggles: “I tried to think but I can’t remember any.” It’s OK, sister. Life’s tough.
I’m sure Mom would have something to share, but I’m too impatient for her to get home from work and reply to my email for memories. She’ll comment if she has any to share.
The last day Gigglebees is open is Thursday, July 3rd. According to local blogs I have been reading, the land is being redeveloped and so the building will be gone soon. They are looking for someone to purchase the entire business and those persons would need to find a new building to restart Gigglebees in. We ate there today for lunch. It wasn’t like I remembered it, and I probably shouldn’t have gone because of that.
I wonder what they’ll do with the games. And if they’ll be selling Wilbur.
Photo courtesy of Adam Bubolz.
July 1st, 2008 at 2:46 pm
It’s OK, sister. Life’s tough.
Nice!
July 1st, 2008 at 2:51 pm
Your blog post is much less scathing than your tweet, which makes me feel a little bit better. I’m sorry that your visit today tarnished your childhood memories. Maybe we should have brought Marissa instead because she obviously wouldn’t have noticed a difference. Then again, she’s probably not as cool as you and M!les.
I heard they are holding an auction to sell of the games. Maybe if I can buy The Simpsons or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Turtles in Time or X-Men arcade game they’ll throw in Wilbur as a bonus prize. If so, I’ll let you keep him so he can creep you out in your home. You’ll probably need to dunk him in disinfectant though. Probably four or five times.
July 1st, 2008 at 4:43 pm
I remember getting postcards from Gigglebees every April with birthday discounts. We also got postcards in October for your half-birthdays. I think Marissa is still getting them!
I also remember Wilber and the other “robot animals” talking to us and bringing our pizza. The “naughty kids” would be following him around and pulling his tail. We tried to figure out where the person doing the voice was “hiding”.
My favorite game at Gigglebees was shooting hoops and air hockey!
July 1st, 2008 at 10:55 pm
I have memories of that Gigglebees as well. My family spent a long weekend in Sioux Falls on the way the all the Little House on the Prairie sites when I was very much into that sort of thing. Younger sister Nicole must have been six or seven, but I’m guessing. The robotic pizza delivery thing said something about my hair looking like chocolate. After the vacation, Nicole had a horrible nightmare that the machine started eating me. I’m pretty sure she was traumatized by the experience.
July 1st, 2008 at 10:57 pm
I never had a childhood visit to that God-forsaken husk of a restaurant. That creepy, autobot of a Rat scares the hell out of me. When he came wheeling around on his Fated track, I felt an animalistic violence, a volcanic hatred, rise up within me. I felt a shrieking voice in my head commanding me to “Kill it! Destroy it! It is Unclean!”
You couple all that with falling ceiling panels, NES-level broken video games, and a Satanic, coin-swallowing, token-regurgitating umbrella-wielding Clown in disrepair and you have a lunch outing that I will never get enough antibiotics to forget.
July 1st, 2008 at 11:26 pm
I went there with my Girl Scout troop once when I was about 8. I remember being terrified of the “raccoon”. My sister was along also, since my mom was our leader, and she cried and ran away from him. My mom had to work for quite a few minutes to coax her out of the bathroom- reassuring her that he could only go where the track was- that would make it impossible for him to chase her. :)
It makes me sad that it’s closing though- I always get a little chuckle when I drive past the building.
I think this means Chuck E. Cheese is overtaking the world!
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:23 am
Mom wouldn’t have any memories because she never got to go. Too bad, Mom.
July 2nd, 2008 at 12:32 am
Well, she couldn’t go for Kids’ Day, but she could for Birthdays!
July 2nd, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Boo! I used to <3 Gigglebees.
*sigh*
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Oh no! I love/loved Gigglebee’s! Now where will I play Ninja Turtles and Street Fighter 2?
July 2nd, 2008 at 8:41 pm
That’s right, sadly, I never got to go on Kids Day, because I was WORKING!
I KNOW you all feel my pain…