Pizza place has incredible expectations

Owner Rick Barsness hopes to open Incredible Pizza Co. later this month at 2850 S. Campbell Ave., the former site of Hastings Books Music & Video.

He also hopes his restaurant/family entertainment center brings in 17,000 customers and hosts 150 birthday parties each week.

To meet those lofty numbers, Barsness is creating a 42,000-square-foot indoor playground for kids with a 1950s theme for their parents.

1950s theme

The theme will be carried throughout the center, beginning with a 1957 Chevy at the entrance, Barsness said.

"We're going to take you back to another era," he said.

To obtain the theme, Barsness has spent $2 million for decorations and equipment.

In addition, 1950s-style be-bop music will be played over the sound system.

There will be five different themed rooms, all in 1950s style: a family room, gymnasium, drive-in theater, diner and fairgrounds. Private party rooms also are available.

Barsness said the family room will have televisions playing "all the good family fun (shows) of the 50s," such as "Leave It to Beaver," "My Three Sons" and "I Love Lucy."

The "sock-hop" gymnasium will be available for youth groups as large as 150 kids.

Another room is designated for a replica drive-in theater that will show 1950s-era movies.

Games galore

If 114 different games in the fairgrounds area aren't enough to entertain the children, Barsness is installing miniature golf, go-carts and bumper cars. Barsness said $1 million was invested for all the children's games and activities.

The games will reward children with tickets that are redeemable for prizes, he said.

A Route 66 theme is played out in the nine-hole indoor miniature golf course, designed by Touch Designs. Barsness said each hole represents a different state along Route 66 from Chicago to Los Angeles.

The electric go-carts run on an oval track and are operated by a computer system that tracks the winners of each 10-lap race. O'Reilly Automotive is the track sponsor.

The buffet

The buffet will feature 14 kinds of pizza, a 100-item salad bar, pasta, baked potatoes and dessert.

"It's a huge buffet," Barsness said. "Usually in a concept like this, (there is) a snack bar and the games. In ours, the food actually runs the business. People come to eat the pizza, then go to the games."

Barsness said the restaurant will seat more than 600 customers.

Buffet pricing has been established: $5.95 for adults, and $2.95 and up for kids. Barsness said soft drinks will cost 25 cents each.

The idea is nothing new to Barsness. He was a franchise owner of seven Mr. Gatti's restaurants with similar features in Texas before forming Incredible Pizza Co. Inc., a Christian owned and operated company. He said those Texas stores generated the same kind of numbers that he is projecting for this restaurant.

Barsness purchased the 42,000-square-foot building for $3 million in December 2001 and did not renew Hasting's lease.