Bankrupt - Discovery Zone

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 พ.ย. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 1.9K

  • @larrywt656
    @larrywt656 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2255

    It never ceases to amaze me how companies can come up with really solid ideas and then mis-manage them right into the ground.

    • @BrightSunFilms
      @BrightSunFilms  3 ปีที่แล้ว +539

      Bankrupt: in a nutshell

    • @baronvonlimbourgh1716
      @baronvonlimbourgh1716 3 ปีที่แล้ว +41

      Thats why you go to business school lol.

    • @Fay7666
      @Fay7666 3 ปีที่แล้ว +131

      @@baronvonlimbourgh1716 Business school is good and all, yes. But it can also lead you to some very negative paths. Especially if they don't really understand the business and try and implement some bone-headed ideas that might work on a general business but not in a specific area.

    • @sonic23233
      @sonic23233 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@baronvonlimbourgh1716 which is what these people didn't do

    • @baronvonlimbourgh1716
      @baronvonlimbourgh1716 3 ปีที่แล้ว +55

      @@Fay7666 yeah that was what i mean. It was more a sarcastic comment.
      Most of the businesses that are run into the ground have some clueless business school graduate at the helm.
      👍

  • @NikateeN
    @NikateeN 3 ปีที่แล้ว +534

    I grew up poor as dirt and rarely got to experience places like this, but I did have a friend who’s family was well off and every time I spent the night at his house his parents would take us to DZ. it was always incredible!

    • @juandager5220
      @juandager5220 9 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

      Sweet story! Where or how did you meet your friend? Do you still talk?

    • @solouno2280
      @solouno2280 6 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      GenX and prior kids, we were full of energy

    • @servewithstyle5063
      @servewithstyle5063 4 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

      McDonald is better back then

    • @mantiscoregaming6699
      @mantiscoregaming6699 3 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

      ​@servewithstyle5063 mcdumps has never been better at anything but poisoning it's customers.

  • @AntoineMalveaux
    @AntoineMalveaux 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1061

    I can't put into words how much I loved going to Discovery Zone back in the day. It was fantastic, you got to eat pizza/have an awesome adventure. Man, I miss the 90s.

    • @j.peters1222
      @j.peters1222 3 ปีที่แล้ว +49

      Nostalgia my dude. You don't notice the bad things as much and the world is simpler when you're a kid. The 1990's had it's own set of problems just like any other decade.

    • @MissJane777
      @MissJane777 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Me too!

    • @BernieSanders-bn5dk
      @BernieSanders-bn5dk 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Now we have Netflix why go out lmao it's 2020+!!!

    • @fawh7
      @fawh7 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      @@BernieSanders-bn5dk What?

    • @nebraskajoenelson8987
      @nebraskajoenelson8987 3 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      @@j.peters1222 your not wrong .....but man life was a whole lot less complicated

  • @driley4381
    @driley4381 3 ปีที่แล้ว +292

    My local DZ was in a strip mall, and I drove by in my teenage years roughly ten years after it closed. Through some tears in the paper covering the inside of the windows, you could see glimpses of the playground and other architecture still in there. Like it was frozen in 1999. It made me want to cry.

    • @TheIronPath
      @TheIronPath 2 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      lol

    • @ev14304
      @ev14304 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      same here. are you in Buffalo ?

    • @laurenbrooks3091
      @laurenbrooks3091 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      My heart. 🥺It hurts.

    • @mostlyamazing
      @mostlyamazing ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Mine was in our local mall too🥲 I always loved going there while my parents shopped. Sigh😢

  • @seanmcmanus4243
    @seanmcmanus4243 3 ปีที่แล้ว +905

    Audience: "say the line, jake"
    Jake: "chapter 11 bankruptcy"

  • @Jarekthegamingdragon
    @Jarekthegamingdragon 3 ปีที่แล้ว +356

    Man, I remember discovery zone and thought about it all the time but I never knew the name! I was a kid in the 90's so I just remember how fun the place was then never knew why we suddenly stopped going.

    • @Prshfh
      @Prshfh 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      first

    • @LilDiabloRob
      @LilDiabloRob 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Same. Lol 90s kid here too.

    • @ronnybeny4284
      @ronnybeny4284 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Me two

    • @Honey_Daddy
      @Honey_Daddy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Dude, i remember the song from one of the commercials like it was yesterday. I loved DZ as a kid

    • @cocomunga
      @cocomunga 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      I loved it too

  • @d.e.belton3515
    @d.e.belton3515 3 ปีที่แล้ว +543

    I was a huge fan of Discovery Zone when I was a kid. Something about their play areas seemed far more vast and engaging than the ones as competitors. As a kid it felt like you could get lost in there like it was it's own little world and I really dug that. Me and my cousin have lasting marks on our bodies from an outing at one when we were kids, where we both were running around opposite sides of one outer corner of the main play structure, didn't see each other, and cracked heads. I have a scar in the middle of my left eyebrow and he has one right the edge of his hairline. Hair doesn't grow on either of them so we both have these little cosmetic marks tied to each other and the memory of that place. Fun stuff.

    • @alantherock225
      @alantherock225 3 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      It seemed like an entire city in there as a kid

    • @NoobNoobNews
      @NoobNoobNews 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      Yeah. it was pretty neat.

    • @mygoogleaccount2354
      @mygoogleaccount2354 3 ปีที่แล้ว +14

      It was absolutely the sense of independence you could feel in DZ. Most of us had baby boomer parents who were always hovering to make sure we didn't get abducted.

    • @maxwillson
      @maxwillson 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Agree!

    • @STTDB1990
      @STTDB1990 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I was like 5 when I went..my older sister took me. I randomly and vaguely remembered the name and immediately thought it was from my dreams...all I remember was being stoked to go and playing lazer tag.

  • @izzatihassan1475
    @izzatihassan1475 3 ปีที่แล้ว +123

    I love how Bright Sun went from "failing theme parks" to "bankrupt big brands". I look forward to the next one!

  • @trisaratops68
    @trisaratops68 3 ปีที่แล้ว +178

    I continued to be devastated by this as an adult. This place was my absolute favorite when I was a kid. I miss it so much 😭😭

    • @pHoToLoVe22
      @pHoToLoVe22 3 ปีที่แล้ว +9

      I know. I am so sad I can’t take my kids, who are now the perfect age for it

    • @dvnrhillary
      @dvnrhillary 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      The same goes for me too. Meanwhile being raised and living in Bronx, New York, DZ was one of my favorite childhood places during the 1990s!

    • @Benlucky13
      @Benlucky13 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      If you ever visit St. Louis check out the city museum. Like a giant art piece/jungle gym for all ages. Closest I've ever felt to the endless exploration of discovery zone

    • @trisaratops68
      @trisaratops68 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Benlucky13 yes!!! I’ve heard of that. Gonna have to make a special trip to St. Louis 🥰

    • @DNPinthePP
      @DNPinthePP 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@trisaratops68 it’s amazing. So much fun.

  • @jackiegraham4072
    @jackiegraham4072 2 ปีที่แล้ว +34

    One of the best days of my childhood was spent at Discovery zone. Man! The memories

    • @tendingourgarden
      @tendingourgarden ปีที่แล้ว

      Same! I still remember it vividly :) What an amazing place and time.

  • @Jazzy_Waffles
    @Jazzy_Waffles 3 ปีที่แล้ว +168

    This one hits home. Growing up in St. Louis, and Discovery Zone was THEE place to go. Almost every kid in my 1st grade class wanted to hold their birthday there. My dad brought him giant cam corder there and I love watching old footage of that place. Lots of memories.
    Thanks for making this video!

    • @WorldwideWyatt
      @WorldwideWyatt 3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

      Upload some of that vintage video and get some views.

    • @yotsubafanfan
      @yotsubafanfan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      At least Y'all in St. Louis have an adult equivalent in the form of the city museum. Complete with pencil slides and ball pits.

    • @Misfit_Molly
      @Misfit_Molly 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      👋 fellow St. Louisan!

    • @Jazzy_Waffles
      @Jazzy_Waffles 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @Chalmers I believe that’s the one! I went to school in Hazelwood, so that was the closest to all us kids!

    • @DNPinthePP
      @DNPinthePP 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      St Charles boi here. Anyone remember Tumble Drum?

  • @Christopher-N
    @Christopher-N 2 ปีที่แล้ว +95

    I've always wondered about businesses like Discovery Zone. Idealistically, everyone has a great time. Realistically, I wonder what the staff must go through to nightly sanitize the play area, and what a nightmare cleaning up a bio contamination must have been. I'm surprised these businesses got off the ground at all.

    • @Honey_Daddy
      @Honey_Daddy 2 ปีที่แล้ว +34

      They probably just didn't sanitize it all. Let's be real. But it was so great as a kid.

    • @blackdragon6
      @blackdragon6 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Realistically it's gonna be a tough job. So...

    • @TheAruruu
      @TheAruruu 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Honestly, I feel like this sort of thing would be a perfectly fair use case for allowing some child labor. The equipment is literally designed for short, small people. I'm not saying that just any child would be acceptable for cleaning the tubes and similar equipment down, but having a way for those who are willing and competent to earn some money doesn't seem like a bad idea, if it's regulated and monitored appropriately (which I recognize such things rarely are, sadly), particularly when it would likely be painful and difficult for the average adult to clean those fairly tight and confined spaces. Obviously this would exclusively apply to standard cleaning, and not things such as "bio contamination" (ie: bathroom accidents).
      The ballpits could be sanitized with an automated machine that could be moved around and suck them out, or integrated into the space under the playgrounds that was "off limits", allowing for fairly simple cleaning of "bio contamination" for the staff, which helps to ensure such cleanings actually take place.
      As for the arcade equipment, they'd get the same kind of cleaning that they would anywhere else.

    • @AlohaChips
      @AlohaChips 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@TheAruruu I was old enough to remember going to a DZ. They offered kneepads for adult parents to be able to crawl around with their kids, and my 40-something dad used them. Yeah crawling around in there to clean regularly might be an annoying task, but the equipment simply was not as impossible for more adult-sized bodies to handle as you're thinking, especially for any mid-to-late teens/early 20-somethings more physically spry than my dad was. Not sure I see enough pros from the mere convenience of children's size to justify routinely exposing them to chemical disinfectant fumes and skin contact in those confined spaces, either. Monitoring these things properly costs money people don't want the government to spend.

    • @Tornado1994
      @Tornado1994 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@Honey_Daddy From what I heard, they only Cleaned and Sanitized twice a day. Sometimes they had to clean Fecal Matter from Toddlers.

  • @bigkahunaburger5185
    @bigkahunaburger5185 3 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    So many business lessons to learn from your videos. Don’t grow too fast, don’t use too much debt, keep up with current trends, and if private equity vultures start circling, that is probably the end of the road. Great content as always!

  • @travisbost469
    @travisbost469 3 ปีที่แล้ว +241

    I miss DZ when I was a kid I used to pretend that the playground is my version of Legends of the Hidden Temple.

    • @princesskristan
      @princesskristan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Me too!

    • @kearramorales4171
      @kearramorales4171 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Same!

    • @gringa978
      @gringa978 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Omg yasssss

    • @ohnoitschris
      @ohnoitschris 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      hahahahahaha so did I!

    • @Red_Lanterns_Rage
      @Red_Lanterns_Rage 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      that was a pretty cool show actually....a little too young for me at the time but had i been a kid i woulda liked it a lot...I mean I loved double Dare in the 80's so yeah

  • @Reiderreiter
    @Reiderreiter 2 ปีที่แล้ว +38

    As a 90’s kid, this cuts so deep into my nostalgia for that time. If you or one of your friends were having a party at DZ (where kids wanna be!), there was nothing better. It was a Top 5 day of the year no matter what.

    • @solouno2280
      @solouno2280 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Well, we could go to the cheap version token arcade one once a month.

  • @shannonproctor1207
    @shannonproctor1207 3 ปีที่แล้ว +102

    I never clicked so fast with my notifications. My little 90’s heart got so excited. I miss this place so much. Can we have an adult version? And Dave and busters doesn’t count.

    • @AMissile
      @AMissile 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      If you’re ever in St. Louis check out the City Museum, It’s the closest adult-friendly equivalent I’ve ever seen, and it’s pretty rad!

    • @shannonproctor1207
      @shannonproctor1207 3 ปีที่แล้ว +26

      @Safwaan a place where I can go in a ball pit and not be judged for being a 32 year old lady.

    • @vincentpistoia9034
      @vincentpistoia9034 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      @@shannonproctor1207 as a 32 year old man I feel this in the ball pit of my soul.

    • @christiandacanay3086
      @christiandacanay3086 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I think Round 1 is the nearest we'll get since it offered more than just arcade games. It also had some sports for all i guess, does it count?

    • @vinnievee5710
      @vinnievee5710 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      We 100% need an adult discovery zone in our lives. It was seriously so much fun

  • @ATRichard
    @ATRichard 3 ปีที่แล้ว +33

    Never went there, but this has 90s vibes written all over it. Even the video footage is nostalgic! Long live the 90s and 2000s!

  • @jestucker2268
    @jestucker2268 3 ปีที่แล้ว +57

    The Jorgeson's house, in Leawood, Kansas was amazing. His Discovery Zone concept was really done for his love for his family.
    I worked for the company that serviced their swimming pool and hot tub. There were tunnels, roller slides, ball pits... all throughout the house. Secret walls that moved, you could go from the kids bedrooms upstairs, through a tunnel through the attic, down a slide, and end up in a ball pit in the basement, it was freaking awesome and they loved showing it off to people.

  • @sherimcdaniel3491
    @sherimcdaniel3491 3 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Jake, Jake, Jake……I cannot recall one single time that I felt let down in ANY way with your work. You are easy to listen to, very knowledgeable about your topic, you deliver that knowledge in a nice, respectful way and, in ALL of your videos, your natural inquisitiveness is clear!
    Thank you for this one. I’d never heard of this business but I recall names of others you mentioned. It’s too bad that this company wasn’t better at long-term planning.

  • @chumbert5
    @chumbert5 3 ปีที่แล้ว +153

    there’s actually a place in Cincinnati called Discovery Zone that opened last year with no affiliation with the original, but it is heavily inspired by it

    • @knightcrusader
      @knightcrusader 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

      Two, I think. One in Eastgate and one in Florence. This confused me because I went to the original DZ in Florence in like, 1995, and knew it was gone and thought Google maps was playing a trick on me.

    • @almilhouse9059
      @almilhouse9059 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      Hi Moe man

    • @azblueauthor8081
      @azblueauthor8081 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I recently discovered that company. They’ve opened in several states across the Midwest. It appears they did buy the rights to the brand.

    • @knightcrusader
      @knightcrusader 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@azblueauthor8081 You sure? The discoveryzone website doesn't say anything about any locations other than Eastgate, OH and Florence, KY (both greater Cincinnati).

    • @keybyss98
      @keybyss98 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Shit, I was in Cincy recently! Dammit, I should’ve checked them out. Gotta remember that next time.

  • @cheesecakexmod
    @cheesecakexmod 3 ปีที่แล้ว +43

    My local Discovery Zone is still a indoor children’s entertainment center, has most if not all of the original DZ playground, some decor etc. It’s branded as an Dandy Bear, it’s a one of one, locally own, located here in Miami FL.

    • @joeblow7068
      @joeblow7068 ปีที่แล้ว

      I love Dandy Bear, please have my party there...

  • @RyokoAsakuraLastFan
    @RyokoAsakuraLastFan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +76

    I think this was the first closer to ever effect me, I remember it so clearly.
    Our Discovery Zone was massive, The Play area stood atleast 3 stories tale, if not four with a Rope area connecting the two sides (One side was multiple slides, tubes and ball pits, the other was a multi story maze with revolving walls). All my friends, and my niece had there birthdays here....
    ...Then my parents finally could afford it for my birthday when I was only in 1st grade. Then when we arrived early, we saw a note on the door, about it being permanently closed...

    • @KRSims-tr7zj
      @KRSims-tr7zj 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      I'm sorry you never got to have your birthday there. That probably happened to a lot of kids when they closed without any notice. I remember begging my mom to go back after I went to a birthday party for one of my classmates, and eventually she explained to me that they were closed forever and I actually cried.

    • @RyokoAsakuraLastFan
      @RyokoAsakuraLastFan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @@KRSims-tr7zj It was so much worse as I grew up as 'A poor' So it took alot of saving up for my parents to do something like this.
      ((Example how Poor, Casual Dining was resecered for Birthdays, Holidays, or Anniversaries. I thought Triscits, wheat thins, Patridge Farm Cookies, and Cheese Cake was for the rich. I didn't have internet while in school from 2003 to 2009 only getting it my senior year. My Grandparents paid for my haircuts and clothes growing up.

    • @keldonmcfarland2969
      @keldonmcfarland2969 2 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      Wow. That's crushing. Apparently there were hundreds of birthday children and thousands of their guests who showed up expecting the party (and the parents who were expecting the party they paid for), only to find a closed store.
      This was before social media and good Internet platforms for directly contacting the company, obviously. I'm sure many of the parents were more upset than the kids.

    • @RyokoAsakuraLastFan
      @RyokoAsakuraLastFan 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@keldonmcfarland2969 Many places also didn't talk about chains going bankrupt as often they were purchased by other companies

    • @romigithepope
      @romigithepope 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      That’s awful. I can’t imagine the feeling. I have kids that age and I know their heart would be crushed

  • @lilbbcloud
    @lilbbcloud 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    I had my birthday at Discovery Zone and as a kid loved it so much more than Chucky Cheese. After I loved it so much my parents would take me there frequently. I remember when they closed and was wondering what happened. I love this show so much and how it doesn't leave one little bit out of the history and the financial aspect. Never stop making this series please!

  • @carressa
    @carressa 3 ปีที่แล้ว +96

    Long story short: Don’t get too cocky. I miss those DZ days! 🥺

  • @robertabray-enhus3198
    @robertabray-enhus3198 2 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    My kids loved discovery zone as kids in the 90s. I still think something like this should be built for adults!

    • @DMalltheway
      @DMalltheway 6 หลายเดือนก่อน

      Go to Dave and Busters

  • @masterryman7911
    @masterryman7911 3 ปีที่แล้ว +42

    There was a discovery zone in my area when I was a little kid and I LOVED THAT PLACE. I remember when it closed and I was very sad to see it go, now it’s a rug store. So many good memories.

  • @KMO325
    @KMO325 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Discovery Zone was such a big part of my childhood-amazing how short a time they actually lasted.

  • @mp4boy
    @mp4boy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +73

    Yet again Jake's teaching us Europeans about companies we didn't know about. Never heard of Discovery Zone but now feel sad I didn't get to experience it. We had Snakes and ladders and tigers eye here in the UK which seems about as close as we got to it.

    • @scuffedah
      @scuffedah 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      You would have LOVED IT

    • @Thanos.m
      @Thanos.m 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Also from across the pond so I had no idea this company existed. But being a kid of the late 90s early 2000s this brought back memories I remember kids indoor play areas like this being all the rage all the kids seemed to want their birthdays there. Nowadays they all seem to have vanished

    • @egill624
      @egill624 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@Thanos.m I'm pretty young, a 2010s kid, and I used to live on the same street as a facility similar to these! It was always a blast to go there and it was just a two minute walk away. I wonder if it's still open.

    • @ducatidarren3516
      @ducatidarren3516 ปีที่แล้ว

      I wondered what they had in Europe during that time. But yes, you really missed a treat with DZ!!

    • @goontender_lowercase.
      @goontender_lowercase. หลายเดือนก่อน

      Funky Monkeys too or was that just a northern ireland thing

  • @kristenevans4557
    @kristenevans4557 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    This was my children’s childhood. We went to one in Jacksonville Florida. It was awesome. They loved it and it was great because parents could play with their kids. I crawled all through this place with my oldest who was 7.

  • @anastasiamay2852
    @anastasiamay2852 3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    Ive never clicked faster in my life. I LOVED discovery zone. There were 2 or maybe 3 in driving distance. I still talk about it and think about it at 33 years old! Thanks Jake!

  • @tiberiumgaming
    @tiberiumgaming ปีที่แล้ว +4

    My dad took me here once in elementary school, probably around 2nd or 3rd grade. Probably one of the best times I’ve ever had as a kid. I wish places like this were still around for the next generation.

  • @zachemorgan
    @zachemorgan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +81

    This was one of the best places I ever got to go to as a kid then it was gone. As a kid it seemed like it was heaven because it just disappeared.

    • @TheDonYG
      @TheDonYG 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Faaaaaaaaacts🥺 I was lost and confused at the age of 3-4

  • @kattriella1331
    @kattriella1331 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I remember seeing advertising for these places on TV as a very small child and DESPERATELY wanting to go there. I had completely forgotten about that until I saw the bright colors and snippets from the commercials. You unlocked a long forgotten memory for me, and I thank you for that.

  • @themoom22
    @themoom22 3 ปีที่แล้ว +21

    I'm not even 2 minutes in and I'm just hit so hard with how much I LOVED and MISS this place! I'm torn, do I even want to watch this episode. JAKE, you're really tugging on some heartstrings with this one!

  • @nickadams2451
    @nickadams2451 2 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    It never ceases to amaze me Jake how you cover these places that only myself and a few handful of people remember. I remember these quite well and in the mid 90s it was all the rage. When the Power Rangers movie was released it was done up with cardboard cut outs placed in the ball pit areas and themed birthday parties. At one point they held all night events which allowed kids to stay thru the night into the mornings. Even then at 12 years old you could tell they were struggling. By 1996 most of them were closed in my hometown. It was creepy seeing them abandoned with the ball pit areas left untouched for a few years. Almost like a time capsule of a short lived era.

  • @bryanglaser88
    @bryanglaser88 3 ปีที่แล้ว +40

    One of my fondest memories from my childhood is going to my friend Joey’s birthday party at Discovery Zone, when I was rolling down the roller slide and smashed my nose and bled all over. Good times.

  • @Dallen9
    @Dallen9 3 ปีที่แล้ว +94

    it was a tragedy that was 100% avoidable. It wasn't that DZ had a bad product it was simply poor maintenance and Corporate sabotage. and in truth the Maintenance issues began when Blockbuster and McDonald's stepped in. DZ was an Amazing Indoor entertainment venue.

    • @RobJaskula
      @RobJaskula 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      I don't blame McDonald's: the Leaps and Bounds in my hometown was wayyyy nicer before it turned into a DZ

    • @mariebelladonna437
      @mariebelladonna437 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Corporate ALWAYS ruins everything. ALWAYS.

    • @SimplyBetterDouchebag
      @SimplyBetterDouchebag 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You forgot Chuck E. Cheese, they took about 14 stores.

    • @vysharra
      @vysharra 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      @@RobJaskula Leaps and Bounds supremacy! Finding the ball washer way up at the top of the 3 story climbing area made kings of 6 years olds.

  • @TheTechAdmin
    @TheTechAdmin 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    Anyone remember how sometimes their would be a small gang in a certain section of the tubes?
    "You're not allowed here" or "pay the toll to pass"

  • @SSH0LE.
    @SSH0LE. 3 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    i’m so happy to have been born in 92. my town’s DZ was bought and turned into a “wallaby’s” but had the DZ layout. we also had an old school chuck e cheese, a club disney, and a place called “the magic treehouse” which was an indoor play place with a giant tree with a treehouse inside! between our play places, amazing cartoons, and blockbusters the 90s were just tops.

    • @ChrisSl8
      @ChrisSl8 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Born in 89 and I feel exactly the same way about those days, definitely the best time to grow up.

  • @patrickconrad396
    @patrickconrad396 3 ปีที่แล้ว +18

    People can debate which decade was best to be a teen/young adult.. but there is just no question that the 90s was the best decade to be a kid

  • @gladitsnotme
    @gladitsnotme 3 ปีที่แล้ว +96

    Omg I clicked so fast, I didn't know anyone outside of Maryland had these! I loved tearing through DZ as a kid, it was the best! No arcade but just as fun as Chuck E. I wish there was an adult version, I miss that track-slide-zipline thing the most! I felt like batman on that thing!

    • @Randyet62208
      @Randyet62208 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      We had them in the St. Louis Mo. area, Illinois side as well. I was to old to play in it but my brothers went.

    • @MissJane777
      @MissJane777 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Same but in Vancouver Washington! Lol

    • @GREGZILA3000
      @GREGZILA3000 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      We were spoiled because Port Discovery was right down town

    • @gringa978
      @gringa978 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      North of Boston

    • @littleangel4780
      @littleangel4780 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Phoenix had a few too

  • @menarenotwomen
    @menarenotwomen 3 ปีที่แล้ว +92

    4:32 that blue pyramid was called the “mountain climb”. I am not lying it exaggerating in any way. In 1994 when I was 4 years old, I was at my friend’s birthday party at DZ and on the mountain climb I had my left index finger ripped off from the second knuckle up due to faulty equipment. My dad told me all that follows, as I was only 4 and only remember a few bits and pieces. DZ refused to let my dad use the phone to call 911 due to no manager being present. They also didn’t have a first aid kit for use. Luckily one person had a cell phone (as it was 1994) and they called 911 and Dallas FD showed up and said without the other half of my finger, they couldn’t transport me, but only bandage it and my dad take me himself.

    • @menarenotwomen
      @menarenotwomen 3 ปีที่แล้ว +51

      As they were bandaging my finger, the parents searched for my finger in the ball pit. A parent then came out of the pit with my finger in his hand. The medic took it and they transported me to the hospital. 7 doctors said they couldn’t reattach it. Finally an on call plastic surgeon that specialized in facelifts and tummy tucks said that he would do it. It took over 7 hours and over 100 stitches inside and out. Because DZ had so many open lawsuits due to children being injured, all we got out of it was the medical bills paid for and some stock in the company. But seeing as the company went under fairly soon after, the stock was completely useless. Luckily I still have before use of my finger, it just looks weird lol.

    • @FrothingFanboy
      @FrothingFanboy 3 ปีที่แล้ว +19

      @@menarenotwomen Jesus...glad to hear that it had a kind of ok ending. -_-

    • @menarenotwomen
      @menarenotwomen 3 ปีที่แล้ว +20

      @@FrothingFanboy haha yeah. I mean it was traumatic at the time but now it’s just a unique story I get to tell lol. Plus a lot of kids got hurt way worse than I did, so it could have been worse.

    • @Kokomadeta
      @Kokomadeta 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

      Holy crap.

    • @MinorLG
      @MinorLG 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

      @@menarenotwomen ya know, i kind of remember a kid loosing a finger on the climb, and us kids helping half empty the ball pit to help find it. But wrong state

  • @Lunar_Blacksmith
    @Lunar_Blacksmith 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    DZ was amazing. It still infiltrates my dreams sometimes. We used to have tons of birthday parties there and I still remember what the cake tasted like and the room smelled like. The giant spider web nets were so cool and you could look down on your parents. We used to have rumors the places shut down bc it was impossible to keep clean. I’m glad you made this so I could hear the real reason.

  • @tjself9111
    @tjself9111 3 ปีที่แล้ว +30

    This was my jam as a kid. Every birthday for years

  • @Mother_of_Dogs_82
    @Mother_of_Dogs_82 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    OMG the nostalgia those old commercials sparked!!! I spent a lot of time here!

  • @Av-vd3wk
    @Av-vd3wk 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    “I’m going DZ (dizzy) at Discovery Zone!” Had my 12th birthday there and boy was it a blast! 😂

  • @jkseraphim4
    @jkseraphim4 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    The Men in Black laser tag was so much fun! Chuck e Cheese's was not in my area but DZ was the place to be. It was one of few that made going to the mall fun. When the one shut down, it was super abrupt, all I remember running to for the entrance only to see it was closed, and walking away in tears.

  • @Leahi84
    @Leahi84 3 ปีที่แล้ว +108

    So essentially, corporate America came in, ran it into the ground, and got out when it was sinking. Typical. I remember going to a Discovery Zone once as a kid though it wasn't super memorable. My gf however loved them as a child.

    • @chrisclocher
      @chrisclocher 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      That's the American way!

  • @SailorLavender
    @SailorLavender 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    Just seeing the thumbnail smacked me in the face with nostalgia!!! OMG I CAN'T WAIT TO WATCH THIS ONE!!!

  • @thedownwardmachine
    @thedownwardmachine 3 ปีที่แล้ว +53

    If you think the purpose of this corporation was to "boost the activity of young children in North America", or to create jobs, or to make a sustainable business, then sure it has failed. But if its purpose was to grow quickly in a highly leveraged way that enticed a wealthy megacorporation to buy out the founders and make them wealthy, then in that sense it has succeeded.

    • @RobinTheBot
      @RobinTheBot 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Funny how that works.

    • @staringcorgi6475
      @staringcorgi6475 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      This may be unrelated but trying to make Americans fit is like convincing a series killler to not kill

  • @dansweet6793
    @dansweet6793 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Kids in the 90s like me had DZ Kids today have safe spaces, oh how we have fallen, I love these videos Jake especially ones like these brings back memories and nostalgia and you see kids today in front of screens, I look back and go what happened? We used to go outside and have fun places that gave us exercise and fresh air, I think social media was a big part of the way we grew up very different and not for the better, I only keep TH-cam for channels like this and music videos. Thanks Jake this episode touched my heart I am thankful to be born in the 90s.

  • @marcberm
    @marcberm 3 ปีที่แล้ว +181

    DZ came and went in the blink of an eye here in Rhode Island. They were around while I was at the top end of their demographic, but I still loved the place. I remember doing a weeklong activity daycamp there once that was all about building with cutting edge (at the time) Lego Technic robotics kits that could be connected to a Commodore 64 and programmed to do things. Had such a blast! In today's world though, does anyone miss themselves (or now their kids) swimming around in nasty germ and who knows what filled ball pits?

    • @jsanes4831
      @jsanes4831 3 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      Blockbuster just wanted to practice before they went bankrupt themselves.

    • @marcberm
      @marcberm 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      @@jsanes4831 Lol

    • @Varangian_af_Scaniae
      @Varangian_af_Scaniae 3 ปีที่แล้ว +24

      "nasty germ and who knows what filled ball pits"
      That is the best thing you can do for your child. Let them get dirty and swim in bacteria. Todays and tomorrows children need 70 vaccines just to not die from fresh air in the country side.

    • @ohnoitschris
      @ohnoitschris 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      The ballpits were the best part

    • @marcberm
      @marcberm 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      @Safwaan "let them get dirty and swim in bacteria" I can't with this dude lol

  • @markknight85
    @markknight85 2 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I remember DZ like it was yesterday. Even the tune of the commercials. My sister and I would do the all night lock-ins and we had the time of our lives there. Memories made for a lifetime. My sister passed away in 2007 at the age of 19. I will have those memories forever. DZ, Discovery Zone

    • @zuglymonster
      @zuglymonster ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I have the song in my head now
      🎶🎶DZ my discovery zone🎶🎶

  • @AGFuzzyPancake
    @AGFuzzyPancake 3 ปีที่แล้ว +28

    I absolutely loved DZ as a kid but I'm pretty sure I only got to go there once. Until seeing this, I honestly wasn't sure Discovery Zone was even real... like it was just a name I made up as a kid.
    Thanks for making this!

    • @nursestoyland
      @nursestoyland ปีที่แล้ว

      Yeah, I think I too went to discovery zone once, but never again
      Miss that time

  • @ksajak
    @ksajak ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Discovery Zone was friggen awesome! Always loved going there. It was a great time and it always sucked having to leave! Wish I was able to bring my son 😔

  • @TheShift1313
    @TheShift1313 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I still remember the commercials. "Im going DZ at discovery zone, where i can cut loose and be on my own" blast from the past for sure.

  • @Grenadier_
    @Grenadier_ 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    thank god you did this because, some time ago, i was trying to remember this place from my childhood

  • @tisFrancesfault
    @tisFrancesfault 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Places like this were Iconic in the 90s. Those filth pit were great fun as a kid, and some small relief for parents.

  • @laurencapp3335
    @laurencapp3335 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I remember going to Discovery Zone all the time as a kid. This place was awesome and made Chuck E Cheese look like a county fair compared to a major theme park. By the time I was a teen it was closed. Sad to see such a awesome place fail.

  • @CattyWompus.
    @CattyWompus. 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    We had a discovery zone in Vancouver WA growing up, I believe it’s now a harbor freight tools. That place was the epitome of fun, a rare treat that I loved more than anywhere else. Fond memories.

  • @Daggoth65
    @Daggoth65 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +2

    I loved Discovery Zone as a kid and was devastated when the local one closed up.

  • @clunk2824
    @clunk2824 3 ปีที่แล้ว +90

    Oh Discovery Zone! Haven't heard that name in a while
    Me, internalyl: Don't quote defunctland, don't quote defunctland-

    • @Splater765
      @Splater765 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

      A powerful rat, named Charles entertainment cheese

  • @tlh2188
    @tlh2188 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    FINALLY, an in depth feature on Discovery Zone. DZ at the Dayton Mall in Ohio, and it’s catchy commercials, were a big part of my childhood, and I have found very little content about the company. Can’t even put an estimate on how many birthdays I attended at DZ and Chuck E. Cheese. Both locations were across the street from each other, right next to a Toys R Us, only CEC remains. Thank you for this video and your channel in general!

  • @artistwithouttalent
    @artistwithouttalent 3 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    First of all, congratulations on the movie Jake!
    Second I cannot tell you how excited I am for this episode. DZ was a bizarre and wonderful '90s thing. I had my 6th birthday there and for the longest time I had a shirt from the experience. I don't know what happened to it, I probably gave it away, but I still have fond memories of that place.

  • @AshleyFromTX
    @AshleyFromTX 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Oh my god... DZ was our safe haven as kids. I never thought about the possibility that I would see it on this channel! I absolutely love this series, and I'm always so fascinated by your videos. I wondered as a kid what happened to DZ. I remember when they started going downhill, they changed up the "attractions" inside a few times and got more bare bones with each passing month, and then suddenly it was just gone. I can't wait to watch this and finally find out what happened.. Wow... Thank you for this Jake, you rock! (..as always!!)

  • @rushguy1
    @rushguy1 3 ปีที่แล้ว +24

    Just wanted to say that Closed For Storm is fantastic, and I eagerly await your next feature documentary.

  • @parkerwatson6632
    @parkerwatson6632 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    I still remember the words from the commercial!! Went there several times as a child. I still think of it when I drive past where it used to be. The roller slide was pretty awesome.

  • @princesskristan
    @princesskristan 3 ปีที่แล้ว +12

    MY CHILDHOOD! I used to beg my parents to take me there with my siblings. I remember the last time I went there, it was almost empty and it was kind of sad

  • @Howard007
    @Howard007 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    We had one in Danbury, Connecticut & it was the best place in the world my friend.. always have loved your videos and this one really hit home. You never cease to amaze us!!!

  • @matthewtuel2747
    @matthewtuel2747 3 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    This place was like heaven to 8 year old me. Had two big birthday parties there. It was a sad loss that I just didn’t understand at the time.

  • @ChrisSl8
    @ChrisSl8 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Brings back memories, we were just watching home movies of my 6th birthday party at the Staten Island, NY Discovery Zone back in January 1995. Pretty much forgot this place existed until we found that video.

  • @АлехСтоыанофф
    @АлехСтоыанофф 3 ปีที่แล้ว +13

    I went there for my birthday every year as a kid. Fitting how this episode came out on my 31st birthday! Thanks Jake!

  • @GPMIAMI
    @GPMIAMI 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I loved this episode of your video. I went to DZ as a kid growing up.

  • @UnicornDreamsPastelSkies
    @UnicornDreamsPastelSkies 3 ปีที่แล้ว +19

    And with that, kids across America had to return to grocery stores, museums, and living rooms to cut loose.
    I celebrated my birthday at DZ in 1994 and 1995. The location in Raleigh Hills, OR (unicorporated place between Portland and Beaverton) is now Ernesto's Italian Restaurant - building is still the same, down the road from the Beaverton CEC no less, which might be the oldest one in that chain outside CA - opened in 1980, though they moved to a new building next door to the original site in the 2000s, where a... Montgomery Ward used to be. That old building was replaced by a Home Depot.
    I also visited the DZ in O'Fallon, IL (East St. Louis area) once in 1993 (just after that year's floods happened), for a relative's birthday.
    Don't get me wrong, I sure loved CEC (Skeeball FTW!), but wowie wow, DZ was it's very own thing that I always got excited for. Thanks for the memories and inspiration for the future.

  • @Ivan_Ooze
    @Ivan_Ooze 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    oh man here is something i have not thought about in a long time. these where heaven on earth for a kid

  • @FireAngelZero
    @FireAngelZero 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I loved this place, used to go during the weekends back in the early 90s when I lived in Puerto Rico.

  • @MySnakeSomnus
    @MySnakeSomnus 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I LOVED Discovery Zone as a kid. LOVED it. Hearing my parents say we could go there was so exciting...my friends and I still talk about it with fondness. We have such clear, positive memories of specific areas in the play area...the room full of criss crossed bungee cords was my jam. An interesting thing for me personally, is that I have one of the ball pit balls that says Discovery Zone on it...a day care center that I worked for somehow acquired a bunch of the balls when DZ closed, and then when that center closed I liberated it as a memento before they could throw them all away.

  • @Bingzhong
    @Bingzhong 3 ปีที่แล้ว +15

    I love these because living in the west coast, there's so many brands and chains I've never heard of despite being around so long.

    • @michellesimonds7723
      @michellesimonds7723 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I love these because living in the Pacific Northwest, it rains too much for outdoor amusement parks.😭

    • @lovestori98
      @lovestori98 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      We def had them in Cali but they were far

    • @UserName-ts3sp
      @UserName-ts3sp 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      i mean ive never heard of this but they closed up the year i was born lol

  • @cathconnelly
    @cathconnelly 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I was living in a Detroit suburb in 1994 through 1996, and literally every single kid from my elementary school (including myself) had their birthday parties at DZ. I have so many great memories of this place. When we moved back to South Florida in the late 1990s, I remember my dad taking me to FunScape-- it was like a Discovery Zone for older kids and adults, with more video games and VR experiences. No one else seems to remember it, so I wonder if it was only in South Florida. We had two locations, one at the now defunct Riverwalk, and another at the then newly built Cypress Creek Station. Would love to see a deep dive into something like that.

  • @ChristionGirl45
    @ChristionGirl45 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I haven't heard the name "Discovery Zone" in years! I went there a few times when I was real young. Thank you for covering this and bringing back some very nostalgic memories, Jake! ❤

  • @kgrfirdjy
    @kgrfirdjy ปีที่แล้ว +1

    i wanted to go to one of these as a kid in the early 1990's as they were common where i lived in north carolina. this is quite nostalgic to learn about.

  • @Iwatoda_Dorm
    @Iwatoda_Dorm 3 ปีที่แล้ว +16

    I haven't watched closed for storm yet but it better have you gleefully saying "Whats's up guys!" At the beginning.

  • @kinola3206
    @kinola3206 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    An Olive Garden stands where my town's Discovery Zone used to be. I went there once for a preschool class trip (my school was just around the corner). Then I had a birthday party there, but I forgot what age I was for it (probably 2-4?).
    '90s kids had it best.

  • @holodoctor1
    @holodoctor1 3 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    I totally remember leaps and bounds. I don’t think I ever went to a discovery zone. The concept was so fun as a kid. Like going to Disneyland in your own town 😄

  • @fratercontenduntocculta8161
    @fratercontenduntocculta8161 2 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I really do feel I was a kid at exactly the right time. I started with the NES as my first game console, saw the beginning of Power Rangers, and got to go to DZ with my friends! This place really was a lot of fun, especially down here in FL where it's regularly 90 degrees or above 9 out of 12 months a year. It was super popular too, and I always wondered what happened to such a great idea. Thanks again for investigating for us Jake!

    • @Dre0122
      @Dre0122 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Man I love your comment..Born in 88 and as I get older, I’m beginning to appreciate the 90s more than ever before…It’s like it’s really hitting me now like damn I really got to experience the greatest era ever..lol..I take pride in being a 90s kid now…

  • @PhlyDaily
    @PhlyDaily 3 ปีที่แล้ว +31

    Jake!!!! TY

  • @jamesdutch9431
    @jamesdutch9431 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I didn’t realize you made a video about Discovery Zone, sad it didn’t last very long but so hyped to watch this video.

  • @CinemageddonReviews
    @CinemageddonReviews 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    I have fond memories of going to Discovery Zone as a kid here in Puerto Rico and it was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before or since. Finding out that it closed down felt devastating because it meant that I could never go back and have fun in one of the best places Puerto Rico had to offer. Now I know the full story and see that it wasn’t just here. What a sad end to such a great idea.

  • @andrewl9472
    @andrewl9472 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    Discovery zone is one of the few things that is almost painfully nostalgic to me. It’s nice to see that there are many others that also remember it fondly.

  • @Deadwrongallalong
    @Deadwrongallalong 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    I’m saving this video for later but I am SO EXCITED to watch it!!! Fave series on TH-cam

  • @avrinrose5457
    @avrinrose5457 10 หลายเดือนก่อน +3

    In my fictional world, this company never bankrupt and still successful

  • @newsman9539
    @newsman9539 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    Great job with another episode of Bankrupt in the books. Here are my ideas for future episodes of Bankrupt if you are interested. Consumers Distributing, Service Merchandise, Mervyn's, Payless Shoe Source (but relaunched in 2020), Disney Store, CompUSA, Fry's Electronics, Woolco, Hollywood Video, and finally Child World. What do you think Jake?

    • @juanserrano5629
      @juanserrano5629 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      And JCPenney 👍

    • @newsman9539
      @newsman9539 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@juanserrano5629 Yes that's right.

    • @Madlax99
      @Madlax99 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Mervyn's would be a good one.

    • @abunchahooey
      @abunchahooey 3 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      Wow! Woolco and Service Merchandise! Haven’t thought about those in years!

    • @newsman9539
      @newsman9539 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      I forgot the other thing to add to the list: Rogers Video which is a part of Rogers Communications

  • @ABCEasyas--
    @ABCEasyas-- 11 หลายเดือนก่อน +7

    “Chuck E. Cheese’s is doing well….”
    This comment sure aged well

  • @RicksTravelogue
    @RicksTravelogue 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    I never visited Discovery Zone, because they never made it to this reach of Upstate New York, but do remember so many of their ads that ran during the afternoon cartoon blocks ... another thing that slowly departed us during the 1990's. Memories..... *sighs*

  • @KenAdams426
    @KenAdams426 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    OMG!! i worked here when I was a senior in HS. It was so much fun and we had an awesome circle of friends that were close and hung out. Met my wife while we worked together. Talk about your memories!!! in fact....26 years later, i still have my DZ shirt and still wear it today.

  • @mkid4895
    @mkid4895 3 ปีที่แล้ว +22

    another great episode! thanks Jake!! 👏

    • @toastwrld1365
      @toastwrld1365 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      how is this from 4 days ago??

    • @fawh7
      @fawh7 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@toastwrld1365 Patreon

    • @The.Fake.Adam.Lulich
      @The.Fake.Adam.Lulich 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      how did you watch this 4 days ago. Can you do this with the stock market ?

    • @fawh7
      @fawh7 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@The.Fake.Adam.Lulich Patreon.

    • @The.Fake.Adam.Lulich
      @The.Fake.Adam.Lulich 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@fawh7 oh

  • @VazDraeStudios
    @VazDraeStudios 3 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    I had this memory from my childhood for years visiting this awesome place with all the climbing tubes and ball pits and everything but couldnt remember what it was for so long. Then realized it was at a Discovery Zone some time later. It was such a fun and exciting place as a kid. Ours was in a strip mall and is now a Harbor Freight Tools store haha

  • @austinlawler3739
    @austinlawler3739 3 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    I loved going there in the early 90's! Probably really only went for about 4-5 years, until I out grew it, but it was fun. I think I had a birthday party there, and I went to tons of birthdays there as well. I have seen much smaller versions of this, but geared towards that 3-6 range. The one I went to turned into Odyssey Fun World or something like that, then has sat abandoned for years.

  • @violinboy345
    @violinboy345 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    I remember growing up in northern Virginia and there was a Discovery Zone near our house and we went to it a couple times as kids. I still remember the amazing colorful indoor play tubes and gym. I still remember sliding down that slide of rollers. I also remember there was this section up above in the tubes that was all ropes and netting like a spiderweb and you could cross from one side of the tube gyms to the other one up above. I always was scared my foot would slip through the rope webbing and I’d somehow fall.

  • @Caaandoor
    @Caaandoor 3 ปีที่แล้ว +11

    okay, hear me out
    you need to do one on Wannado City. this place was my entire CHILDHOOD.