Family fun center celebrates 25th year
By YADIRA SANCHEZ OLSON
What’s the secret to a successful business?
Know you customers and their needs.
With a growing clientele of Hispanic families looking to have fun, this place has a friendly bilingual staff that’s ready to serve.
In an economy where parents already are stretching their dollar as far they can, and entertainment has taken a back seat to the more basic needs. One business not only continues to be profitable but it’s also able to be charitable.
The People’s Choice Family Fun Center, located in Waukegan, has many things to offer. It’s open 365 days a year.
It has more than 150 video and carnival-style games, an 18-hole, indoor, 4-themed, glow-in-the-dark miniature golf, and a food court.
The secret to the success of the fun center seems to be hard work and the way that it’s run – like a family.
“The economy may be slow [but] It’s what you are willing to do,” said John Sarantakis, owner of The People’s Choice Family Fun Center.
Sarantakis has owned the business for 25 years and has gradually expanded and added features based on his customers’ needs. The business started out as a video rental establishment in Waukegan, and over the years has moved both geographically and in to a more diverse place for family entertainment.
“We started with movies, then games and food, and now we have a little bit of everything,” Sarantakis said.
His staff also has grown and he has been able to keep many of his original employees.
“There are people here that have been working for 12,15, 20 years,” said Marian Rodriguez, director of marketing and community relations at the fun center. “There are guys that make a long commute, too.”
The feeling of family and friendship is what attracted 17-year-old Mitchell Saenz of Waukegan to apply at the fun center almost two years ago.
“I wanted a job when I turned 16 and my friends told me about [the fun center].” Saenz said.
“When I started, I wasn’t a people person, but now I talk to everyone.”
Throughout those years, Saenz’ job description has changed from game technician, to snack bar attendant, to store attendant at the prize redemption area, to maintenance.
Rodriguez said that learning multiple jobs is something that both the business and the employees can benefit from.
“We teach them how to do everything. They don’t get bored because they are always learning a new job,” Rodriguez said.
And just like a family, the staff helps each other in personal matters.
“We didn’t want to go to our school prom but we wanted to celebrate,” Saenz said. “They [management] got us a limo and made reservations at a restaurant for us.”
“That’s just how it is here. We do for each other,” Rodriguez said.
The fun center also does well for the community.
Rodriguez said that last year, the fun center donated more than $45,000 in prizes to the Waukegan, Zion, Wadsworth, Gurnee, and North Chicago schools.
Students with perfect attendance and those that receive the student award get a party thrown for them at the fun center at the end of the year, complete with pizza and tokens for the video games.
“The children are our customers. It’s a win-win for everyone,” Sarantakis said.
But perhaps the most popular of all the attractions is the Family Days deal it offers.
Every Wednesday is family day at the center.
That means that families of all sizes and from anywhere can enjoy free popcorn during a movie on a 12 foot movie screen in one of their party rooms.
There are two show times – a children’s movie at 1 p.m. and a family movie at 6 p.m.
“The more you give, the more you get,” Sarantakis said. “By being able to give a lot of good deals, people appreciate the fun center. The key word is family.”
Fun and yummy things you should know
• The People’s Choice Family Fun Center celebrated it’s 25th year with a customer appreciation day on Saturday, June 28.
• The event drew hundreds of families that got to enjoy the free food, pony rides, games, and coupons to the fun center.
• According to The People’s Choice Family Fun Center, about 65 percent of their customers are Hispanic families. With this in mind, they have recently added beef tacos to their menu.
• Their glow-in-the dark miniature golf course is fun for any age.
• They can provide miniature golf clubs for toddlers and even a giant plastic golf club for those that feel they need a little help with their swing.
• After all the tokens have run out, you can rent a movie to go home with.
• They offer thousands of DVDs, you can both buy and rent.
• Having a party? You can choose between three different private party room packages to hold your next event.
• The People’s Choice Family Fun Center is located on 2411 Grand Ave. in Waukegan.
• They are open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day.
• Their phone number is 847-336-5700 and Web site is www.FunWithRocky.com.
