The 1990's saw media companies trying to create synergy across many
different platforms as the media landscape continued to change through
mergers and as technology changed and created new challenges and
opportunities. Media giants like Paramount and Time Warner looked to
follow Disney's lead, expanding their brands into theme parks to help
promote their movies, TV shows and even magazines.
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As a part of the
creation of Movie Town in 1993, Six Flags Great Adventure introduced a
new upscale merchandise location with the construction of the Time
Warner Gift Boutique. The new store was to feature unique items that
were extensions of the Time Warner brands.
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Part of the site chosen for the
new shop was formerly home to the Matterhorn ride which had been removed in 1986 and was sitting unused.
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When the Time Warner
Gift Boutique was completed it stood out on the exterior with its very
upscale look, featuring red awnings and large light fixtures. The idea
was to create a real boutique which in some ways was a variation on the
Warner Brothers mall stores that existed at the time, but with its own
unique merchandise selection. |
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The finished store had a very
upscale look compared to the other merchandise locations in the park,
with fixtures and lighting more reminiscent of a mall store than most
theme park stores. The dozens of brands and logos of the Time Warner
family of companies were featured on the walls as well as on the
selection of merchandise available.
In addition to Time Warner publications, the most
heavily featured items were the Looney Tunes and DC Comics characters.
The popular characters were featured as t-shirts, plush, watches,
figures, ties and dozens of other products. |
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The Film Fence |
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The area between the Skeeball Barn (Studio 28 Arcade) and the Time
Warner Gift Boutique featured a black and yellow fence designed to look
like a roll of film. The panels of the film originally featured
silhouettes of famous images from Warner Brothers films like The Right
Stuff and Casablanca. Oddly, these movie images only lasted for
several weeks before being completely removed from the fencing.
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Superman's Phone Booth |
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On the sidewalk outside the Boutique a phone booth was setup
which initially featured a Clark
Kent mannequin changing clothes as he transforms into Superman. The mannequin was short lived and the
phone booth has stood empty since 1997. |
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The Walk of Fame |
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The sidewalk around the Boutique
featured several large bronze stars as Six Flags version of the famous
Hollywood "Walk Of Fame" with each star representing a marquis
attraction in the park. The stars still remain though all the
attractions except Batman: The Ride have been removed from the park in the
ensuing seasons. |
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With the sale of the
Six Flags theme park chain to Premier Parks, some of the licensing and
theme elements were changed as part of cost savings as well as decreased
promotion of the Time Warner brands with the new ownership. The Time
Warner Gift Boutique became the Justice League Headquarters in 1997 featuring
merchandise of
Batman and the rest of the Justice League superheroes. |
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Gift Shop Names
Through the Years
1993-1996
Time Warner Gift Boutique
1997-Present
Justice League Headquarters
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Over the seasons the selections
of merchandise have changed with the times with new and different
products, but generally variations on the themes of T-shirts, bags,
mugs, key chains and other brick-a-brack still prevail. |
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On the exterior of
the store a series of light boxes were designed to initially feature
movie posters for upcoming Warner Brothers films. Over the years those
boxes have gone on to feature other ads and promotional materials as
well as products available inside the shop.
The biggest change
over the seasons has been the growth of the trees that were planted when
the shop was built. These trees have grown so large that they partially
obscure the facade of the building now. |
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Today the Justice League
Headquarters is still one of the most popular merchandise locations in
the park, featuring both DC Superhero merchandise and coaster related
t-shirts and gifts. Given its proximity to both Batman The Ride
and the Dark Knight Coaster, thrill seekers will often visit the Justice
League Headquarters to pick up a souvenir of the coasters they just
conquered, and cool off inside this fine air- conditioned Movie Town
shop. |
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