American Restoration meets Funspot

Pontoon Goon · 07-21-2011, 06:48 PM

For those of you who are fans of the show American Restoration the new season opened with an episode featuring the kiddie ride Sea Skate from Funspot. Sea skate, originally purchased for $100.00 has been a working ride at Funspot for over fifty years and has been enjoyed by an estimated 300,000 kids. Cost of the restoration was $8000.00. I have never had the pleasure of meeting the gentleman who owns Funspot but he sure came across as a real nice man on T.V. The show is On Demand if you would like to catch it. The picture is of my two oldest children approx 25 years ago.

feb · 07-22-2011, 08:26 AM

I met the owner last year while my family and I were playing mini-golf. I had known who he was and while he was sitting outside I mentioned just how nice all of the golf holes and displays looked. He had a great look of pride and joy after I said that. He didn't have to, but he proceeded to give my kids a free game pass. You'd had thought it was a million bucks to them.

Love Funspot, always have!

AC2717 · 07-22-2011, 09:02 AM

I saw that episode by accident actually. It was great I was wondering where that little boat came from when they started and then I said Wow I knew it looked familiar

old coot · 07-22-2011, 12:44 PM

Funspot's owner and co-founder Bob Lawton is a real nice man. He had told me last spring that his Sea Scape Kiddie ride would be featured on a future episode of American Restoration. Of course, somehow I missed the show featuring the Sea Scape's restoration. But fortunately, it may still be viewed on the program's website which is: http://www.history.com .
I was also very much pleased that the Sea Scape project was dedicated to Bob's late brother John, with whom Bob founded Funspot over 50 years ago.
Bob and his magnificent Funspot Arcade are real treasures of our Lakes Region.

NHKathy · 07-24-2011, 10:53 AM

My hubby & I watched it On Demand last night - thanks!
It was great to see!

NHKathy · 07-24-2011, 09:49 PM

So, this little episode about the Ski Skate got me thinking about the history of FunSpot. My husband & I were trying to remember when FunSpot started - so I went to the history section of their website and came across this neat little "time line" presentation of FunSpot:
http://www.funspotnh.com/history.htm
(just click on the picture, and the time line will start)

NHKathy · 07-24-2011, 10:05 PM

So, this little episode about the Ski Skate got me thinking about the history of FunSpot. My husband & I were trying to remember when FunSpot started - so I went to the history section of their website and came across this neat little "time line" presentation of FunSpot:
http://www.funspotnh.com/history.htm
(just click on the picture, and the time line will start)

Argie's Wife · 07-24-2011, 11:14 PM

Not to derail this thread but what happened to Storybook in Meredith, NH that was owned by Lawton?

(If you go through the slideshow that NHKathy links to, you'll see mention of it. I have a photo of myself from 1976 at the "Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" and I thought it was from StoryLAND... I now recall Storybook. And I have an Indian maiden doll from the Indian Village from that trip... wow. I was 5 years old... What a memory!)

Webbsatwinni · 07-25-2011, 08:47 AM

http://www.history.com/shows/america...n-anchors-away

old coot · 07-25-2011, 10:07 AM

The link NHKathy posted to the history of Funspot was excellent. What an assortment of great photos.

Rattlesnake Gal · 09-21-2011, 12:22 PM

Check out this great video of the Bob Lawton, owner of Funspot, on American Restoration.

Rick Dale and his gang perform a wonderful restoration on the 1953 Sea Skate kiddie boat ride, which Bob and his brother purchased back in 1960 for $100.

Rattlesnake Gal · 09-21-2011, 12:28 PM

Did you know that there used to be animals at Funspot?!

Visit Funspot's YouTube Channel for more videos!

SIKSUKR · 09-27-2011, 03:46 PM

I knew about the animals. I didn't know they had Indians!

Senter Cove Guy · 01-10-2013, 12:17 AM

Rick Dale has done it again for Funspot.

On tonight's episode, Bob Lawton had Rick restore a Shoot The Bear arcade game that was built in the late 1940's. I think the restoration cost was $12,000. That's a lot of Funspot tokens.

07-21-2011, 06:48 PM	#1
Pontoon Goon Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Stoneham Ma./ Meredith Posts: 141 Thanks: 339 Thanked 67 Times in 27 Posts	American Restoration meets Funspot For those of you who are fans of the show American Restoration the new season opened with an episode featuring the kiddie ride Sea Skate from Funspot. Sea skate, originally purchased for $100.00 has been a working ride at Funspot for over fifty years and has been enjoyed by an estimated 300,000 kids. Cost of the restoration was $8000.00. I have never had the pleasure of meeting the gentleman who owns Funspot but he sure came across as a real nice man on T.V. The show is On Demand if you would like to catch it. The picture is of my two oldest children approx 25 years ago. Attached Images

07-22-2011, 08:26 AM	#2
feb Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Meredith (Winnisquam) & Nashua, NH Posts: 218 Thanks: 25 Thanked 20 Times in 17 Posts	Great Person I met the owner last year while my family and I were playing mini-golf. I had known who he was and while he was sitting outside I mentioned just how nice all of the golf holes and displays looked. He had a great look of pride and joy after I said that. He didn't have to, but he proceeded to give my kids a free game pass. You'd had thought it was a million bucks to them. Love Funspot, always have!

07-22-2011, 09:02 AM	#3
AC2717 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Maynard, MA & Paugus Bay Posts: 2,616 Thanks: 756 Thanked 369 Times in 277 Posts	I saw that episode by accident actually. It was great I was wondering where that little boat came from when they started and then I said Wow I knew it looked familiar __________________ Capt. of the "No Worries"

07-24-2011, 10:53 AM	#5
NHKathy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moultonborough when I can / RI Posts: 699 Thanks: 180 Thanked 38 Times in 22 Posts	Thanks! My hubby & I watched it On Demand last night - thanks! It was great to see!

07-25-2011, 08:47 AM	#9
Webbsatwinni Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Lebanon Ct and Rattlesnake Island Since 2007 Posts: 610 Thanks: 180 Thanked 137 Times in 72 Posts	The link to the episode http://www.history.com/shows/america...n-anchors-away

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07-22-2011, 12:44 PM	#4
old coot Deceased Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 97 Thanks: 51 Thanked 13 Times in 8 Posts	Funspot's owner and co-founder Bob Lawton is a real nice man. He had told me last spring that his Sea Scape Kiddie ride would be featured on a future episode of American Restoration. Of course, somehow I missed the show featuring the Sea Scape's restoration. But fortunately, it may still be viewed on the program's website which is: http://www.history.com . I was also very much pleased that the Sea Scape project was dedicated to Bob's late brother John, with whom Bob founded Funspot over 50 years ago. Bob and his magnificent Funspot Arcade are real treasures of our Lakes Region.

07-24-2011, 09:49 PM	#6
NHKathy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moultonborough when I can / RI Posts: 699 Thanks: 180 Thanked 38 Times in 22 Posts	So, this little episode about the Ski Skate got me thinking about the history of FunSpot. My husband & I were trying to remember when FunSpot started - so I went to the history section of their website and came across this neat little "time line" presentation of FunSpot: http://www.funspotnh.com/history.htm (just click on the picture, and the time line will start)

07-24-2011, 10:05 PM	#7
NHKathy Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moultonborough when I can / RI Posts: 699 Thanks: 180 Thanked 38 Times in 22 Posts	So, this little episode about the Ski Skate got me thinking about the history of FunSpot. My husband & I were trying to remember when FunSpot started - so I went to the history section of their website and came across this neat little "time line" presentation of FunSpot: http://www.funspotnh.com/history.htm (just click on the picture, and the time line will start)

The Following User Says Thank You to NHKathy For This Useful Post:
Webbsatwinni (07-25-2011)

07-24-2011, 11:14 PM	#8
Argie's Wife Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Alton Posts: 1,908 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 533 Thanked 579 Times in 260 Posts	Not to derail this thread but what happened to Storybook in Meredith, NH that was owned by Lawton? (If you go through the slideshow that NHKathy links to, you'll see mention of it. I have a photo of myself from 1976 at the "Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" and I thought it was from StoryLAND... I now recall Storybook. And I have an Indian maiden doll from the Indian Village from that trip... wow. I was 5 years old... What a memory!)

The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Webbsatwinni For This Useful Post:
hazelnut (07-25-2011), RailroadJoe (07-25-2011), Sue Doe-Nym (07-25-2011)

07-25-2011, 10:07 AM	#10
old coot Deceased Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 97 Thanks: 51 Thanked 13 Times in 8 Posts	The link NHKathy posted to the history of Funspot was excellent. What an assortment of great photos.

09-21-2011, 12:22 PM	#11
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,253 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,455 Thanked 1,357 Times in 476 Posts	Funspot on American Restoration! Check out this great video of the Bob Lawton, owner of Funspot, on American Restoration. Rick Dale and his gang perform a wonderful restoration on the 1953 Sea Skate kiddie boat ride, which Bob and his brother purchased back in 1960 for $100.

The Following User Says Thank You to Rattlesnake Gal For This Useful Post:
Senter Cove Guy (09-22-2011)

09-21-2011, 12:28 PM	#12
Rattlesnake Gal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Central NH Posts: 5,253 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 1,455 Thanked 1,357 Times in 476 Posts	1982 Promotional Video for Funspot Did you know that there used to be animals at Funspot?! Visit Funspot's YouTube Channel for more videos!

The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Rattlesnake Gal For This Useful Post:
Pontoon Goon (09-27-2011), RLW (09-22-2011)

09-27-2011, 03:46 PM	#13
SIKSUKR Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 5,075 Thanks: 215 Thanked 903 Times in 509 Posts	I knew about the animals. I didn't know they had Indians! __________________ SIKSUKR

01-10-2013, 12:17 AM	#14
Senter Cove Guy Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 607 Thanks: 304 Thanked 431 Times in 143 Posts	Shoot The Bear Rick Dale has done it again for Funspot. On tonight's episode, Bob Lawton had Rick restore a Shoot The Bear arcade game that was built in the late 1940's. I think the restoration cost was $12,000. That's a lot of Funspot tokens. __________________ Lake Winni - The only place I want to be during the summer.

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Pontoon Goon (01-10-2013)