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| Mens restroom in Shoji Tabuchi Theatre has an ornate pool table. |
Branson, Missouri known worldwide for being the “Live music show capital of the world now has another feather to add to its cap. It has a “number 1” in what some have called a “number 2 business."
The Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, home of Branson’s Shoji Tabuchi Show, is also the home of the restrooms that won the 8th Annual “America’s Best Restroom Contest” sponsored by Cintas Corporation, a leading provider of services and products for restrooms. This year’s ten finalists were selected based on being open to the public, style and exceptional hygiene. They represent a cross section of various businesses including theaters, hotels, and restaurants.
Thousands of of votes were cast on the internet for the ten finalists. When the bowel cleared Branson’s Shoji Tabuchi Theatre had flushed the other nine semifinalists who were, in order of their final finish, The Tremont Plaza Hotel, Baltimore, MD; Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY: Zeffirino Ristorante, Las Vegas, NV; The Drake Hotel, Chicago, IL; Macy’s Union Square in San Francisco, CA; The Tampa Theatre in Tampa, FL; NOVA 535 in St. Petersburg, FL; The Fox Theatre in Detroit, MI; and the Canlis Restaurant in Seattle, WA.
The Tabuchi Theatre restrooms are unique and were featured on the Travel Channels “Extreme Bathrooms. They have been described as providing “a totally immersive experience of luxury and splendor.” Paul Miller, General Manager for the Branson Tourism Center, one of Branson’s largest sellers of Branson show and attraction tickets and lodging, said, “The Tabuchi Theatres restrooms are some of the most elaborate he has ever seen and have in themselves become an attraction for Branson tourists.”
The Ladies restroom has 1890’s period ceilings and wainscoting with onyx sinks and stained glass and crystal chandeliers. The Mens bathroom includes a mahogany billiard table and black lion-head sinks from Italy. “We believe these restrooms are the most elaborate and ornate anywhere,” said Theatre Manager Michael J. Frederick. “Each restroom represents 1,800 square feet of deliberate, one-of-a-kind elegance.”
Cintas Senior Marketing Manager Keith Hartman stated, “Cintas is proud to honor the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre, and we congratulate all of our participants this year.” At a special presentation at 2:00 p.m. on August 20, the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre received a plaque recognizing it as “America’s Best Restroom” for 2009. It will also be listed on the internet in the “America’s Best Restroom Hall of Fame” found at www.bestrestroom.com.
