Battle Creek, Michigan: Cereal City USA (Closed)

In the "Cereal Capital of the World," brand is no longer a type of flake.

On Thursday morning, January 4, the management of Kellogg's Cereal City USA called the economic development council in Battle Creek, Michigan, and told them that it would not be open for business that day. Further, it would not be open for business on any other day in the future, ever, period....

Kellogg's Cereal City USA is more like the World of Coca-Cola than Hershey's Chocolate World. There is a mini factory inside, taking corn grit and turning it into boxes of corn flakes before my very eyes. Free samples of hot corn flakes are available.

There is a multi-media presentation consisting of two big video screens and statues of Snap, Krackle, Pop, and a surfing Tony the Tiger. These mascots, the Sweetheart of the Corn, the Kellogg Brothers, and C.W. Post tell the history of the sanitarium, corn flakes, and the company.

Kellogg's doesn't deny that marketing has been a huge part of its success. Mascots, premiums, and celebrity television commercials are everywhere. I especially liked the two chairs with buttons on the armrests. You can pick cereal commercials to watch, from Jimmy Durante to the Partridge Family, Pete and Gladys to the Flintstones, Dennis the Menace to My Favorite Martian.

There is a little play area for kids, very much like the ones found at McDonald's, except for the giant soft Froot Loops.

The gift shop was disappointing. There were spoons (of course) and bowls, but the T-shirt selection was limited (L was the largest size) and there were no snow domes or tilt pens.

This is a surreal experience. A relatively new two story building takes you on an adventure through the history of cereal and Kelloggs, cereal around the world, vote for your favorite cereal, and lots of healthful promotional info about how great Kellogs cereal is. You can eat cereal/ice cream concoctions at their snack bar. Half of the lower level is taken up by the gift shop (a plus in my book).