2022 February Issue by Bowling Industry Magazine

February, 2022 // Vol. 30

INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGY

Delivering Nontraditional League Players

NEW SKILLS BUILDER PROGRAM

TRAINING NOT OPTIONAL

LaSpina Family Implementing New Initiative

Quality Guest Experiences Require A Trained Staff

R E L I A B L E A N D AC C U R AT E L I K E A S W I S S WAT C H We are AU T O M AT I C S C O R I N G The industry leader 42 years strong

(800) 942-5939 www.SteltronicScoring.com in f o @stel tro n icsco rin g. c om

Contents 6

February 2022 | Vol 30.2

Publisher’s Column TWO NEW INITIATIVES CATER TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS BY STEPHANIE DAVIS

Feature Story INNOVATIVE NEW SKILLS BUILDER PROGRAM Bowl better, bowl more often the LaSpina family is counting on that! BY MARK MILLER

Human Resources SHOW THEM THE LOVE

Investing in new hires pays off with guests BY BETH STANDLEE

Business KEEP ‘EM ROLLING

Longtime proprietor shares what’s working today BY STEVE SEMPECK

Business CASH OUT BIG!

Prepare ahead and maximize dollars

BY MIKE MONROE

Cover Story NEW LEAGUE BOWLERS? YES PLEASE! Innovative Technology delivers new players BY RYAN VASKO

Food and Beverage BOOZE & BITES

March Madness offers a big opportunity BY MIKE FERNANDEZ

Showcase

Classifieds PUBLISHER & EDITOR

Stephanie Davis

1850 San Marco Rd Marco Island, FL 34145 (239) 366-2230 Fax (239) 970-0538 stephanie@bowlingindustry.com

stephanie@bowlingindustry.com

MARKETING MANAGER & SALES Natalie Davis

natalie@bowlingindustry.com

EDITORIAL

www.BowlingIndustry.com HOTLINE: 855-415-7517

fisher@bowlingindustry.com

MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:

patty@bowlingindustry.com

Jackie Fisher Patty Heath

OFFICE MANAGER Roxanne Damask

roxanne@bowlingindustry.com

4 IBI February 2022

CONTRIBUTORS Stephanie Davis Mike Fernandez Patty Heath Kristin Messick Mark Miller Mike Monroe Steve Sempeck Beth Standlee Ryan Vasko

REAL PEOPLE

REAL STORIES

REAL RESULTS

280+

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LEAGUE BOWLERS

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I struggled getting qualified help to keep my older free-fall machines running reliably. I was constantly running back to fix something. With EDGE String those worries are gone. The guest experience has improved tremendously and overall morale amongst my league bowlers is up.

Steven Rusk, General Manager Huntingdon Holiday Bowl Huntingdon, PA To learn more visit:

Editorial

KEEPING THINGS FRESH, TWO NEW INITIATIVES CATER TO DIFFERENT TYPES OF CUSTOMERS

ne of the benefits of being IBI publisher is the interaction I regularly have between both center operators and suppliers to the industry. Consistent conversations in both camps keeps things lively in the IBI offices. Word on the street is that demand for bowling and recreation remains strong throughout most of the U.S.A., even with the Omicron variant looming. Society finds ways to continue living life albeit with a bit more precaution. The good news is bowling and entertainment remain sought-after commodities. This month I had the pleasure of interviewing Dave Schwartz, vice president of sales for BMI as part of IBI’s “Inside Line” column. It’s always interesting to learn how important suppliers to the industry go the extra mile for their customers. Dave shared how BMI’s expansive new 50,000-square-foot facility, along with a substantially increased workforce have been helping them keep up with demand for their popular, branded items that centers are clamoring for.

innovative new skills-builder program featuring PBA Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli. The other groundbreaking effort is from our friends at BBBI, with their March To A Million™ league bowler campaign; another risk-free endeavor from these creative marketers you may want to check out. I’d like to extend a big, warm welcome to proprietor and friend Steve Sempeck who starts as a contributor this month sharing his colorful — sometimes edgy — perspective in his new column “Keep ‘Em Rolling.” If you’re considering selling your center, or, for even more fun, buying another, be sure to check out sage advice from IBI contributor and broker Mike Monroe.

In this issue, we look at two very different initiatives that are helping people participate in bowling more often; either as a casual league bowler or a more serious one. Writer Mark Miller highlights the LaSpina family and their

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– Stephanie Davis, Publisher & Editor stephanie@bowlingindustry.com

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6 IBI February 2022

Shorts

EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS AND NEW BEGINNINGS BROOKLYN BOWL FISHTOWN IS OPEN In IBI’s December issue, Brooklyn Bowl’s Nashville was touted for its selection as the Best New Venue in Nashville. Philly wanted some love, so now there’s the expansion to Fishtown. While music is prime, there are 24 lanes of bowling to keep visitors busy while waiting for a concert.

NEW MALIBU JACK’S OPENING

Go carts, mini golf, and bowling under one roof

Getting ready for opening day at Brooklyn Bowl in Philadelphia

The Hatton bothers started Malibu Jack’s 10 years ago in Kentucky. They have locations in Lexington and Louisville. Tom Hatton, vice president of the company, shared that Ashland, KY, is the latest location, which opened this past December. The draw will be big attractions: go carts, laser tag, miniature golf, a roller coaster called Twist and Shout. To finish the offerings, there will be bowling and an arcade. Under one roof, weather or no, fun is available all year round.

Rebranding OLD CENTERS DON’T FADE AWAY, THEY JUST REBRAND TO KEEP THE CLIENTELE COMING IN Bethlehem, PA, was the home of Town & Country Lanes. Inside was BowlerX pro shop, owned by Krista and Lee Sandt. With the economic distress, Town & Country Lanes was in need of a new vision and then came the Sandts and a new name. Steel City Bowl & Brews became the new brand. As Lee Sandt says, “Bowling is not dead, it’s a form of entertainment and has to be treated much differently than it was 20 years ago. You have to reinvest, keep it clean, and modernize to create a real customer experience.” Part of their new vision will feature a new league format, including full and partial seasons. Bowlounge is a 15,000-square-foot vintage bowling alley with a full cocktail bar and an elevated menu. Is it rebranded? No, but the location has been. PROOF is now the reused building, built nearly a century ago by Adkins-Polk Whole Grocers in Fort Worth, TX. Now, with rebranding to the rescue, guests will go to PROOF to bowl and relax at Bowlounge. 8 IBI February 2022

The Collection in Oxnard, CA, is welcoming Bowlero to its offerings. The venue will be 32,000 square feet in a fun, retro environment. There are 28 bowling lanes and 75 arcade games that will keep guests busy and entertained.

Feature

Amleto in action on the lanes

People Who Bowl Better

BOWL MORE OFTEN By Mark Miller

10 IBI February 2022

Feature

Hats off to the LaSpina family for implementing an innovative, new effort

t’s no mystery that people like to participate in activities they’re good at. Bowling is no exception; there are plenty of customers who are interested in improving their skills, and the LaSpina family is counting on just that. For more than six decades, the LaSpina family has done whatever they could to promote the sport of bowling. It started with the late Peter LaSpina Sr.’s love of the old National Bowling Council Learn to Bowl program and continued with various ideas instituted by son John and grandson Joe. The latest initiative was to hire PBA and USBC Hall of Famer Amleto Monacelli as director of skill improvement. Monacelli will teach individual and group lessons at all five Maple Family Centers locations in Florida and New York. “Despite all the trends, I still believe there is life left in the sport of bowling,” said John. “There are people like me who are basically traditional operators who still have a good league base.” “Plus, it’s good business,” said Joe. “People who love the sport will take the time to learn it better.” “Having a professional bowler under our tent makes us look “fancy”; it’s different from the pro shop operator [giving lessons]. We have many coaches, but Amleto will do the 30,000-foot [view] — he’ll come in and make bowlers better, and when he’s not at a particular location, our local coaches will chip in.” “When you bowl better, you want to learn more, and that’s a key for success for bowling centers,” Monacelli said. “You have people who want to get better, and [that happens] only through knowledge. A coach can give them the information they need to do that.” The 60-year-old Venezuela native was the first international player to be inducted into the PBA Hall of Fame in 1997. He won 20 PBA Tour titles and was named PBA Player of the Year in both 1989 and 1990. He also has won 10 times on the PBA50 Tour including in Odessa, TX, in 2021. In September 2021, Monacelli captured the first PBA60 Tour title that he was eligible for at the USBC Super Senior Championship in Las Vegas. “I think we have the right person,” John said. “We’ve known him for so long, and he’s such a gracious person. We met him in the 1980s. He’s respectful and charming, and after just a few short months, he’s made people excited. He comes to work with a smile and epitomizes all the good things our sport represents. Being associated with him is good for my business today and tomorrow.”

Monacelli’s efforts will later be boosted by the new Kegel Specto tracking and practice system, along with training elements, like classrooms, at most locations. Specto is a new tracking system for centers, bowlers, and coaches. It records information instantly about bowlers’ shots using a high-power sensor. The information is displayed on an easy-to-use app. “The bowling environment changes so quickly that having something such as Specto to give a player and their coach objective, real-time feedback can be invaluable when practicing,” said Brent Sims, Kegel’s brand manager for Specto. GROWING THE PROGRAM Ultimately there are hopes to bring teams from Latin America and Italy to the clinics. John LaSpina said when people have seen Monacelli in the Florida centers, they thank the LaSpinas for supporting the sport. At some point, there may even be fun competitions between center bowlers, such as virtual tournaments, youth leagues, and scholarships. So far, he has been teaching bowlers at the two Florida centers since late in 2021, with the goal to have the program completely operational in the first quarter of 2022. Amleto Monacelli

IBI February 2022 11

Feature Monacelli works with his students on how to warm up, as well as aspects of the mental and physical game, including lane play, friction, etc. “As a coach, when you see your students getting better, and they’re happy, [that] is something you can’t buy,” Monacelli said. “That’s my satisfaction. I tell them it’s an hour [lesson], but I’m not counting. If I don’t see what I want to see, I tell them, ‘You’re not leaving!’ I want them to leave happy and not frustrated.” LaSpina’s customers who are interested in improving their games can take advantage of any of three hour-long packages – single lessons at $75, four-lessons for $240, and group lessons $150 for up to six people. IBI will follow the rollout of this comprehensive, skills-building program and how it is paying off for Maple Family Centers. Stay tuned!

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Mark Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and public relations specialist from Flower Mound, TX. He’s the author of Bowling: American’s Greatest Indoor Pastime available at Amazon.com or directly from him at markmywordstexas@gmail.com.

John and Joe La Spina at USBC Open

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Human Resources

Show them the

LOVE AND THE ROPES By Beth Standlee

Initial investment in new hires pays off

here are many ways to show you’re invested in your team. Research shows that teams with a stated purpose beyond profits, fair benefits and pay, and an investment in growth are more likely to be loyal. The cost of turnover is financially and emotionally expensive. Let’s take this month and focus on three great ways to show your team they matter! 1. Provide a strong onboarding program that helps new team members understand how important they are in the culture-of-service environment. A strong onboarding process includes: • Rather than focusing on the paperwork, make sure a new hire is properly introduced to the business, the people, and the culture. When times are lean and staff is short, it can be tempting to hire on the spot, make sure the paperwork is filled out, and then shove the new team member into the deep end of the swimming pool. While this strategy may reveal a tough-as-nails team member, it is not a prescription for long-term growth and well-being for a front-line new hire. • Once proper introductions to the business (including a tour), the people (management and direct team members the new hire will work with), and the culture (what do you stand for, why is it a great idea

14 IBI February 2022

to be on the team, what are the core values), then you are ready to connect the new hire to training. • Train, train more, coach, and keep following up. If you have any online training, introduce this part of the training during orientation. Then connect your new team member with an onthe-job trainer. Ideally, the trainer will work a specific number of shifts teaching, watching, and supporting the new team member. Using a tried-and-true training program that includes TELL, SHOW, DO, REVIEW, is the fastest and most effective way to get a new employee up to speed. 2. Keep up with ongoing coaching, support, and feedback. Performance management is important from day one. A manager asked me during training one day if he really had to tell people when they were doing a good job. My answer was, ‘Only if you want them to keep doing a good job.’ All the science points to the fact that most people respond best to positive reinforcement. When you see someone putting out the effort you desire, let them know they are doing a good job and they’ll be motivated to do it more. Conversely, the second you have an undesirable behavior, address it immediately. A simple example is when an employee shows up 5 minutes late. Unless your start time is 10 minutes after the shift begins, you must say something the first time they are

Human Resources Kim Valadez, from Conroe’s Incredible Pizza company says, “It’s all about the guest. We want to ensure team members know how important they are to the overall business. We are committed to their learning because we are committed to the guest experience. You can’t get one without the other.” tardy. This type of performance management expresses how important the team member’s behavior is to the team. Minutes matter. Accountability matters. When you let it go by, it signals silent approval that being late is OK. For many front-line team members, this is a first job experience. Developing new employees into dependable, engaged, competent members of the workforce is a big responsibility. Good leaders provide consistent coaching, support, and feedback. 3. Set the bar, decide what it means to be on your team, and stick to it. Don’t settle for a new employee simply because they have a heartbeat. Think about the very best team members you’ve worked with. Make a list of all the traits that made them make your list. How did they walk,

talk, and interact with guests? What did they look like? How did they show up? Were they dependable? What kind of attitude did they have most of the time? How did they handle stress? Hopefully, these questions will help you build a list to measure potential staffers against. It’s at this point you may be thinking, ‘That all sounds good, but I’m so short-staffed, I just need anyone!’ To that, I challenge you, ‘Do you really?’ My experience is these types of employees aren’t very engaged with the job which usually results in guest recovery needs, and can even drag the whole team down. I’ve suffered the consequences of losing the best team member because I allowed a bad apple to stay on the team too long. I suspect I’m not the only one who has had a similar experience. The value of having the right team doing the right things most of the time shows in guest satisfaction, work fun, and profitability. As wages rise and efficiency in staffing become the focus of all employers, it makes sense to decide you want to be in love with you staff. To do that, you must decide who gets to be on your team, provide them a great onboarding and training experience, and continue to coach and provide feedback.

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When you love the team, it’s easy to love the work!

IBI February 2022 15

Proprietors’ Perspective

Keep ‘em

ROLLING

Steve Sempeck shares his ideas with IBI

GET OUT, GET SOCIAL, AND HAVE-A-BALL! This month, I’m writing about a modern twist on an oldie but a goodie that still works today.

e still have great results from this program in the centers I manage today. It’s like walking through your garage and seeing your golf clubs and thinking “Wow! I need to get out and hit the ball sometime.” When you have a bowling ball of your own, it’s a reminder to get back out there and have some fun. PEOPLE ARE READY People are yearning more than ever to get out and socialize; people are looking forward to going out and doing stuff with other people. This means — that at least for a while — people will set down their phones, leave Netflix for a bit and pause the tweeting.

16 IBI February 2022

As a proprietor, I have always enjoyed hearing from other operators about what’s happening at their places and what’s working around the country. I’m excited to be a part of the IBI contributing team and look forward to sharing with you what’s happening in my neck of the woods (Nebraska) and other centers I’m associated with. About Me I have been a bowling proprietor since 1986, first owning a rural 6-lane center, then, later a 16-lane center in Omaha which we ran as a family for 27 years. We also owned a 32-lane center and a monster 40-lane FEC that we built from the ground up. I currently operate my own management and marketing company. I love helping others and I am still immersed - and in love with this game and industry. I remember in the now-defunct Bowling Magazine — the ABC’s national publication — a little column titled “From the Proprietor’s Desk.” Regardless of the topic, the column was meant as something that was a turn-key idea or solution that just about anyone could utilize at their center. I’m excited for the opportunity to contribute in a similar way to IBI’s readers.

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Proprietors’ Perspective APPEALING FORMAT, EASY TO MARKET This league format is geared specifically towards nonbowlers or maybe those who haven’t bowled in a while. I suggest 12-14 weeks, any longer and it feels a bit too long. Participants get an entry-level polyester ball, including fit and drill. We typically get the ball for around $40, usually a White Dot or a T-Zone. After six weeks we order the balls to make sure people are in for the long haul. We hand them out with about two weeks left so they can use them, or if they pay upfront, they get the ball right away. We promoted mainly with in-house flyers and then used Facebook along with our in-house database to put the word out. We charged $16 per person, per week, had very few rules, and didn’t host a long league meeting or other nonsense. We handed out the rules, told them the important stuff, then sent them off to the lanes, turned up the music, and let ‘em rip. WE MADE IT FUN! We throw two-color pins in the machines and all bowlers get a jackpot ticket. Any male who strikes with a color pin in the #1 pin spot wins a prize ticket, any woman who gets nine or a strike gets an additional ticket. At the start of game 3 we do the “SHAMMY-WHAMMY Win-It-All” shot, where we draw three tickets, and if we draw your ticket and you throw a strike you win $5. Now the fun part is using the microphone and being a big

ham; you pretty much harass them in trying to knock off the big SHAMMY WHAMMY JACKPOT by rolling for the second strike. If they get the second strike, they win half of the jackpot. We always hold the other half back to start again after being won. To make the second strike even more interesting we have them shoot from different positions, like sitting down, rolling from a chair on the approach, laying on their stomach and pushing it, to holding hands with their best friend. It’s hilariously fun for everyone. IT’S A FINANCIAL WINNER! You will be stunned by how much extra food and drinks this group will order while bowling. You will be even more stunned at how nice, easy, fun-loving, and polite they (mostly) are! And, yes, this works in a 6- or 8-lane house, too! We floored a full league in an 8-lane house in a town of only 1,100 people. This is a fantastic program that people like, and it’s easy to market. Once bowlers get their own ball, it becomes easier to increase their frequency at your center and maybe even roll them into another short program or even a longer session league. If you would like a copy of our program rules and flyer, email me at the address below. I look forward to hearing any proprietor’s success story on anything. Next month I’ll even have something new for you mechanics out there.

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Keep ‘em rolling!

HERE’S THE

MATH

• $16 per week per bowler • $3.50 per week for ball cost • $1.00 per week for the SHAMMY WHAMMY JACKPOT • .50 per week for maybe some pizza at end of the season Steve is the owner of Bowl Co Bowling Marketing and Management. He can be reached at Steve.BowlCo@Gmail.com and by phone at 402-253-4371. 18 IBI February 2022

• Leave $11 per person for lineage. • Floor a 12 by 4 = 48 bowlers at average of 13 weeks = $6,864 in new revenue!!

REAL PEOPLE

REAL STORIES

REAL RESULTS

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Inside Line

Meet Dave Schwartz

By Stephanie Davis

Each month IBI’s “Inside Line” will highlight a team member from one of our loyal advertisers. It’s always fun to learn a little something new about people in the industry who make things happen at their company and for the industry. This month we caught up with BMI Merchandise team member Dave Schwartz.

IBI: Dave, how long have you been at BMI, and what is your position there? Dave: I started with BMI in 2011 and I’ve been the company’s vice president of sales ever since. A huge source of pride and energy for me has been helping BMI’s business dramatically expand over the past decade. IBI: The supply chain has been a hot topic throughout 2021. What is your insight, and how is BMI adjusting to accommodate these disruptions? Dave: Supply chain disruptions are another way of saying “failure to anticipate.” COVID-19, a modern-day plague that’s impacted every segment of society, put the brakes on unparalleled amusement industry growth. But it stands to reason this growth would continue, perhaps even rapidly accelerate, post-COVID. It’s this economic expansion that’s primarily the reason for supply chain bottlenecks. If a center was seeing record revenue in 2019 (and many were), and now their guest count is up 25% over 2019, labor, inventory, and every other component necessary to meet demand will be stressed.

20 IBI February 2022

Inside Line BMI’s ownership team anticipated a post-COVID snapback and stepped up quickly. Way back in June, we doubled down on orders with our suppliers – and that’s the reason BMI is in stock and shipping without delay. We also opened a new 50,000 square-foot facility, substantially increased our workforce, and operate two shifts including weekends. IBI: Let’s talk about your fulfillment program. Dave: While the right redemption merchandise substantially drives gameplay, BMI’s data-driven POS analysis results in inventory continuity, and consistently topical items for centers and counters. Our just-intime fulfillment model, AMRS, or Active Merchandise Replenishment System, aligns POS stock movement reports (or manual inventory templates for those without POS). This process saves centers on labor and product costs. Our items arrive with stickers already affixed, containing the item’s POS bar-code, product description, and point value. Finally, we send our professional merchandisers to locations to set every item at no charge. This “last mile” commitment, also unprecedented, results in a retail-centric product presentation. Today’s bowler appreciates a redemption wall/counter featuring the latest content, presented like a retail store, and, as such, will stay and play. That’s what we do. IBI: What do you like most about your job? Dave: It’s invigorating to market the industry’s widest range of the latest content-based merchandise. I also enjoy showing centers how BMI’s inventory control and graphic design technology substantially increase their arcade revenue. IBI: What is one habit or strategy that you employ at work to keep you organized and on-task? Dave: I used to walk to school past a Shell gas station with “Service is Our Business” written above the garage. That mantra, combined with the good fortune to work with progressive business leaders who personify the term servant leadership at BMI and throughout my career, is how I stay organized.

IBI: How do you spend your time when you’re not at work? Dave: I love my wife and family, run, and read when I can. I also have a possibly obsessive desire to see the Seahawks win a second Super Bowl . IBI: What’s one significant business trend change that you have seen over the years? Dave: The demise of big-box retail, coupled with the shift to online shopping, creates new amusement locations and merchandising opportunities. With online purchases now accounting for even more retail revenue than pre-pandemic, consumer desire for live branded and trending merchandise – and items they can win – is even stronger. When folks go out, they play to win! IBI: What does BMI have planned for 2022? Dave: Given concerns about the supply chain, BMI’s expanded operational bandwidth means an unprecedented commitment to branded and trending inventory that is in stock, priced right, and shipping just-in-time quantities, on-time, every time. IBI: Finally, what new trends do you see emerging or continuing throughout 2022? Dave: The mash-up of lanes, arcades, bars, even live music under one roof, continues strong. These “bar-cades” bring multi-tainment options the whole family can enjoy. In these hopefully waning days of the pandemic, a center’s ability to captivate customers – across all demographics so they stay, play, and come back for more – that’s the most important, emerging trend every bowling center should embrace.

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22 IBI February 2022

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Center Sale

Cashing Out Big Preparation is the key to maximizing a sale By Mike Monroe

s we take on a new year, there are many things going through our business minds: can we beat the numbers we hit in 2021; have we overcome the hardships we endured in 2020; is it time to sell the center? Many businesses had a great 2021 year financially. The downside for many was the fact we could not find employees to help take care of the great business we saw walk in the door. Many owners are not sure they want to fight the fight anymore; being a great sale year, maybe it’s time to sell, when the numbers are up. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you are considering selling your business this year: 1. Make sure you consult your team. Speak with your family members, your partners, your accountant, your broker, and your attorney. You and your team need to be on the same page. 2. Make sure you have updated, clean financial statements prepared. It will be good to have three years ready for presentation to a buyer once they have qualified. This is crucial to have prepared for the buyer so they can present it to their bank. This information is needed to support your asking price. 3. Make sure your facility is in pristine showing condition — clean and presentable inside and out. Make a list of updates made to facility in the last three to five years, including HVAC and roof. 4. Establishing your list price will be crucial. We all want the most we can get for our business, but remember, the bank will only finance on cash

26 IBI February 2022

flow (EBITDA). The market typically shows a bowling center will sell five to eight times cash flow. Solid financials will set your asking price. 5. Remember a business sale is more complex than selling a home. It will take time and it will require patience. Be prepared for low offers — it is part of the game. 6. The structure of a deal is usually more important than the price. This is where the expertise of your accountant and attorney come into play. 7. Your staff is very important in a sale. Remember, most buyers do not bring their own employees with them, so they will want to know about your key people. The other issue is when to tell your employees about the sale; this is up to you, as there is nobody that knows your staff better than you and how they will react. Selling your business is not an easy decision. It is imperative that once you decide to move forward with the sale, you are all in because the process is long and can be tedious. After preparing your business for sale – from the financials to the facility, to your staff — you will walk away happy and ready to start the next chapter of your life.

•

With 40 years of experience in the bowling industry, Mike Monroe is currently the managing associate for The Hansell Group and owner of First Frame Bowling Management.

Expert Alley

EXPERT ALLEY with Kristin Messick Omega Carpets Let’s C.H.A.T. Kristin Messick at Omega Carpets wants to talk carpets

very proprietor wants the best carpet for their center. This is accomplished by balancing carpet design, technology, value, and durability. For most proprietors, keeping their carpet investment looking like new is a high priority. Creating and sticking to a cleaning and maintenance plan is the best way to keep your center looking and smelling great. A solid plan includes a schedule for vacuuming, spot removal, interim cleaning, and deep cleaning. This is where C.H.A.T. comes in:

CHEMISTRY. 80% of carpet soil is dry particulates. The rest are binding agents. Chemistry separates and suspends the soil from the carpet fibers.

HEAT. The temperature of the water in the cleaning equipment is very important to the cleaning process.

The goal of C.H.A.T. is to preserve the appearance of and extend the life of your carpet. Deep cleaning is necessary, but daily vacuuming and maintenance are your best tools to keep your carpets looking pristine. The use of indoor and outdoor walk-off mats is vitally important to preserving your carpets, too. With a sweet-smelling, clean carpet, your center will be ready for the masses!

AGITATION. Manipulating the carpet fibers to loosen stains is key to a deep cleaning process.

TIME. Allow a pre-treatment, like Omega’s Infinity Stain Guard, to dwell on the carpet to allow chemistry to happen. Carpet drying time is necessary for the cleaning process.

For more information on carpets or carpet maintenance, please call Kristin Messick at (800)554-7007 or (620)200-5405.

•

IBI February 2022 27

Cover Story

22-29_Marketing_Marketing 10/25/21

MARKETING

A Solution to a MAJOR LEAGUE PROBLEM By Ryan Vasko

New League Campaign Uses Innovative Technology To Deliver Nontraditional Bowlers

t wasn’t all that long ago when bowling centers were hosting league play every day of the week, nearly every hour of the day. A business owner could legitimately have games start while the sun was still rising and not wrap up until after the clock had passed midnight. However, steadily declining league bowler numbers have been an unfortunate reality of the industry for decades now. At its peak in the 1970s, there were more than nine million registered league members in the United States. By 2019, the USBC stated that the number had dropped to 1.2 million, and the impact of quarantining has obviously only hampered centers over the past two years. Reversing that trend seems daunting, but the people at Bowling Business Builders International (BBBI) are launching a new movement. “We’re looking at a solvable problem,” said Bruce Davis, president of BBBI. “We think we can take what we’ve learned and produce one million new league bowlers over the next five years.”

28 IBI February 2022

The campaign, fittingly titled March to a Million™, aims to recreate the success of the Kids Bowl Free program that has seen over 30,000,000 children participate since its inception. The March to a Million campaign will apply similar nontraditional approaches to inject new life into low-volume, open time slots for centers that opt-in, and restock Bruce Davis, BBBI President languishing league numbers. The key to March to a Million’s success will be a sophisticated new referral and marketing system that allows for greater interaction with consumers, easier connection and exposure to new customers, and a more responsive path to building leagues quicker than ever before.

THE MA

Cover Story “We’ve invested in a full-time software engineer who has created this amazing system, enabling us to handle a large volume of centers and bowlers at the same time, said Davis. “And the beauty is that there’s no real upfront cost to these centers.” A pilot program was put into place and followed closely by the BBBI team. Some businesses tried out the program recently as part of Rum Bucket Leagues with a team-friendly, follow-theleader scoring system that drew rave reviews from bowlers and operators alike. “They had a lot of fun,” Bob Smith, Camelot Lanes said Bob Smith, owner of Camelot Lanes. “I’m always going to put my name in the hat for trying out something like this. If someone has a good idea, jump on it.” The Youngstown, OH, center offers a few short-season fun leagues for its bowlers over the course of a year but recognizes that new approaches are key to getting those regulars back on the lanes. “For years, we talked about having to compete against not just other alleys, but movies and ice-skating rinks and everything else that was out there,” said Smith. “Nowadays, it’s that, plus popular niche activities, the internet, and a million other things.” Like Kids Bowl Free, March to a Million will be primarily funded by customers attracted to the leagues. They’ll be incentivized with a free first week, offering bowlers low-risk trial fun and creating funds to put towards future customer acquisition and media with registration fees. “The goal is for us to help fill current open slots that proprietors don’t believe they can fill,” said Darin Spindler of BBBI. “We have family entertainment centers who are open weeknights, but they’re not full and the lanes aren’t being used as often as they’d like. Fitting in a league format from FunBowlingLeagues.com may be a solution to their mid-week blues.”

Darin Spindler, BBBI

Early adopters are already seeing a return and an increase in interest from their bowlers.

“It’s already delivered two new leagues to our center,” said Mary Montney, manager of Northland Lanes in Sanford, MI. “The leagues brought us almost 80 brand new, happy, fun-loving customers. Almost all want to repeat in another session.” “We floored two new leagues so far for our Capital Lanes in Tallahassee,” said Daniel Pizzi, director of operations at Sun Belt Recreation Centers. “BBBI has never let us down, so we gave it a try. Our 56 new league bowlers had a great time, and we did well from additional food and beverage sales. We’ll certainly be running the program again soon and I’m sure we’re going to have even more success.” “We signed up 76 new league bowlers with zero effort on our part,” said Philip Huffman of BAM! Ultimate Entertainment Center in Holland, MI. “In 16 years of Philip Huffman of BAM! ownership, I have never had better results with league building. Period.” That ability to specifically target high-potential consumers to fill in non-primetime slots is especially key to the appeal of March to a Million. Operators choose from a variety of interesting league and scoring formats, reserve small numbers of lanes for league play to be developed from and have BBBI do its magic to sign up new bowlers. This turnkey program allows operators to focus on the day-to-day work of hosting leagues without the headaches of trying to develop them. “We’re building out a start-to-finish format with the Fun Rollin’ Family Bowling program for the start of 2022,” said Davis. “We know many families that participated in Kids Bowl Free are interested and that should help immediately grow a center’s league business.”

IBI February 2022 29

Cover Story

WHAT OPERATORS

NEED TO KNOW: • Depending on league format chosen, BBBI’s marketing needs 25-45 days lead time

PILOT PROGRAM PROVIDED KEY INSIGHT “When conducting the initial league-building pilot programs, we noticed that the referral element we built into the system was responsible for a great deal of the success we experienced,” said Davis. Rather than forming leagues of groups of strangers from different walks of life, BBBI began attracting social groups that knew each other and were looking forward to spending some time together. Davis continues, “Additionally, we discovered that these groups wanted to bowl close together, so we adjusted our formats to accommodate that. When we constructed the new league building software to be employed as part of our March to A Million new league bowlers’ campaign, we included an even more sophisticated referral system that makes it easier for those interested to invite their friends and families to join them.” This type of approach is word-of-mouth on steroids! Operators who are interested in taking part in March to a Million can find more info and sign up at KidsBowlFreeCenters.com/funleagues.

•

Operators who are interested in taking part in March to a Million can find more info and sign up at KidsBowlFreeCenters.com/funleagues.

30 IBI February 2022

• Since there will be a lot of non-bowlers it is wise to have a friendly, gregarious staff member working the shifts • Survey results indicate 90% of participants had never bowled in an adult league before • Players consider this their social night out, not their bowling night • Be ready with food and drink specials, these customers like to eat and drink

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Booze and Bites

MUNCH MADNESS

Making the most out of March Madness By Michael Fernandez

he Big Dance begins soon, and like every sporting event, there’s a great opportunity for your center to bring in the bucks. March Madness is one of the biggest events of the year for fans to look forward to, filling the gap in between football and baseball season. Let’s look at the numbers first, since they’re a feat in their own regard. On average, restaurants see a 7% increase in weekly revenue during March Madness, and that number is even higher if you’re near a college or university. In 2021, the NCAA limited stadium capacities to just 25%. If 2022 follows suit with any restrictions, the result will be more fans heading to their favorite local spots to watch the game. Chain restaurants spend billions of dollars on TV advertising during the tournament, so it’s important that your center is up to the challenge of finding more affordable routes to grab your share of customers and make your center a local favorite. Game days involve large parties, which means sliders and appetizers are going to be a hit, and there are plenty of options to choose from to keep customers coming back. There’s no need to limit yourself to burger sliders — you can also offer fun options like buffalo chicken sliders, barbequed pulled pork, or even vegetarian-friendly options. If you’re really creative you can use orange spray food coloring on the buns, along with black food coloring lines to give a great basketball-themed look. Queso or bean dip with plenty of cheddar cheese also comes out orange, and the black food coloring lines can

34 IBI February 2022

come into play again as well. Ideally, offering only larger portions with plenty of chips and veggies that can serve five or more people means both teams win. Sliders, dips, and platters make customers less price-sensitive when ordering since they might be splitting the bill, so the bigger portions are a sure way to increase the profits to your center. Gameday festivities are a pastime that are known to bring in the crowds, so why not run your own tournament? Consider this: every time a customer comes to watch the game during March Madness, offer a raffle ticket to keep them coming back, with the winner taking home something like a new basketball, a jersey, or a gift card to your local sports outlet. If you’re looking to keep customers past half-time, you may want to offer half-off appetizers and sides to keep them from migrating to the couch party. The ball is in your court!

Booze and Bites

About 11.3 million viewers are expected on average per game, and double that for the championship games. About 31% of Americans expect to watch at least one game, and 18% expect to fill out at least one bracket. That’s a huge viewership, which means an enormous opportunity for your center.

BEER MADNESS Over the course of three weeks, there is plenty of profit to be made on alcohol deals, especially if you create some friendly competition in the bar. My personal favorite is Free Throw Free Beer, where you set up a cheap indoor hoop, draw a free throw line, and give customers the chance to win a free beer by making their one shot. Or you can offer additional chances at $1 per shot! As always, check your local laws to see what’s legal in your area about contests and free booze. Another fan favorite is Half-Off Half Time which is a fun way to keep customers in your place past the half time break. Offering half off local beers or cocktails is certain to keep the party going and provides another two quarters of keeping your bar buzzing. You can always keep it simple and bring an iconic addition to your center. Beer towers are great for large parties and having one out is known to make nearby tables envious. Beer towers hold about nine bottles of 12 ounce beers; and as a bonus, this single, large order makes life easier for your servers when things start bustling.

•

Mike Fernandez is a freelance contributor on all things food and booze. Growing up in his family’s restaurant business fueled his passion for good eats and tasty drinks. By day Mike is a health insurance professional, by night he scours south Florida looking for trends and newcomers in the food and drink business.

IBI February 2022 35

PREFERRED VENDOR LIST Architecture Design DYNAMIC DESIGNS

www.dynamicdesignsinc.net

Howard Ellman

Info@dynamicdesignsinc.net

248.644.7275

Interior & Exterior Design – New Concept Development – Planning & Consulting – Architecture – Theme Design – Re-imagining of Existing Facilities

Arcade Distributor BETSON ENTERPRISES Sales Department

www.betson.com/bowling

800.524.2343

Sales@betson.com

Betson offers a full assortment of arcade and vending equipment and has the largest inventory selection of new & used games and parts.

Automatic Scoring STELTRONIC SCORING

www.steltronicscoring.com

Sales Department

Info@steltronicscoring.com

800.942.5939

The world’s leading independent automatic scoring manufacturer since 1980.

NEW CENTER CONSULTING Glenn Hartshorn

www.newcenterconsulting.com

248.375.2751

ghartsho@yahoo.com

Touch Score – A truly revolutionary scoring upgrade for legacy systems.

Capital Equipment/Supplies BRUNSWICK BOWLING PRODUCTS

www.brunswickbowling.com

Michael Postema

Info@brunswickbowling.com

231.343.2043

The leader in the bowling industry for over 130 years, Brunswick Bowling provides products, services, and industry expertise for new and existing bowling centers.

KEGEL Gus Falgien

863.734.0200

www.kegel.net Gus.Falgien@kegel.net

Lane maintenance equipment/supplies, pinsetter parts, and coaching tools.

QUBICAAMF

www.qubicaamf.com

Sales Department

info@qubicaamf.com

804.569.1000

QubicaAMF is the world’s largest manufacturer of bowling and mini bowling products. With our innovative products, we will help our customers fully unleash that potential to extend the bowling population, to reach the younger generations, to increase their spending, frequency of visits—and your revenue.

36 IBI February 2022

PREFERRED VENDOR LIST Cashless Technology INTERCARD Sales Department

www.intercardinc.com

800.732.3770

Sales@intercardinc.com

Intercard introduced cashless technology to the amusement industry and has been leading the way for 30+ years. Cashless systems from Intercard increase customer spending and satisfaction and boost revenues by up to 30% at entertainment centers worldwide.

Cashless Technology SEMNOX SOLUTIONS Sales Department

www.semnox.com

610.400.8901

Sales@semnox.com

Semnox’s online cashless payment systems – a one stop solution for your entire bowling center operations.

Marketing BBBI/KIDS BOWL FREE Andy Vasko

877.841.4590

www.kidsbowlfree.com Andy.Vasko@kidsbowlfree.com

At BBBI our goal is to create new customers and profits for bowling centers through our time tested Kids Bowl Free Summer Bowing Program and our new League Development System featuring Fun Bowling Leagues for all ages.

BOWLING LEADS Zach Boulanger

844.468.4144

www.bowlingleads.com Zach@bowlingleads.com

We help bowling centers find new leads and turn them into raving repeat customers with our done for you automated marketing system.

EBOWL.BIZ & BOWLRX.COM Carey Tosello

www.eBowl.biz 541.549.0999

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Digital marketing for bowling: BowlRx websites, Facebook for bowling, and more.

THE KAPLOE GROUP Fred Kaplowitz

516.359.4874

www.kaploegroup.com fredkaplowitz@gmail.com

The ultimate marketing and management company for your leisure, entertainment, or recreation business. Professional consulting and coaching available.

Online Reservations ALLEYTRAK Chris Behling

815.519.9843

www.alleytrak.com Chris@alleytrak.com

AlleyTrak is the complete lane reservation and management system designed specifically for bowling alleys. Manage your recurring events, leagues, parties, packages, along with many other features AlleyTrak has to offer. Save time by allowing guests to make reservations online 24/7.

REX RESERVATIONS

www.reservewithrex.com

Kevan Sadigh

Kev@reservewithrex.com

323.805.8310

Seamlessly manage lane reservations for your bowling venue. Set different prices for peak and off-peak times. Allocate your desired number of lanes to be reserved online, while also keeping some for walk-ins. IBI February 2022 37

PREFERRED VENDOR LIST Redemption Supplies BMI MERCHANDISE Sales Department

800.272.6375

www.bmimerchandise.com Sales@bmimerchandise.com

BMI’s extensive product line features the trending themes, licenses and brands driving amusement play. We bring our customers a constantly changing mix of the finest electronics, novelties and toys – priced right.

REDEMPTION PLUS Mike Tipton

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Products that perform. Services that simplify.

Training TRAINERTAINMENT Beth Standlee

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! r ve E n io t o m ro P t s e g n ro t Bowling’s S15th Year • Over 30 Million Kids Registered

• Summer Traffic Where & When You Want It • Summer Cash Sales from Visits • Great Family Database with Birthdays • Automatic Marketing to Families to Drive Business Year-Round

ASk About Our Special Package for Centers New to the Program!

call 1-877-841-4590 or email Bruce@BowlingBusinessBuilders.com 38 IBI February 2022

Shorts

INDUSTRY NEWS BRUNSWICK INVESTS IN SYNC SUPPORT

“Centers need assistance in understanding and utilizing all options within Sync,” says Scott Meier, Brunswick’s global product manager. To do this, the company has hired industry veterans to help proprietors take full advantage of the Brunswick Sync POS, scoring, and cloud operating system with all of its business-building features. The most recent hires are David Garber and Chuck Lande. Both new Product Champions are well steeped in the sport and business of bowling. This position was created to support the growing number of centers adding Sync center operating systems.

LAI INTROS A MONTHLY PODCAST

LAI Games, designer, developer, and manufacturer of creative games for FECs, debuted a new monthly podcast in January. The show includes discussions of industry news, tips, and recommendations from successful operators and industry leaders. Each episode will feature a guest host who is an expert in their field, offering perspective and insight.

BOWLERO CORP CONTINUES HEALTHY MODE

Bowlero Corp, owner and operator of bowling centers and owner of the Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) has announced that it grew in revenue in Q2 2021 by more than 20%. It also grew its portfolio by adding four new bowling centers in the U.S.: two acquisitions in Spring Hill, FL, and Vacaville, CA; plus two newly constructed locations in Oxnard, CA, and Tysons, VA. Adding to the health of the company, it has announced that its Class A common stock and warrants will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols “Bowl” and “BOWL WS,” respectively.

PWBA TO FEATURE LARGER PRIZE FUNDS

The Professional Women’s Bowling Association Tour season will begin in May 2022 and feature 12 events, seven of which will conclude on CBS Sports Network. The athletes will be competing for an overall prize fund of approximately $1.4 million, which represents the largest average per event since the tour’s relaunch in 2015. The schedule will feature the USBC Queens and U.S. Women’s Open, along with the season-ending PWBA Tour Championship.

GOODWILL CENTRAL

CENTER OPENED ITS DOOR FOR STRANDED TRAVELERS

Bowling centers are the hubs of goodwill. In Saskatchewan, Canada, Jake’s Place is a small center that paid forward that goodwill. Knowing a storm was brewing, Kelvin Fellner, who runs Jake’s, called the local radio station and said, “I knew it was getting ugly and after 10 p.m., there isn’t a whole lot in town that’s open. I thought if people are stranded, can’t travel, are cold, and want a safe place, give me a call and I will open my building, free of charge. One person heard the radio offer. It was a gentleman who was able to stay at the bowling center until his company found him a hotel room. Bowling is the glue in a community. Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes offered free bowling and free lunches to kids in Merrill, WI, during the community’s power outage. The center also offered WI-FI access. Kevin Jacoby, GM, knew that a lot of people were cold, and he thought that opening the center, offering hot chocolate and coffee and snacks might be just the ticket. 40 IBI February 2022

Kelvin Fellner opened the doors to Jake’s Place

Showcase Food and Beverage TOUCH EXPRESS Steltronic has unveiled our new food and beverage self order kiosk. Food and soft drink orders will be printed in the kitchen, while alcoholic drinks will be printed in the bar. Customizing your system to allow alcohol orders to be age verified before preparation, or excluded from ordering all together, it’s all customizable on your Steltronic Focus-NEX front desk or back office computers. Customizing your pizza is super simple with the touchscreen for the items you want added to your pizza. Adding a custom menu item to your burger, or a personal note to the chef for preparation is also available for any item purchased. For more information, call us toll free (800) 9425939 or by email: info@steltronicscoring.com We are YOUR bowling center management specialists since 1980.

QUBICAAMF –BES X EXPERIENCES Deliver On-Lane Experiences to Delight Every Guest With BES X Experiences you can easily create onlane experiences to delight each and every guest at every visit! Dynamically showcase your most popular packages (at the right times) on large colorful displays at the front desk—making it fast and easy for guests to choose their perfect experience. To help you create the unique Experiences you want to offer, simply start from a library of graphics, videos and predefined kits designed to target potential customer segments. The system combines this graphical content with your own custom names, language and your Conqueror price keys. Experience the easiest way to offer Bowling Entertainment—and drive more revenue for your business. Learn more at www.qubicaamf.com/besxexperiences

Introducing our New Glow Bowling Socks for Bowling fanatics; look great at the lanes and in loafers. Available in Men and Ladies / Teens sizes. Centers are selling bowling logo socks for extra revenue. Mix and match Athletic and Glow Bowling Socks by the dozen. Expert Hosiery / Funtime Footwear is THE athletic sock supplier for Bowling and FEC’s. Call us for details on how Centers are using Glow Socks in their centers. Phone: 919-799-7707 Email: support@experthosiery.com www.funtimefootwear.com

Redemption Plus is launching a new shopping tool called StartCart to save you time and frustration. You give us a weekly minimum budget and we pre-load your cart on Monday morning. You can edit your cart, add items, change quantities, etc. before checking out. Are you tired of seeing “Out of Stock” when shopping? Then StartCart is for you. The best part is that it is FREE to customers enrolled in our Service Package (which is also FREE)! No more issues shopping for in-stock items at a full range of ticket values. Contact us at (913) 563-4300 or info@redemptionplus.com for more information or to enroll.

IBI February 2022 41

CLASSIFIEDS

Classifieds

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN

EASY WAYS

to place your Classified Ad in International Bowling Industry Magazine

Call (239) 821-2534

E-mail your ad to:

Natalie@bowlingindustry.com IBI 42 IBI February 2022

November 2021

CLASSIFIEDS

Classifieds SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One copy of International Bowling Industry is sent free to every bowling center, independently owned pro shop and collegiate bowling center in the U.S., and every military bowling center and pro shop worldwide. Publisher reserves the right to provide free subscriptions to those individuals who meet publication qualifications. Additional subscriptions may be purchased for delivery in the U.S. for $60 per year. Subscriptions for Canada and Mexico are $65 per year, all other foreign subscriptions are $80 per year. All foreign subscriptions should be paid in U.S. funds using International Money Orders. POSTMASTER: Please send new as well as old address to International Bowling Industry, 1850 San Marco Rd, Marco Island, FL, 34145, USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2021, Davis Productions Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN

IBI

November 2021

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HOTLINE: 855-415-7517

IBI February 2022 43

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NORTHERN ILLINOIS AMF AMF EQUIPMENT EQUIPMENT -NORTHERN ILLINOIS NORTHERN ILLINOIS • POS for lounge AMF EQUIPMENT NORTHERN ILLINOIS Ball returns with teardrop • POS for lounge

• POS for lounge 25ea 32 inch flat-screen monitors humpback lifts •• Ball PVC gutters with teardrop bumpers all teardrop returns humpback lifts with 24 POS for lounge Ball returns with • Brunswick A pinsetters that work • Conqueror 20 lanes lanes8270XL Scoring, BES monitors 24 25ea 32 humpback liftsflat-screen PVC gutters with teardrop bumpers all all 25ea 32 inch inch flat-screen monitors perfectly Balllanes returns •• PVC gutters bumpers English keyboard. • Fly 25 miles east of Pittsburgh • Lane Machines Kegel 24 lanes Conqueror Scoring, BES 25ea 32 inch flat-screen Conqueror Scoring, BES monitors • 24 PVClanes gutters with bumpers all • AMF Scoring BOSS System front and Kustodian and Century Fly English keyboard. • Lane Machines Kegel Silver Fly English keyboard. Conqueror Scoring, BES 24 lanes • Lane Machines Kegel • Owner retiring back office, Bullet Kustodian and Century Century Silver BOSS System front Fly English keyboard. • Small•snack BOSS System front and and Kustodian and Lanebar Machines Kegel Silver • back 300+ contracted league Bullet back office, office, BOSS System and Kustodian and Century Silver speckmancpa@aol.com | Bullet (815) 979-6036 bowlers everyfront week back office, Bullet speckmancpa@aol.com | (815) 979-6036

speckmancpa@aol.com | (815) 979-6036 speckmancpa@aol.com (815) 979-6036 Call Shawn | |412-614-0587

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4460IBI February IBI2022 November 2021

HEAD MECHANIC WANTED Head Mechanic Wanted for two busy 32 and HEAD MECHANIC WANTED HEAD MECHANIC WANTED 36 lane state of the art family entertainment Head Mechanic Wanted for 32 and HEAD MECHANIC WANTED Head Mechanic WantedCoast for two two busy 32 One and centers in the Treasure of busy Florida. 36 lane state of the art family entertainment 36alane state ofcenter the artand family entertainment is Brunswick the other is AMF. Head Wanted for busy 32 One and Head Mechanic Mechanic neededCoast for two busy center centers in of centers in the the Treasure Treasure Coast of Florida. Florida. One Great opportunity afamily qualified individual. 36 lane state ofcenter thefor artsalary entertainment in New Jersey. Great and benefits is a Brunswick and the other is AMF. is a Brunswick centerwith and experience. the other is Email AMF. Salary compensable centers in Brunswick the Treasure Coast of Florida. One package. pinspotters. Email Great opportunity for a individual. Great opportunity forA-2 a qualified qualified individual. resume to tthompson@bowlstuart.com. Call is a Brunswick centerwith and experience. the other is Email AMF. Salary compensable resume to sgroce@nationwidebowling.com Salary compensable with experience. Email 772-286-9700 or 772-299-7467 ask for Great opportunity for a qualified individual. resume resume to to tthompson@bowlstuart.com. tthompson@bowlstuart.com. Call Call Tammy. Salary compensable772-299-7467 with experience. Email 772-286-9700 772-286-9700 or or 772-299-7467 ask ask for for resume to tthompson@bowlstuart.com. Call Tammy. Tammy. CENTERS or FOR SALE 772-286-9700 772-299-7467 ask for Tammy. CENTERS FOR SALE ILLINOIS: 24-lane, recently remodeled center CENTERS FOR SALE w/ new parking lot. 40,000 s/f on 1.67 acres. ILLINOIS: 24-lane, recently remodeled center CENTERS FOR SALE ILLINOIS: 24-lane, recently remodeled center Qubica scoring and POS system. Strong leagues w/ new parking lot. 40,000 s/f on 1.67 w/ 900+ new parking lot. 40,000 s/f on Sports 1.67 acres. acres. bowlers, also pool leagues. bar & ILLINOIS: 24-lane, recently remodeled center Qubica scoring and POS POS system. Strong leagues leagues Qubica scoring and system. Strong grill, pro shop, video gaming, & banquet hall w/ w/ new parking lot. 40,000 s/f on Sports 1.67 acres. w/ bowlers, also leagues. bar w/ 900+ 900+ bowlers, also pool pool leagues. Sports bar & & lots of room to convert. Owner retiring. Call (847) Qubica scoring and POS system. Strong leagues grill, video gaming, grill, pro pro shop, shop, video gaming, & & banquet banquet hall hall w/ w/ 613-5020 for price & info. w/ 900+ bowlers, also pool leagues. Sports (847) bar & lots lots of of room room to to convert. convert. Owner Owner retiring. retiring. Call Call (847) grill, pro shop, video gaming, & banquet hall w/ 613-5020 for price price & info. info. NEBRASKA: 32-lane center, land & building. 613-5020 for & lots of room to convert.A2Owner retiring.Brunswick Call (847) Features Brunswick pinsetters, NEBRASKA: 32-lane center, land & & building. 613-5020 for price & info. NEBRASKA: 32-lane center, land building. Pro Anvilane lanes, Brunswick 2000 ball Features Brunswick A2 pinsetters, Brunswick Features Brunswick A2 pinsetters, Brunswick returns. Also, large lounge seating to 250; NEBRASKA: 32-lane center, land & building. Pro Anvilane lanes, Brunswick 2000 ball Pro lanes, 2000 ball partyAnvilane room seating upA2toBrunswick 80; game room, café Features Brunswick pinsetters, Brunswick returns. Also, large lounge seating tocaters 250; returns. Also, large lounge seating to 250; with established catering service. Center Pro lanes, 2000 café ball partyAnvilane room seating uplocations toBrunswick 80; game game room, party room seating up to 80; room, café in-house and tolarge other year-round. For returns. Also, lounge seating to 250; with established established catering service. Center Action caters with catering service. Center caters more information, call Don Mehring, party room seating uplocations to 80; game room, café in-house and toEstate, other year-round. For in-house and other locations year-round. For Holdings Realto office (308) 384-3777 or with established catering service. Center caters more information, call Don Mehring, Action more information, call Don Mehring, Action cell (308) 380-0444. in-house and to other locations year-round. For Holdings Real Real Estate, Estate, office office (308) (308) 384-3777 384-3777 or or Holdings more information, call Don Mehring, Action cell (308) 380-0444. cell (308) 380-0444. HoldingsCENTER Real Estate, office (308) 384-3777 or FOR SALE cell (308) 380-0444.

Southern Indiana 20-Lane newly CENTER FOR SALE CENTER FOR SALE remodeled Bowling Center with Southern Indiana 20-Lane newly strong leagues, party room, video CENTER FOR SALE Southern Indiana 20-Lane newly remodeled Bowling Center game room, Qubica scoring, POS remodeled Bowling Center with with Southern Indiana 20-Lane newly strong leagues, party room, video system, pro shop, 82/70 AMF strong leagues, party room, video remodeled Bowling Center with game room, Qubica scoring, POS equipment, located on primary game room,and Qubica scoring, POS strong leagues, party room, video system, pro 82/70 AMF highway. Owner retiring and please system, pro shop, shop, 82/70 AMF game room,and Qubica POS equipment, located on call (812-547-2200) forscoring, price and info. equipment, and located on primary primary system,Owner pro shop, 82/70 AMF retiring and please highway. highway. Owner retiring and please equipment, and located on primary call (812-547-2200) for and call (812-547-2200) for price price and info. info. highway. Owner retiring and please call (812-547-2200) for price and info.

CLASSIFIEDS Classifieds

AMF • BRUNSWICK EQUIPMENT COMPLETE PACKAGES WORLD’S LARGEST NEW – USED SPARE PARTS INVENTORY ALL AMF BUMPER PARTS, XS Q-BUMP, DURABOWL AND GEN II IN STOCK

BUY

SEL

Danny & Daryl Tucker

Tucker Bowling Equipment Co. 609 N.E. 3rd St. Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-4018 Fax (806) 995-4767

Bowling Parts, Inc. P.O. Box 801 Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-3635 Email - daryl@tuckerbowling.com

www.tuckerbowling.com

OFFICIALCENTER ENTRY RULES FORSALE THE BUSINESS FOR OF BOWLING $20,000.00 GIVE-A-WAY

Family-owned and operated for 50 NO•PURCHASE NECESSARY. Entries start on years. 10/1/2021 at 12 AM ET & end on 12/20/2021 at 11:59 PM ET. Winners • SE Indiana recently renovated 8 lane center. selected 1/31/2022. You must be legal res of US/DC/CA (excl Quebec), 21+ base & auth rep of bowl ctr/free IBIM • Strong league including subscriber. CA winners correctly solve time-based skill High School andmust youth program. problem. Enter either: (a) online at bowlingbusinessbuilders.com/giveaway; (b) by calling (877) • Center features 82/70 machines, 841-4590; (c) via email towith Natalie@bowlingindustry.com. Anvil orLane surface A5-90 scoring. Limit 1 entry & 1 prize/bowling ctr. Odds of winning dep on • Full barrec’d. with Prize screened # of entries (20): patio, $1000 voucher for bowling induskitchen, gds/svcsand validpro for 1shop. yr. ARV: $1000. Winners resp for all taxes/costs not stated above. Other restrs & elig lims • Bonus building pole apply. For full rules &32x40 Winners’ list barn. (avail 3/2/2022), visit bowlingbusinessbuilders.com/giveaway. Also, adjacent house for sale. Sponsors: BBBI & Internat’l Bowling Indus Magazine, 1850 San Marco Rd Ste Call 812-756-0553 forVoid more information A, Marco Isld FL 34145. where prohibited. and price

AMF and some BRUNSWICK PC board repair/exchange. 6-month warranty, fast turnaround. Call or write: WB8YJF Service 5586 Babbitt Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054 Toll Free: 888-902-BOWL (2695) Ph./Fax: (614) 855-3022 (Jon) E-mail: wb8yjf@sbcglobal.net Visit us on the WEB! http://home.earthlink.net/~wb8yjf/

LOCKER KEYS FAST! All Keys done by code # Locks and Master Keys E-mail: huff@inreach.com

Phone:

(530) 263-2135 IBI

November 2021

IBI February 2022 45

Remember When

e have seen Archie Andrews, teenage hero of the Archie comic books, in IBI’s February 2013 issue and in the March 2011 issue, each time with hearts abounding. Keeping tradition alive, this Valentine’s Day we revisit our Romeo plying his wiles on a new lady. What’s his secret? Bowling, of course!

46 IBI February 2022

CONQUEROR EXPERIENCE RELATIONSIHIP MANAGER ONE SYSTEM FOR THE ULTIMATE CONSUMER JOURNEY

Coming Soon!

DELIVER AMAZING SERVICE. Make Conqueror Kiosk the first touchpoint for your customers when they arrive and get ready to deliver! Check in for reservations, explore offers, pay for bowling and extras, order food and beverage. The Kiosk is the perfect way to upsell your customers to play and spend more at each visit. Plus, it provides an easy self-service experience that customers want. qubicaamf.com/conquerorkiosk

To learn more visit: