Game On

Big Band & Bowling

neW victory lAnes is more thAn A ten-pin outinG

by Allie Spencer photography provided by New Victory Lanes

New Victory Lanes in Mooresville offers a little something for everyone at its 48,000 square-foot venue. Entertainment options include bowling, an arcade featuring 40 games and full redemption, a billiard room, a pro shop, the Wobbly Butt Taproom & Eatery and weekly events from comedy shows to big band performances.

Former tour bowler Paul Kreins and his business partner Jim Wieder bought the business from PBA/USBC Hall of Fame bowler and Charlotte native, George Pappas, in 2018. Since then, they have invested more than $1 million on improving and upgrading New Victory Lanes to make it an entertainment destination in Mooresville.

“It’s not your grandfather’s bowling alley,” says Kreins.

Avid bowlers will enjoy the 40 lanes, automatic scoring and automatic bumpers that New Victory Lanes offers, as well as league bowling Sunday through Thursday. Patrons can grab a bite to

Left: Forty lanes offer lots of room for a bowling workout. Center: The Lake Norman Big Band swings for music fans. Right: Petey the Pinhead welcomes bowlers and guests to New Victory Lanes. Bottom center: Guests play “Minecraft,” one of 40 challenging arcade games for kids and adults. Bottom left: Cosmic Bowling lanes add other-worldly ambiance.

eat laneside or at the newly renovated Wobbly Butt Taproom & Eatery — a unique name inspired by the Kreins family dachshund, Leroy.

“Leroy hurt his back, and when he was learning to walk again his butt would wobble,” explains Kreins. His son, Ben Kreins, the Director of Operations for New Victory Lanes, began home brewing beer during the 2020 shutdown. Now they work with a contract brewery in Elkin to brew their beers with names like Low Rider IPA, Leroy’s Lager, Badger Hunter and Puptoberfest — all a nod to Leroy. The taproom also offers 24 local craft beers, common domestic bottled beer and a full liquor complement.

Their long-term plan is to one day brew the Wobbly Butt brand of beers on site. For now, they are putting the finishing touches on the restaurant remodel which included all new floors, furniture and wall treatments. They also hope to launch an elevated menu in January that will include items like Boozy Mussels with bacon, basil, tomatoes, shallots and white wine; a Shrimp Burger Po’ Boy on a potato bun; and Pork Belly Sammy, brie, pesto aioli, tomatoes and butter lettuce on a toasted baguette.

The Wobbly Butt is also the location of some of New Victory Lanes signature events. Partnering with The Comedy Zone, they bring live standup comedy to Lake Norman every Wednesday night, featuring top standup talent from the southeast. Music lovers will enjoy every third Monday of the month when the Lake Norman Big Band, a 20-piece orchestra, puts on a show for 120-150 guests. The upcoming Dec. 19 show will feature a Christmas theme — tickets can be purchased on the New Victory Lanes website for $30 per person. New Victory Lanes also offers karaoke on Friday nights and shag dancing on Sunday.

Parents will be happy to know that all comedy and musical acts are family appropriate, and New Victory Lanes is a safe place

The Mojo Band performs Rock & Roll and the Blues for local music lovers. for kids. Kreins introduced “Say ‘No’ to Drugs, Say ‘Yes’ to Bowling” in 2013, a program that gives local students one free game of bowling every day from May 1 to Aug. 31. Since its inception, Kreins says they’ve given away more than 300,000 free games of bowling, and they typically see 200-400 students a day in the summer.

With everything New Victory Lanes offers on site, it’s a great location for birthday parties, corporate events and fundraisers. Kreins says they have hosted groups as large as 500, but typically have about 30100 guests at their private functions.

Upcoming in December, in addition to their regular weekly events, New Victory Lanes will host an Adult/Youth Holiday Tournament Saturday, Dec. 17, and several New Year’s Eve parties including a Youth Party (1-4 p.m.), Family Party (5-8 p.m.) and the “Party” Party (9 p.m.-12:30 a.m.).

Looking ahead to 2023, Kreins will expand New Victory Lanes even further, with an outdoor mini golf course. He has plans for a Lake Norman themed, 18-hole course with water features and elevation, an addition that will up the ante on the entertainment offered at New Victory Lanes.

Wednesday night comedy brings mid-week laughs.

Learn more about all the fun at New Victory Lanes by visiting www.victorylanes.com or call 704.664.2695.

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