THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING
CONTENTS
VOL 20.4
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING Chris Holmes
6 ISSUE AT HAND
32 WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME
The Next Frontier
Mike Leong has spent a long and successful career serving his community through bowling. His standout: the annual Kops and Kids Day.
By Scott Frager
8 SHORTS
22
• 43rd Hoosier Classic • A peek at U.S. Women’s Open venue • BWAA Virtual Youth Challenge • Bowling in Brunei
By Anna Littles
35 OPERATIONS Bowling Boot Camp
By Joan Taylor
The Ladies’ Man
32
46 REMEMBER WHEN 1941 Collier's Weekly entices readers with a bowling couple
22 COVER STORY Gerald Paluzzi welcomed his new flagship center Northcliff Lanes and the QAMF World Cup.
37 Showcase 38 Classifieds
By Paul Lane
45 Datebook
35
April 2012
OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com
CONTRIBUTORS Fred Groh Patty Heath Paul Lane Anna Littles Joan Taylor
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424
FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)
13245 Riverside Dr., Suite 501 Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com
www.BowlingIndustry.com
By Fred Groh
IBI
keer@bowlingindustry.com
fisher@bowlingindustry.com
16 PROFILE
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EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Gregory Keer
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher
How Rockaway Lanes in New Jersey successfully executes an intensive youth bowling experience.
John Losito used a combination of innovation and hard work to breathe new life into the U.S. Women’s Open 2011 Event.
holmes@bowlingindustry.com
HOTLINE: 888-424-2695 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 $50 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, 13245 Riverside Drive, Suite 501, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2012, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.
MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:
THE ISSUE AT HAND
The Next Frontier 19 years is a long enough time to be “successful” in any one business, right? Or, is it just the warm up period? I recall the first day I walked through the doors of Bowling Industry magazine (International was added later.) The first day was hard and the subsequent weeks, months, years and now decades seem to keep getting harder. It’s tough to believe that after almost 20 years, I keep finding ways to complicate and shake up my life all in the effort to achieve “success.” Since 1994, I’ve been doing my best to keep the industry aware of all the news and trends while celebrating the people and places that make up our trade through IBI magazine. In 2006, a business opportunity presented itself. I was hired to manage the Bowling Centers of Southern CA proprietors’ association. This new job created a new level of responsibility and effort. Working so closely with a group of active, vocal and progressive proprietors also gave me a new appreciation for the amount of hard
work and effort it takes to be successful in the bowling business. Flash forward six years, and I’m as happy as ever with my career in the bowling industry. The responsibilities are great. The work is tiring. The rewards, thankfully, have been plentiful. So much so, I still want more. I want to continue to find ways to become more involved and more engaged. And, I found a way to do just that. I am not able to share, just yet, how my path crossed with this opportunity, but with next month’s issue, I will. Until then, I would like to leave you with the following quote loosely attributed to Branch Rickey (the baseball coach who is known for breaking MLB’s color barrier by signing Jackie Robinson and drafting Roberto Clemente.) The quote is inscribed on a piece of marble stone and was recently given to me by my father-in-law, Robert Fisher. He has always had this piece on his office desk, and now it is proudly displayed on mine. “Success is that place in the road where preparation and opportunity meet, but too few people recognize it, because too often it comes disguised as hard work.” I hope that in the months ahead, we will be able to share with each other our visions of success and how we all intend to achieve it.
– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com
THIS MONTH AT www.BowlingIndustry.com Attending Bowl Expo? Still trying to decide? Check out IBI online and see what others think. We have reposted a Forum question posted by cary Richmond last year to which 49 people gave reasons and views. Kristy Morse said, “My brain goes into over drive and I get excited about bowling all over again. Being a part of Bowl Expo guarantees me an energetic launch into the new bowling season!” For IBI, it is a time to touch base with friends and clients and to see all the new innovations that make this industry so exciting. Read what others have said, include your own ideas and expectations for this year. That’s what IBI online is all about! Do it by May 1 and become eligible to win a FREE, FULL registration ($350 value). Don’t. See you there! 6
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SHORTS
EXPANSION, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS San Francisco proper is having a fine romance with bowling. Two separate groups opened new centers, nearly doubling the number of lanes available within the city limits. An old warehouse is home to Mission Bowling Club, a snazzy, boutique six- lane house, plus a restaurant and full bar which opened March 19. The second new center is Lucky Strike which opened March 9. The Lucky Strike chain is in 13 states and Canada. Again, the venue is boutique with 12 upscale lanes along with a bar, restaurant and private party space. It seems that nightlife, bowling and good food and drink are definitely in demand.
If all goes as planned, Rigby’s Family Fun Center, a $4 million, 40,000square-foot family fun center with skating, bowling, laser tag, arcade games and a food court offering pizza, carnival-style food, wraps and healthy options will open in April in Warner Robins, GA. According to a regional manager, there will also be areas suitable for business team-building in the bowling suite and laser tag maze. The facility is expected to employ from 65 to 100 people.
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“Eat, Bowl, Play” describes the experience Main Event Entertainment is bringing to Katy, TX. It is the 11th location for the Dallas-based family entertainment company. Katy Ranch Crossing will be designed to have up to 750,000 square feet of retail, medial and restaurant space and, as with each Main Event location, will be anchored by contemporary bowling lanes. The project spans five years and will begin in early 2012.
Karen Pullman’s Pro Shop and Bowling Center will have a complete makeover. Seven Peaks purchased the Sandy, UT, center with plans to develop a fun center. In addition to bowling, Seven Peaks Fun Center will include a two-story laser tag floor, indoor miniature golf and a full arcade. The remodeling will not interfere with business and the center will remain open during construction. This will be the company’s fifth entertainment venue.
SHORTS
Media
WATCH
TRES CHIC: LANVIN VS CHANEL One of the latest fashion accessories for spring is the bowling bag. It comes in a variety of styles to afford use with casual ware as well as a more classic look. Both Lanvin and Chanel are offering their takes on this trendy and versatile bag made with the best leather and calf leather and engraved with couture details. However, if observed closely, not sure that one could schlep a bowling ball.
BOWLING CRAZE HITS BRUNEI Where? Brunei, just north of Malaysia and Borneo in Southeast Asia. According to Brunei NEWS, bowling has become the latest craze to hit the country due in part to the opening in November of 2011 of Megastrike Bowl located in the Airport Mall. With 22 lanes, this state-of-theart facility and first of its kind in the Sultanate offers family entertainment along with coaching, cosmic bowling and services for corporate functions. There is a 50s themed diner as well. Managing Director, Major (Rtd) Sharifah Hazlina Syed Elham who is one of the first military women in the Royal Brunei Armed Forces is in partnership with her husband and her sister and brother-in-law. Her children also help run the center. “It’s all about family values here,” she said. “For anyone who is looking for something that the whole family can do together, think ‘bowling’.”
BWAA LAUNCHES VIRTUAL
YOUTH CHALLENGE The Bowling Writers Association of America, BWAA, is, after weeks of testing, launching a new tournament for youth bowlers. Teaming up with VirtualTournaments.com, BWAA has developed an all new, ongoing, weekly tournament called the Virtual Youth Challenge, where youth bowlers from ages 8-20 with verified averages anywhere in the world can have fun while earning scholarship awards toward higher education. “We are very proud to launch this new event for youth bowlers,” said BWAA President Jim Goodwin. “Our Pezzano Scholarship Committee chair Joan Romeo and our Virtual Tournament Committee chair Brandy Padilla have been working together with Scott Scriver at VirtualTournaments.com for months to write the rules and put this all together. We are very excited about the long term potential of this event, and we encourage everyone in the industry to get behind this effort to boost youth bowling.” Youth bowlers will compete using their league scores in two age divisions—8 through 12 and 13 through 20. Youths bowling in adult leagues will not be eligible. All averages must be verified. The Virtual Youth Challenge is a simple “Highest Over Average” event with a handicap of 90% from the highest average entered each week. One of every five entries each week in each division will earn scholarship awards that will be deposited into their SMART account within 30 days. For more information visit www.VirtualYouthChallenge.com.
Irish Road Bowling is Better Than Green Beer You might want to put this in a tickler file for next St. Patrick’s Day. Irish Road Bowling takes you out of the bar and places you on a highway or road, preferably without cars. This rollicking game dates back to17th Century Ireland and is a mix of bowling and golf. It requires teams of four, a 28 ounce ball or “bullet” and some chalk. The idea is to guess how far you can throw the ball. Where the ball stops is where chalk is used to “mark the spot.”. This is repeated for a mile and a half, with the team with the least number of throws deemed the winner. Betting, of course, is encouraged!
ROXBURY LANES TOUTS MORE THAN BOWLING Roxbury Lanes does more than afford bowling to its patrons. For night owls, a vast menu of Asian fare is available until 4 a.m. Home to a bowling alley, a sports bar and a casino called Roxy’s, it is being touted as the place to find great Chinese food in the Greater West
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Seattle Metropolitan Area. A seat at the counter and an order of chicken fried rice, General Tso’s chicken plus a dish consisting of bok choy, mushrooms and white rice can be a great way to cap a night/morning of bowling!
SHORTS
Sneak Peek –
2012 U.S. WOMEN’S OPEN VENUE Groundbreaking outdoor lane renderings for the U.S. Women’s Open were unveiled March 6 at a press conference held at the Eldorado Hotel Casino Showroom in Reno. This preeminent global competition in women’s bowling will be played in Reno with the historic finals to take place on Virginia Street under the iconic Reno arch and will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. A one million dollar Rendering of the outdoor lanes to be prize to any competitor used at the U.S. Women’s Open who rolls a perfect 300 in the championship match has been offered. Attendees at the news conference included Steve Johnson, executive director of the BPAA and several of the Open’s sponsors: Ebonite International; City of Reno; and Silver Legacy Resort Casino. “There is no better brand in professional sports than the U.S. Open, and every year we challenge ourselves to set the bar just a little bit higher, “ said Johnson. “This year’s event will mark a number of industry firsts including the first-ever women’s outdoor global bowling competition and the introduction of a brand new senior women’s championship.” It should be noted that in 1997 the AMF Bowling World Cup was not just staged outdoors but was staged at the Great Pyramid of Giza with the Great Sphinx 1997 AMF World Cup bowlers’ viewpoint. looking on. There’s Photo taken by Len Charney. something about the out of doors that makes events memorable!
NEW OWNERS FOR LUCKY STRIKE–KC Michael Ducat and Paul Barkley have purchased the Lucky Strike facility in the Power and Light District of downtown Kansas City, MO. Together they also own Strikers Family Fun Center in Sunrise, FL. Sandy Hansell and Associates, Inc. served as the broker in the transaction. 12
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I DIDN’T KNOW THAT! The location of the Coen Brothers’cult film, “The Big Lebowski,” where The Dude spent a lot of his time bowling, was Hollywood Star Lanes in Hollywood, California. The bowling center opened in 1960 and was “the” spot to bowl for 43 years. In 2003 it was knocked down to make room for an elementary school. To pay tribute, Steven Foster’s Lucky Strike Hollywood purchased lane seven which now serves as a bar top along with some of the vintage signs and retro items. Another famous, celebrity bowling hangout was Hollywood Legion Lanes also in Hollywood. When it was dismantled in 1985, one half of the lanes went to Johnny Carson’s house in Malibu for a racquetball court and the other half went to George Lucas for one of his projects.
HOOSIER CLASSIC IS 43 AND GOING STRONG February was the month; Western Bowl, Indianapolis, was the place; and Backhaul Direct Hoosier Classic was the event. 78 men’s teams and 53 women’s teams participated in the 43rd Men’s Championship Team Hoosier Classic which is dubbed the longest running collegiate bowling tournament in the country. Integral to this year’s success were Backhaul Direct, official title sponsor; Columbia 300, official ball manufacturer, presenting sponsor and Friday night eliminator title sponsor; Kegel, official lane maintenance provider; High 5 Gear, official merchandise provider; along with official CPA Women’s Championship Team Katz, Sapper & Miller, LLP and consulting firm KSM Consulting, LLC. Crowne Plaza Indianapolis Airport was the hotel host. Tournament partners included HP Hood, All-Star Bowl, Royal Pin Leisure Centers and Braden Business systems.
SHORTS
Fund to aid Doug Cottom PEZZANO SCHOLARSHIP Relief of Ross Cottom Lanes APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED Applications are being accepted for the Bowling Writer’s Association of America’s Chuck Pezzano Scholarships awarded annually to worthy students who are high school seniors, vocation school seniors or current college students who are not over the age of 25 during the year in which the awards are presented. Requirements for or questions regarding eligibility may be directed to Joan Romeo at romeotmt@pacbell.net. To apply, go to the BWAA web site at BowlingWriters.com and click on Scholarships. Deadline is May 15.
One of the powerful tornadoes to hit southern Illinois destroyed the home and belongings of Stacy and Doug Cottom, owners and operators of Ross Cottom Lanes. Doug was also injured and is undergoing rehabilitation in Herrin. The Harrisburg tornado was one of the most powerful to hit the area in many years and took seven lives. Chris Swanson of BMA Marketing and Steve Ludwig of Salem Bowl have sounded the alarm to the bowling community to help these bowling neighbors. The Doug & Stacy Cottom Relief Fund + Benefit has been established in an attempt to aid the Cottoms in this time of need. For information to go http://cottom.bbnow.org.
GOODWILL CENTRAL BOWLING IS THE GO-TO CHARITY GAME FOR OTHER MAJOR SPORTS The sport of bowling, interestingly, is the vehicle for other major sports leagues’ philanthropy. It is the leveler that everyone enjoys. At the Jon Jay Celebrity Bowling Challenge held at Lucky Strike Lanes in Miami Beach, knocking home runs was replaced by major league baseball players knocking down pins, and strikes were the evening’s goal. Over 200 people including 20 big leaguers from a variety of teams helped raise an estimated $25,000. The proceeds from the event will go to Chapman Partnership, the private sector partner of MiamiDade County Homeless Trust, to provide housing; food; health, dental and psychiatric care; and job training for 756 men, women and children in the greater Miami area. This was Jay’s first charity event and, successful at best, it certainly won’t be the last. The Philadelphia Penguins showed their skills off the ice at the fourth annual “Pens & Pins” Charity Bowling Tournament held at Crafton-Ingram Bowling Lanes. The event was organized and run by the Penguins Wives Association, with all proceeds including funds collected from an auction and baked goods, being donated to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Pennsylvania and Southern West Virginia. $54,000 was raised. Fans were dispersed into teams among the lanes with Penguins players as celebrity team captains. Marc-Andre Fleury is a repeat participant. “It’s been great,” Fleury said. “We get a chance to meet the kids and have some fun with them.” Celebrities and major league baseball players joined forces to help The Eddie Guardado Foundation and ACT 14
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Today! (Autism Care and Treatment Today!) at their STARS & STRIKES Celebrity Bowling Tournament benefiting children with autism. The event, held at Bowlmor Lanes in Event host Eddie Guardado, MBL Tustin, CA, raised $130,000. All Star, and actress Sasha Pieterse “My wife Lisa and I are from “Pretty Little Liars” touched that so many ball players and celebrities joined us in our mission of helping children with autism receive the care and treatment they need,” said Eddie Guardado, 2-Time MLB All-Star and ACT Today! board member. More than 400 guests and a host of MLB players and television and film personalities participated. It was a “home run!” Big events are splashy but equally as many smaller events continually support all sorts of good causes: Buena Lanes, Ventura, CA: local cancer patients through Bowl for the Cure Spare Time Lanes, Kennewick, WA: 16th Junior Achievement Bowling Classic Plaza Lanes, Washington, IL: Easter Seals Westbrook Lanes, Brooklawn, NJ: 6th Bowling for Bassets—hounds, yes! Southern Lanes, Bowling Green, KY: Big Brothers Big Sisters Four Wisconsin centers joined forces to host a benefit for colon cancer research: Dream Lanes, Prairie Lanes, Schwoegler Park Towne Lanes and Ten Pin Alley. Bravo to all!!!
PROFILE
The
ladies’
man
John Losito, the chair of the U.S. Women’s Open Event in 2011, integrates his personal vision into the planning and success of this newly revamped tournament. By Fred Groh “
S
teve, are you crazy?” John Losito had been chairing BPAA’s tournament committee for about six months, following a couple of years as a committee member. BPAA executive director Steve Johnson had called, saying, “I have this idea.” “How do you expect to get 300 entries in a women’s professional tournament when there’s no longer a pro tour and no easy channel of getting to those women?” Losito asked him. That was what Johnson had just broached. After losing money on the U.S. Women’s Open the two preceding
John Losito
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years, USBC had decided to drop it. That was early in 2010. When BPAA learned of the decision, Johnson didn’t for a second consider letting it go. “We’re just going to do it,” he answered Losito. “We’re going to make it happen.” There was one proviso. Johnson didn’t think the Open should be a tournament, but an event. “It’s to showcase the best women athletes we have, [and] ‘U.S. Open’ is a huge brand. Millions [are] spent in all industries building that brand,” Johnson says. “To let that brand disappear I think would have potentially been a disaster for our industry, as long as it made good business sense for the BPAA—and for the industry, because the BPAA has to look out for the industry.” Johnson believed it “made perfect sense,” and Losito—20-year PBA member, Philippine national coach in 1994, host of the National Special Olympics last year—thought Johnson’s vision was do-able And yes, “It’s the ‘U.S. Open’ for us, for bowling,” Losito ruminated. “All the great sports have them, so why shouldn’t we? It’s not just ‘come in and bowl and we’ll see who wins’.” So his charge for what would be called Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open, in Losito’s words: “to create an atmosphere, a feeling of the prestige” that an event should have if it’s called a U.S. Open. Johnson’s enthusiasm was contagious. “Very easy to buy into very early, and it spread like wildfire amongst our committee.” The members quickly found themselves asking whether this or that move would “elevate” the tournament. Would this or that option make it more a premier event, less just another bowling competition? “We discussed it as a committee over and over,” Losito recalls. “Kept throwing out there ‘we’re not running a tournament, we’re running an event’ to try to build some of what women’s bowling has been missing: something to strive for and to make [it] special.” This was besides organizing BPAA’s other major competitions at the time, the North Pointe Insurance Group $100,000 High School Singles Tournament and the International Family Tournament, for which Losito had ultimate responsibility on the committee as well. USBC pitched in for the Open right away, putting together a list of players from the Queen’s. Bowling media figures including publishers Jim Goodwin of Stars & Strikes and Lisa Vint of Windy City Bowling News spread the word and netted more names. State associations joined the promotional bandwagon. New York bought six entries; Illinois together with Windy City Bowling News, 12.
PROFILE Meanwhile, Losito was chairing a committee he had trimmed from more than 30, when he took the position, to half that. It wasn’t a lack of patience on his part with members who did not report for meetings or conference calls, Losito says, simply that “I want people that are going to commit.” He brought in two young people under 21 “because I believe in helping to develop youth and encourage the future.” He added Lynda Barnes to the board, its first player. “We wanted her expertise as a player. I’m not a woman professional bowler, so it was helpful to have her insight.” High-profile industry vets on the committee including Sonny Frantz, John Sommer, and Jack Moran (who preceded Losito as tournament committee chair) lent their advice. So did Howard Baum, past member of the committee for ten years and six-year chair in the ’80s and ’90s. He twice helmed the Women’s Open. His daughter, Nancy Schenk, has been a BPAA board member for several years along with Losito. She introduced the two men. “I encouraged him, more than anything else,” Baum says. “I told him, ‘Put your foot down, make sure all the rules are good, and promote the tournament.’” Losito brought in only one person specifically for the Open: the assistant manager at Losito’s Sun Valley Lanes in Lincoln, NE, Shawn Herout. He programmed the scoring. For his part, Losito was the project “coordinator”—his
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concept of what a committee chair does. A channel for the thoughts and experience of the other committee members, is another way he puts it. “I watched John do this,” reports BPAA president John Snyder. “He did a hell of a job not not-pressing. He pressed it all the way through and he got that committee to do exactly what they needed to do. He usually thinks it out soup to nuts before he even makes the first move and he’s not afraid to modify and change. The people he picked ended up working out in spades, because he knows what he needs.” He also innovated. “We automated the event. Instead of having score runners and people carrying clipboards, we let the scoring system handle the whole thing, which made that part of it much easier to do.” Losito laughs that he was drawing on experience at his own center. “I try to automate every single thing in this building. The less I have to do, the better it is, and if there’s a computer that will do it for me, why not?” He laughs again. Not that occasional questions weren’t raised here or there. At first, there had been some skepticism about several of his personnel selections. And a few cocked an eyebrow about the lane condition because “it didn’t seem like a traditional pattern.” Early on, the committee had agreed with Bob Reid of Ebonite, whose brands were the title sponsor, that the pattern would not be difficult, but the specific choice was the
PROFILE
The lanes for the finals of the 2011 Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open at the 50-yard line of Cowboys Stadium in bowling’s home town, Arlington, TX. A crowd of 8,017 watched Leanne Hulsenberg of Roseville, CA best Lynda Barnes, Kelly Kulick, Liz Johnson and Shannon O’Keefe. The date was June 30. Photo by Hero Noda.
committee’s decision. Developed by Gus Falgien of Kegel, it was 39 feet with 23.38 units of oil and similar in shape to a Christmas tree. It was tested at Kegel and at the centers of Losito and committee members Jack McCarthy and Scott McLaughlin. “We made the format long because we knew we were going to err on the side of easy,” Losito explains. “‘Easy’ is a relative term. We knew they were going to be playable and scoreable but we thought for sure that over the long period of time, it doesn’t matter if [the condition is] tough or easy, the better players are going to rise to the top.” (For 2012, the condition will be somewhat tougher.) For his part, Losito says the media side of the Open could have been better managed. He speaks of not listing the competitor’s city and state or country along with the standing. “Nothing major, just nuances. We had focused on 20
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making the event as smooth as possible for the competitors, not realizing about the media side. We’re going to try to improve on that this year.” Snyder adds that some have queried the bottom-line outcome of the Open. When they do, he answers that if he were looking at the same numbers on his own P&L, “it would be a positive swing of [about] a million-three.” This compares to a loss about the same in 2008 and again in 2009, he says. The Open may produce bigger dividends than dollars and cents, though. Had BPAA let the Open drop, “I think we’d lose a piece of ourselves as a sport,” Losito offers. “We no longer have a women’s pro tour and I think the industry needs to, and in some cases already has, pulled together to try to provide opportunities for women. There are not a lot out there any more.” That’s the way Losito thinks he will remember the 2011 event. He had the opportunity to “develop and coordinate the largest U.S. Women’s Open in history at a time when the industry had changed, with less opportunities out there.” That may make it even more memorable for him than the field of players it drew—the largest so far. Baum remembers fields around 240. In 2003, 267 players competed. Steve Johnson wanted 300. Losito and company came close: 286. “I thought if we got 200 we would have been phenomenally successful. I didn’t expect to get to 286. That shocked me.” A pleasant shock, as was getting word that for his “above and beyond” work helming the tournament committee, with an emphatic nod for directing the organizing of Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open, John Losito is being honored with the BPAA President’s Award for 2011. The citation will read “The President’s Award is presented to an individual (proprietor/manager) judged to have given exceptional support and/or made significant contributions to the association in the eyes of the current BPAA president and the Awards Committee.” The honor will be presented at Expo in June. ❖
Fred Groh is a regular contributor to IBI and former managing editor of the magazine.
COVER STORY
Gerald Paluzzi catches a breather in his office.
By Paul Lane
A
fter the 25th Annual QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup closed in Dublin, Ireland in 1989 (also the end of my tenure at the helm of this prestigious event), the late Barry James, a journalist who had covered every event in the series to date for Reuter’s, asked me, “What single thing stands out that has made virtually every QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup to date a huge success?” I admit I had never considered it, but the answer came to me as clear as a bell. “National pride,” I replied. National pride at all levels: from the host proprietor, the host bowlers’ association, the local organizing committees, the various government departments for sport and for tourism, the national airline of the host country, the official hotel, the local sponsors and the
Cover story photos courtesy of Hero Noda 22
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Continued on page 26
COVER STORY local media, and above all the local fans who The front desk at Northcliff Lanes is sleek and stylish. turn out in droves to see the assemblage of the world’s best bowlers. I believe this to still be true today. Last year’s QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup, the 47th annual in the series (November 30 – December 7, 2011) revolved around Gerald Paluzzi, the host proprietor and QubicaAMF’s distributor in South Africa, who previously hosted the 29th tournament in 1993 at his 24lane “Let’s Go Bowling—Northcliff” center in Johannesburg. Apart from building a new center to host the tournament, Paluzzi lined up the Minister for Sport and the Minister for Tourism to officiate at the opening and closing ceremonies, arranged extensive TV coverage, which was also packaged for international distribution (including potentially to ESPN), built the support team necessary to manage the tournament, ensured that every bowler, supporter, international journalist and bowling official was taken care of, and established a media center for local and visiting international news journalists. Accommodations for the 47th QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup were in the fabulous Montecasino Entertainment complex in the upscale suburb of Fourways, to the north of Johannesburg. Paluzzi described the Montecasino complex as a dream location and said, “The three hotels we chose –the Palazzo, Sunsquare and Southern Sun – are all part of this complex and all close to one another. The complex includes not just restaurants, coffee shops and swimming pools but multi-screen cinemas, shops, a casino and more. There is even an outdoor bird garden.” “I was so impressed with the complex when I visited,” commented AnneMarie Board, QubicaAMF’s Bowling World Cup Manager. “The Southern Sun hotel group pulled out all the stops for us, and I know that all who came enjoyed their stay here.” Paluzzi also organized a day trip towards the end of the tournament for the competitors, international journalists and guests with the option of visiting Soweto and/or a lion and rhino park. The tournament was once again held at Northcliff, but it’s a brand new center. Paluzzi offered to build it when he heard that QubicaAMF was looking for a venue for last year’s tournament. The old Northcliff, which was located in the basement level of a strip mall of retail shops, closed ten-years ago. The new center is located in the old site, as the infrastructure of the basement level was still intact. However, the new Annale's Café is a tribute to Gerald's late wife.
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The new bowling lanes and concourse are sleek, stylish and functional.
facility is a far cry from the old, featuring the latest equipment and state-of-the-art technology such as QubicaAMF’s 90XLi Pinspotters and Bowland, a superior management and Conqueror Pro Bowler friendly computerized system, SPL Lanes, glow-bowling light and sound systems, and bumper bowling. All new, modern designs throughout the various venues within the center include the entrance, reception counter, the lounge and snack bar, full service pro-shop, and a modern, smartly furnished concourse. The new Northcliff center brings the number of centers owned and operated by Paluzzi’s company brand, Let’s Go Bowling South Africa, to eleven, with one of them operating as a franchise under the Let’s Go Bowling brand name. Presently there are 29 centers in South Africa housing 298 lanes. The first center opened in 1953, a Brunswick manually operated center with pinboys at the Casa Blanca Road House in Johannesburg. The center has since closed, but today they still celebrate the center with the annual Casa Blanca Classic Tournament which is held at Let’s Go Bowling Brightwater Commons center in Johannesburg. A young Gerald Paluzzi, who was working in purchasing for RTT Telecommunications at the time, got his first taste of tenpin bowling from legendary
COVER STORY South African proprietor Walter Schock. He was hooked and his ambition was to become a part of the industry somehow, someday. He once applied for a job with AMF but was turned away after being informed that his hair was too long and he didn’t meet the image criteria for the position they were looking to fill. Little did they know at the time that he would later become a customer, the proprietor of a chain of centers, and a successful QubicaAMF distributor, who today has equipped 85% of the centers in the South African marketplace. Let’s Go Bowling South Africa is a family run business, with Paluzzi’s son Justin serving as the Food & Beverage manager for all of the centers and the general manager for the new Northcliff center. His daughter Jessica is the promotions and marketing manager for the group. Paluzzi’s other daughter Lisa is a hot shot bowler who has represented South Africa several times in the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup and who has at least one sanctioned 300 game to her credit. While the price of bowling may vary slightly from center to center, the maximum price is South African Rand (SAR) 50.00 (approx $6.25 USD) with an average of SAR 27.50 (approx $3.50 USD). Paluzzi says his pricing is slightly higher than most other centers in the marketplace, on par with movies, less expensive than golf, and more expensive than tennis. Open play accounts for 80% of the business, 15% league play, and
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The billiards room at Northcliff Lanes provides another open and inviting space.
5% party bowling. He tells us that, while old style leagues with 36-week long seasons still exist, corporate team building is a substantial segment of his business and focus. This corporate team building is called “action bowling.” Here’s an edited version of how action bowling is described on their website (letsgobowling.co.za): “Action Bowling” — Smash the pins, yell, scream, “toy, toy” and do whatever it takes to knock pins down, so don’t delay enter your team into an ACTION BOWLING session today. We have changed the face of a “dreary” start of the week to an action packed activity for all employees, colleagues and associates. All it takes is for you to get four “players” to take up the challenge to represent your company in your action bowling team. “This is a far more popular and easier program to sell than conventional league play, and we are typically able to fill the lanes with repeat or new teams at the end of each session,” says Paluzzi. It’s far less intimidating than trying to sell a 36-week commitment. It’s a better fit for today’s lifestyle. Northcliff, which opened its doors for the first time for the QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup, offers an annual joining fee/membership equal to about $120.00 USD, which includes a ball, bag and shoes, a membership card, and preferential pricing with discounts throughout the year. The annual renewal will be circa $70 USD. This program is also offered at Let’s Go Bowling centers that have pro-shops. With regard to instruction, Paluzzi said, “With the excitement of a new center and the media attention it enjoyed locally through the tournament, we anticipate being overwhelmed with new bowlers. Initially, therefore, all of the staff is geared up to give instruction to beginners. Outside of that, instruction is offered at 150 Rand ($19.00 USD) per hour. The pro-shop staff manages all paid instruction.” The primary thrust of the marketing effort is by email (70%) followed by telemarketing (20%) and 10% by fax. The most successful league building promotion has proven to be
COVER STORY
The QubicaAMF World Cup Champions 2011: Jason Belmonte (Australia) & Aumi Guerra (Dominican Republic).
recruiting by employees who have direct contact with customers. Let’s Go Bowling South Africa has more than 68,000 contacts in their database, broken down by center as sport, recreation and corporate customers. This number is increasing daily as they never miss an opportunity to add new contacts to the list. Employee recruitment, selection and training is critical to the success of Let’s Go Bowling South Africa whose goal is to provide an environment that’s conducive to family fun and entertainment as well as to the development of the sport. And it’s all driven by customer service. This aspect of the business is managed by the company’s human resource department, which manages new-hire training, department-specific training and presentations by outside consultants. One management philosophy that this writer has found to be typical of most
Gerald welcomes the world to the QubicaAMF World Cup during the opening ceremonies.
successful proprietors is that every department at Let’s Go Bowling has its own Profit and Loss (P & L) statement so that the department managers know their costs, have their own budgets, and can therefore have the information they need to be responsible for making their individual departments profitable. At Northcliff, for example, bowling, proshop, lounge and snack bar are all operated as separate cost centers. “There’s no other way the departments can have accountability,” says Paluzzi. On a personal note, Paluzzi dedicated the 2011 Qubica AMF World Cup to the life and memory of his dear wife, Annale, who tragically passed away in a car accident on June 9th, 2011. The bowlers from 90+ countries (one male and female bowler from each) will have arrived in South Africa, bowled, and gone home by the time this story goes to print. Everyone who attended will have taken home memories of this wonderful location and the national pride of its people which they will reminisce about for many years to come. ❖
Paul Lane is former Director of Marketing and Marketing Services for AMF Bowling, Inc. He has been the director of 18 AMF World Cups, an officer in national and international trade associations, and a pro bowler during a career that spans more than 60 countries and 50 years.
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WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME
Serving His Community
Mike Leong, far right, is celebrated and recognized for his community service during Kops and Kids Day.
Mike Leong long ago realized that working at a bowling center doubles as community service. Armed with this knowledge, he set out to create a lasting program where police officers and kids meet in a friendly environment that fosters mutual respect and understanding. By Anna Littles
O
ne day Mike Leong asked himself, “What is it I do?” That was 25 years ago when Mike stepped into the position of General Manager of Serra Bowl, a bowling center outside of San Francisco. As GM, it wasn’t long before he found himself coming into contact with over 500 people a day. Mike explains that he “realized that once you start working with the public, you are actually doing community service.” His job as 32
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General Manager positioned him in an environment that facilitated fun. It gave him great fulfillment “that people had a good time when they walked through the doors to the bowling center.” That revelation sparked a passion that expanded Mike’s vision to serving his community on a much higher level. Twenty years ago, Mike looked around and noticed that more and more kids were growing up in tough circumstances. When these kids
WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME got into trouble, it usually was the first time they encountered a police officer and it often ended up being a negative and sometimes dangerous experience. Mike was moved to turn that negative experience around to a positive one and launched the program “Kops and Kids.’ It started with only four police officers Mike Leong, second from left, pulls off another successful Kops who gave of their time to and Kids Day at Serra Bowl. bowl with Serra Bowl’s Junior League. What Mike learned from that first event would change lives forever. Mike discovered that it wasn’t only the kids who needed to have a fun, safe and positive experience of police, the police themselves needed to have a similar experience of these children. Today, the “Kops and Kids” program hosts over a 1000 children with hundreds of police officers from San Mateo to South San Francisco and everywhere in between. Joining the “Kops and Kids” are local chiefs of police, mayors, firefighters, even paramedics. This huge event takes place on a Sunday afternoon early in the month of June and runs from 10am till 4pm, and a good time is always had by all. Mike’s center also participates in the national campaign “Kids Bowl Free.” This program is part of the “Say no to drugs and yes to bowling” campaign and it runs from May 1st to Labor Day. No one is left out of Mike’s vision to help children in need. “Fun Day” is a program that hundreds of children who have physical and cognitive disabilities can participate in for a whole week. And this program usually runs in August. Finally, there’s the “Turkey Bowl,” an annual event for the whole community. It takes place the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. Families, celebrities, the San Francisco Giants' Cheerleaders along with their mascot join the fun. They all come out and
RECENT TURN OF EVENTS Serra Bowl, known for 24hour bowling, galactic laser lights, Karaoke nights and free games for kids all summer, has lost its lease on its space. The bowling alley recently wrote on Facebook: “Unfortunately Serra Bowl has lost our lease and will be closing on April 15, 2012. We would like to thank all of our wonderful customers who have shared their lives with us over the past 51 years.” It’s sad when centers close their doors, but it’s even sadder when doors close due to a reason beyond the proprietor’s control. We will miss you, Serra Bowl!
participate for a great cause. For each strike rolled, a turkey is donated to the local food banks as well as to Saint Anthony’s for those in need. This past Thanksgiving, they donated 1202 turkeys! As a culture we tend to focus on people’s awards and accomplishments. And Mike Leong has a plethora of both. A passion for the sport of bowling has garnered him many awards and this past summer, on July 16, 2011, Mike was inducted into the San Francisco United States Bowling Congress Hall of Fame. Oh yes, he is a great bowler and lover of the sport. But what stirs his heart and brings the greatest fulfillment to his life, is serving his community and impacting the lives of children for the better. And what greater job could there possibly be, than a job where you get to serve up fun every day of your life! ❖
Anna Littles, a screenplay and freelance writer and producer originally from the Bronx, New York, now resides in Santa Monica, California.You can see her work on YouTube, IMDB, or on her website at www.alittleLA.com.
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OPERATIONS
HUT! TWO! THREE! FOUR! ROLL THE BALL AND GET A SCORE! Learn how Rockaway Lanes in New Jersey successfully executes an intensive youth bowling experience. By Joan B. Taylor
T
he summer of 2011 marked the eleventh edition of a three-day annual Bowling Boot Camp at Rockaway Lanes, Rockaway, NJ. The center gave up three full days of business while retaining staff to run the control counter, oil the lanes in different patterns, provide refreshments (continental breakfast and full lunch were provided with registration), and be on hand in the pro shop for the campers who may have gotten swollen fingers from intense hours of bowling. The desk personnel were instructed to hand out free game coupons to outsiders who came in during camp hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) to bowl, a “rain check” if you will. This not only eased the disappointment of having to come back later or on another day, but also gave the lanes a feel for how many people returned with the coupons. Richard Mark, Vice President of Rockaway Lanes, says, “I see this as exposure for us and for bowling. [Through the camp] we provide a venue for bowlers to get the level of expertise that’s not available in the sport. People see that Rockaway Lanes is offering teaching and coaching for those three days. We also offer additional exposure for bowlers and fans by hosting a PBA regional tournament. By giving out the free game coupons to people who can’t open bowl during camp days, we are telling them we haven’t forgotten them. We actually hope for good weather, too,” Mark jokes, “so that we don’t have to turn away a high number of people.” Mark gets back a lot of information about the bowling boot camp and the center in general. He hears positive remarks about the top-level coaching, and he is thrilled by that. “I have no problem continuing the camp (and the PBA regional tournament) to gain exposure for the sport. We put these
events in people’s hands to give them working knowledge. It’s important for the local bowling community to see the professional side of the sport, too, as they might in golf or other sports,” says Mark. Ken Yokobosky originated the concept of hosting Bowling Boot Camp in Rockaway 11 years ago. He is not only a gold level certified coach and PBA member and regional title holder, but he is also co-owner of two pro shops, including Pro Image Pro Shop at Rockaway Lanes. “I always had to drive to Ohio to visit with my coach, Fred Borden. Over the course of several years before I became a gold level coach, I drove to see him or drove others to have time with him. I realized it would be good to have something locally (in NJ), so we took the show on the road instead of taking people out there.” “Locals” came to the camp from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and even Puerto Rico and South America. Some boot campers become regular customers, visiting the pro shop for equipment and for follow-up coaching. Yokobosky feels the pro shop actually benefits from the threeday session because, “During the camp people purchase items from our pro shop. One of the things we do in the camp is grip analysis, and then we make suggestions. People try new grips or modify their existing grips. We also do an ‘arsenal’ analysis. So if anything, we get instant new business.” This year the camp featured 10 certified coaches including four golds: Fred Borden, Jeri Edwards, Gordon Vadakin and Yokobosky, all former Team USA coaches. “You can’t find that number of coaches in one center anywhere for an average of 45 campers, or a one in five ratio, coach to student,” Yokobosky said. Additionally, over all three days, all of the coaches rotated on the lanes throughout the entire center, so each student had time with each coach, covering many aspects of his or her game. “This is what I call a physical game camp. So we added our pro Ryan Shafer discusses the game with sports psychologist Dr. Dean Hinitz
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OPERATIONS
Ken and Laurie Yokobosky with their sons and pro Walter Ray Williams, Jr.
shop employee, coach Chip Vincent, going from lane to lane to resurface people’s bowling balls with a ‘surface management station.’ He sanded the balls, from rough all the way to smooth grit so they could see how much their ball reaction would change. I tell people you can have a Lamborghini, but if it has bald tires and you are driving on a slippery surface, it won’t be worth anything. Without that traction, no engine will help you out. Altering the surface of your ball can impact so much more than say moving your pin placement,” recounted Yokobosky. Planning for the three day event starts almost a year in advance, because it’s a tremendous undertaking. First, all the coaches need to be available on the same weekend. That alone is a big challenge, as one of the four gold level coaches is coaching for a national team, so she doesn’t have much flexibility. Once the date is set, Yokobosky negotiates with local hotels to get special rates for the coaches and out-of-town campers. The manuals need to be written and printed: the camp is different every year, therefore, they can not be recycled from year to The pro coaching staff for Bowling Boot Camp.
year. Food preparation for the weekend is necessary as the camp provides breakfast and lunch for all coaches and campers. Arrangements have to be made with the bowling center for lane conditioning, with alternate lanes getting a house shot or sport shot. Yokobosky contacts each of the bowling ball companies to see if they want to be part of the camp in some form. Advertising the weekend with brochures is also a large task, while all past attendees are contacted to give them the first opportunity to sign up. Finally, staff uniform shirts are designed and ordered. During Bowling Boot camp, a sports psychologist and/or a PBA professional comes in and works with the campers. In earlier camps, Dr. Eric Lasser and Dr. Dean Hinitz have had interactive presentations. Pros such as Jason Couch, Ryan Shafer, Pete Weber, Parker Bohn III, Rhino Page, and Walter Ray Williams, Jr. are on hand to answer questions, do some coaching, and participate in a challenge match at the end of the third day with one lucky camper. If a center or pro shop would like to produce its own Bowling Boot Camp, Yokobosky suggests “Start out small. Have one feature coach, one lead instructor and one gold level coach. Put a minimum of one coach on each pair of lanes and no more than six bowlers per pair. This is the most effective.” For Yokobosky, it’s not about selling more equipment; it’s about giving back to the sport he loves. “While I am in the pro shop business and would love to sell equipment, I try to encourage the campers to look into resurfacing their existing bowling balls. For a little under $10 we can help them. All of that leads to loyal, trusting customers. And for $25 we can use specially-made ovens to extract oil from the ball. Of course,” Yokobosky laughs, “if they still want to buy new equipment, who am I to stop them?” Already the planning has begun for the twelfth annual Bowling Boot Camp (June 29-30, July 1, 2012). Thus, Yokobosky and nine coaches, and Rich Mark and his staff at Rockaway Lanes are sacrificing three days once again to give something back to bowling and to their bowlers. And if the existing campers keep returning and new customers are generated, well that’s just icing on the cake! ❖
Joan Taylor is a multi-award winning bowling writer based in East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania.
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SHOWCASE ENERGY MANAGEMENT
BALL ASSISTER
LANE MACHINE
HELPFUL LADDER
Summit Energy is proud to announce its new partnership with the BPAA. Summit Energy is the recommended and approved provider of energy management and procurement services for the association. Summit recommends all BPAA members, whether in a new energy contract or one set to expire, contact Summit now to evaluate their needs. To get started with a free assessment or for more information, contact Paul Gear at (512) 670-6399 or paul.gear@summitenergy.com. Visit Summit online at www.summitenergy.com.
Equalizer Bowling is a disability aid, training and rehabilitation device for bowling. It reduces any shoulder stress and weight while improving a straight line approach. This device was invented by a person with a disability to bring the joy of bowling back into many people's lives. USBC approved. Prices starting at $139.95. Contact Jerry Hagemann at jerry.avm@gmail.com or call (863) 216-8908.
The Envoy lane machine is a stateof-the-art system that is simple to operate. It has the ability to create any shot your bowlers expect and delivers industry-leading performance with Brunswick’s Direct+ conditioning system for pattern consistency. It features an easy-to-read, color display to customize patterns that work. Envoy’s FlexPower system gives the choice of two types of battery power or AC operation. For more information, contact Brunswick’s Aftermarket Product Specialist or visit brunswickbowling.com.
Looking for a great option to provide safer pinspotter accessibility for your maintenance staff? The Ladder Assembly (part number 612 088 201) by QubicaAMF contains a Ladder Assembly, a Ladder Handrail, and all the hardware necessary to install the kit on your 82-70 or 82-90 series pinspotter. This kit replaces the existing handrails with ones which extend behind the pinspotter and attach to a ladder which bolts firmly to the floor. Visit www.qubicaamf.com for more information.
FUNDRAISER HELPER
EVENT SOFTWARE
Ask most bowling personnel what the Profit Platform® is used for and they'd likely answer "to stage profitable Bands on the Lanes parties." Well, that's right but did you know that many times they are also placed in the middle of large Bowling Centers like Woodland Bowl in Indianapolis during Super Bowl Week to showcase fundraisers like the NFL Charities Event? For more information contact GKM Int'l at 310-791-7092 or visit www.profitplatform.biz.
Brunswick’s Event Host Manager is the first special event software designed specifically for the bowling industry. It will streamline the event management process and create a more consistent customer experience to drive customer satisfaction and center profitability. For more information, go to brunswickbowling.com/products or contact your Brunswick Rep at 1-800-YES-BOWL or 1-231-725-4966.
QUALITY FURNITURE
SALES TRAINING
Venue Furniture’s Bowling Furniture Line is designed around its high quality bowler’s settee seating. In addition to bolt down chairs and stools, Venue also offers chair heads to fit your existing bolt down furniture. All of the bowler’s settee seating is also available in matching barstools, swivel barstools and standard chairs so that you can coordinate your concourse and other areas of the center to match the bowler’s settee. Visit www.bowlingfurniture.com.
TrainerTainment brings you sales training that enhances promotions, events, birthday party programs, team building, and all other company and group outings within the Bowling and Family Entertainment Center industries. The philosophy is simple: deliver fun training that yields serious results for the clients. These proven systems have consistently helped the clients improve their bottom line. Call (817) 886-4840 or log onto www.trainertainment.net today to find out what TrainerTainment® can do for you. IBI
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CLASSIFIEDS
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE REPAIR & EXCHANGE. Call for details (248) 375-2751. NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. 800-2556436 or jayhawkbowling.com.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
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CLASSIFIEDS MINIATURE GOLF COURSES Indoor/Outdoor. Immediate Installation. $5,900.00 & up.
"Bowling Center Construction Specialists" New Center Construction Family Entertainment Centers Residential Bowling Lanes Modernization Mini Bowling Lanes Automatic Scoring CONTACT
2021 Bridge Street Jessup, PA 18434 570-489-8623 www.minigolfinc.com
BRIAN ESTES
(866) 961-7633 Office: (734) 469-4293
Toll Free:
Email: build@capitalbowlingservice.com
www.CapitalBowlingService.com
SERVICE CALLS WORLDWIDE • PRE-SHIPS • WE SELL
AS80/90 • BOARD REPAIR • Frameworx NEW KEYPADS • FRONT DESK LCD MONITORS
Michael P. Davies (321) 254-7849
291 Sandy Run, Melbourne, FL 32940 on the web: bowlingscorer.com email: mike@bowlingscorer.com
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CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
CENTERS FOR SALE
FOR SALE: 24 HPL synthetic lanes, foul line forward; 16 lanes BOSS scoring w/ BOSS desk only. (712) 253-8730. FOR SALE: 18-lane bowling equipment: Brunswick A-2 pinsetters, lockers, ball polisher, auto scorers. Make offer. Barber Realty Co. (334) 872-0478.
EQUIPMENT WANTED 17 inch Magic Score tabletop monitors. (419) 668-9933.
CENTERS FOR SALE 16-lane center in Southern Colorado mountains. Great condition. 18,000 s/f building w/ restaurant & lounge. Paved parking 100 + vehicles. Established leagues & tournaments. $950,000 or make offer. Kipp (719) 852-0155. NE MINNESOTA: Food, Liquor & Bowling. Established 8 lanes between Mpls & Duluth w/ large bar, dining room, banquet area. Two large State employment facilities nearby. High six figure gross. Call Bryan (218) 380-8089. www.majesticpine.com.
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UPSTATE NEW YORK: 8-lane center/ commercial building built in 1992. Synthetic lanes, new automatic scoring, kitchen and room to expand! Reduced to sell @ $375,000. Call (315) 376-3611. CENTRAL WISCONSIN: 12 lanes, auto scoring, Anvilane synthetics, 82-70s. Great food sales. Yearly tournament. Attached, large 3 bedroom apartment w/ fireplace. $550K. (715) 223-8230. NW KANSAS: 12-lane center, AS-80s, Lane Shield, snack bar, pro shop, game & pool rooms. See pics and info @ www.visitcolby.com or contact Charles (785) 443-3477.
CLASSIFIEDS
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CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE
CENTERS FOR SALE
SOUTHERN INDIANA (close to Indianapolis): 18-lane Brunswick center with lounge, liquor license & movie theater on 4+ acres. Turnkey business. Owner retiring. Great investment! (765) 349-1312. NEW YORK STATE: Thousand Island region. 8-lane Brunswick center w/ cosmic bowling, auto scoring. Established leagues + many improvements. $309,000. Call Jill @ Lori Gervera Real Estate (315) 771-9302. GEORGIA: busy 32-lane center, real estate included. Great location in one of fastest growing counties in metro Atlanta. 5 years new with all the amenities. Excellent numbers. Call (770) 356-8751. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA: One of the top five places to move! Remodeled 32-lane center. Good numbers. $3.1m gets it all. Fax qualified inquiries to (828) 253-0362.
PROPRIETORS WITH AMF 82-70 S.S. & M.P. MACHINES Save $$ on Chassis & P.C. Board Exchange & Repair! A reasonable alternative for Chassis and P.C. Board Exchanges MIKE BARRETT Call for Price List
Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576
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CENTRAL IDAHO: 8-lane center and restaurant in central Idaho mountains. Small town. Only center within 60-mile radius. Brunswick A-2 machines; Anvilane lane beds; automatic scoring. (208) 879-4448. EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA: 6-lane Brunswick center, bar & grill, drive-thru liquor store in small college town. Also, 3 apartment buildings with 40 units, good rental history. Call (701) 330-7757 or (701) 430-1490.
NE NEVADA: New 2001. 16 lanes, 19,200 square feet, 1.68 acres paved, sound & lighting, lounge w/ gaming, arcade, full service snack bar & pro shop. Call (775) 934-1539. GEORGIA: 32-lane center – strong leagues & good demographics in suburban Atlanta. Leased building with opportunity to expand. Jetbacks, synthetics, Accuscore all in good condition. Call Ken Paton (503) 645-5630. WISCONSIN: Three centers from 16 – 48 lanes. Must sell. Great opportunities. Broker: (262) 901-1333. CENTRAL ILLINOIS: PRICED TO SELL!! 8-lane center with AMF 82-70s, full service restaurant, pro shop. Plus pool tables, karaoke machine & DJ system. Asking $125,000.00 with RE. (217) 3515152 or toms-uvl@sbcglobal.net.
CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE CENTRAL ILLINOIS: PRICED TO SELL!! 8-lane center with AMF 82-70s, full service restaurant, pro shop. Plus pool tables, karaoke machine & DJ system. Asking $125,000.00 with RE. (217) 3515152 or toms-uvl@sbcglobal.net.
(570) 346-5559
SOUTHERN IDAHO: Profitable, WellMaintained, Family Oriented Bowling Center. 12 wooden lanes w/ AMF 82-70s, Qubica scoring, Cosmic Bowl & automatic bumpers. Food/beverage (58% of revenues); open bowling (37%). Asking $360,000 includes RE. Call Dave, Arthur Berry & Co., (208) 639-6167. SOUTHEAST MICHIGAN: LARGE center. Priced at severe discount due to unique situation. Excellent physical condition. Solid revenue. Perfect turn key opportunity. Contact (248) 252-1427 or bowlingcentersales@gmail.com. MINNESOTA: 8-lane Brunswick center w/ liquor license. Good condition. Great opportunity. $99,000. Call Ray, Xtreme Trophy Properties, (218) 790-1468. IDAHO, Rigby: 8 lanes, Brunswick A-2s; refinished wooden lanes, snack bar, many upgrades throughout. Dropped to $65,000. Long term lease. VERY MOTIVATED!! (208) 535-9905; www.arthurberry.com.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
SOUTH CENTRAL NEBRASKA: Clean RETRO 8-lane bowling center, lounge, food, liquor store & established leagues. Call (402) 224-4725.
SERVICES AVAILABLE Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. 800255-6436 or Jayhawkbowling.com. AMF 65-25 CHASSIS: Conversion, Repair, Replace & Exchange. Includes rewiring, requested repairs, conversion to MK 30 board system and converting chassis to new PR system where applicable. Cash customers—buy 3, get one FREE. TOTAL SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! References available. CHASSIS DOCTORS (330) 314-8951. See a list that will help centers fill lanes w/ 1200+ New Bowlers, Birthday Parties & Corporate Outings that generate $15,800—a 600% ROI from 4 payments starting at $378. Visit mcprs.bmamkt.com or call (888) 2430685. IBI
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CLASSIFIEDS 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@earthlink.net Visit us on the WEB! http://home.earthlink.net/~wb8yjf/
MANAGER WANTED Don't miss your chance to grow with an Industry Leader! Looking for Experienced, Service-Oriented General Managers for our U.S. bowling retail center locations. Please check us out at www.brunswickcareers.apply2jobs.c om for more details on our current openings. Act Now! Apply Today!
MECHANIC WANTED For 82-70 pinsetters with FrameworX scoring. Frankfurt, KY. Daniel (502) 8753610.
AMF • BRUNSWICK EQUIPMENT COMPLETE PACKAGES WORLDʼS LARGEST NEW – USED SPARE PARTS INVENTORY ALL AMF BUMPER PARTS, XS Q-BUMP, DURABOWL AND GEN II IN STOCK
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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
We could not have gotten our loan without him.
LOCKER KEYS FAST! •Keys & Combo Locks for all Types of Lockers.
Max Cook and Fred Kaplowitz North Bowl Spokane, WA
•One week turnaround on most orders.
The leading source for real estate loans with low down payments
•Used locks 1/2 price of new
Ken Paton (503) 645-5630 www.kenpaton.com kpaton@kenpaton.com
•New locks All types
All keys done by code #. No keys necessary.
E-mail: huff@inreach.com FAX YOUR ORDER TO US AT:
530-432-2933
CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-700-4KEY INT’L 530-432-1027 Orange County Security Consultants
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CLASSIFIEDS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY OPERATING PARTNER WANTED! PA OR NJ. Experienced, skilled and energetic person looking for a challenge. Full-service, Entertainment Facilities. Must have great customer service skills, smile and ability to grow business. Own a piece of the Rock! Send resume to: PartnerWantedNow@gmail.com.
MARSHALL ELECTRONICS • Foul Units • Electronic Scoring Repair • Chassis Boards • AMF Accuscore Plus • Curtain Wall Chassis - $285 • Brunswick Scoring We repair all types of monitor boards. Call for a complete price list. 593 Loxley Drive, Toms River, NJ 08753
732-240-6554 • 800-782-9494
POSITION WANTED Seeking managerial position: EXPERIENCED manager/district manager of single & multiple unit centers; specializing in turn around centers; great customer service skills, inventory and payroll controls and P & L controls. References and resume available upon request. Email: schronce.tony@yahoo.com or leave message @ (817) 232-2219. Former center owner with 15 years all around experience as GM, league promoter, A-level Brunswick mechanic, scoring system installer and lane technician. Well suited for many positions. Call Mitch at (808) 443-3868.
www.merepair.webs.com For FLORIDA CENTERS Call DAVID DRISCOLL & ASSOCIATES 1-800-444-BOWL 3800 Lake Center Loop, Suite B1, Mount Dora, FL 32757-2208 AN AFFILIATE OF SANDY HANSELL & ASSOCIATES
APRIL
MAY
5 Steltronic One-Day Scoring Showcase Salt Lake City, UT For location and info: Patrice@steltronic.com 800-942-5939
2, 9 &16 Steltronic One-Day Scoring Showcase In order of dates: Detroit, MI; Milwaukee, WI; & Charlotte, NC For info: Patrice@steltronic.com 800-942-5939
21-24 70th Annual BBIA Convention Hilton LaJolla Torrey Pines LaJolla, CA 800-343-1329 answer@billiardandbowling.org
7-11 Brunswick European Pinsetter Training Sessions GS Series & Vector Scoring Hungary. For info email: Siggi.Hill@brunbowl.com www.brunswick.com
25 Steltronic One-Day Scoring Showcase Denver, CO For location and info: Patrice@steltronic.com 800-942-5939
21 Illinois State BPA Board of Directors Meeting Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Normal, IL Bill Duff – billduff@bowlillinois.com 847-982-1305
DATEBOOK 21-23 BCA of Ohio Convention & Trade Show Crowne Plaza, Dublin Pat Marazzi, 937-433-8363 31 – 6/3 2012 Hall of Fame Extravaganza (BPAA & USBC) Red Rock Casino Resort & Spa Las Vegas, NV David Garber, 702-495-4249; david.garber@stationscasinos.com
JUNE 3-5 Kansas State BPA Annual Meeting Chateau on the Lake, Branson, MO Mary Thurber, 913-638-1817 23 Pairings Party – Bowl Expo Eldorado Hotel Casino, Reno, NV Pre golf tournament mixer for team selections Info: 888-649-5585 www.bowlexpo.com 24 Bowl Expo Golf Tournament 8 a.m. Wolf Run Golf Club 7 a.m. transportation from Eldorado Hotel Info: 888-649-5585 www.bowlexpo.com IBI
April 2012
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REMEMBER WHEN
1941
P
ublications seek material, photos, and illustrators to create covers that pull in readers. Sometimes it’s to highlight a topic found inside, but often it is just a picture that charms and is identifiable to all. Here, in January 1941—before war will darken the mood—we see the ever constant, through the ages, scenario: man versus woman; boy versus girl. She is energetic, focused and pixy cute. Even her hair flies up in a heart as she “strikes” the first blow. He is ready, amazed and on the way to being smitten or humiliated. (I prefer the smitten.) We, the reader, chuckle, pick up the magazine and begin to turn the pages. What better activity to spotlight the competition of the sexes than bowling. In 1941, with 5004 certified centers and climbing, ABC membership hit 746,000 with 127,705 women boasting membership in the WIBC. ❖
The artist, Vernon Grant, illustrated the covers of over 17 magazines between the 1930s and 1950s. His whimsical characters and gnomish figures caught readers’ attention second only to Norman Rockwell. You might not think you know him, but his legacy lives on in his creations of the Kellogg’s SNAP! CRACKLE! AND POP! Of course, you know him! 46
IBI
April 2012