CONTENTS
VOL 23.4
THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager
6 ISSUE AT HAND
21 OPERATIONS
Sounds of Silence
Newbie’s Best Bud Just starting in the business? Maybe a management partner is right for you.
By Scott Frager
8 SHORTS • Big tourney year at Kegel. • USBC National Recognition Awards. • Brunswick in China.
By Robert Sax
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26 COVER STORY Eat Life Up! Pac-Man becomes a bowling inspiration.
Compiled by Patty Heath
By Robert Sax
14 TRIBUTE
32 YOUTH
Erv Hoinke Jr.
Turbo Charged
Cincinnati proprietor made his family tournament a household name.
High schoolers meet college bowling at Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo.
By Mark Miller
By Jim Goodwin
15 ASSOCIATIONS
36 NEW LOOK
Nostalgia and Wow!
Anatomy of a Makeover Part 1
Spectacular gala marks Washington’s 50th. By Fred Groh
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17 WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME
Jamie Brooks is at it again. By Mark Miller
42 CONVENTION Staying Alive with Your FEC
Change of Life Telling stories at the Washington celebration.
F2FEC conference raises four vital questions for survival.
20 HELPING HAND
By David Garber
54 REMEMBER WHEN
It Begins with ‘Bowlers’ Standing by those who stand for us.
1950s By Patty Heath
By John M. LaSpina
46 Datebook 32
47 Showcase 48 Classifieds
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ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber garber@bowlingindustry.com
OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com
CONTRIBUTORS David Garber Jim Goodwin Fred Groh Patty Heath John M. LaSpina Mark Miller Robert Sax
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424
FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)
12655 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com
www.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, 12655 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604 USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2015, 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
Sounds of Silence A bowling center is built to be noisy. The rumble of thirty-two 60-year old pinsetters waking up each morning to refresh rack after rack of pins across the house, announcing to the team that it’s time to pour that first cup of hot coffee because it’s going to be a great day. A bowling center is built to be noisy. The sounds of ball bags rolling and zippers being unzipped as bowlers begin to make their way to their favorite lanes. The gentle thud of bowler gingerly placing his prized weapon on ball rack. Only to be sacrificed a few moments later, sent on a collision course to the pins. Moments after that, ball spit violently out of pinsetter and fired back at bowler. Constant whirling of ball return motors, the most unfailing and most under-appreciated of a bowling center’s foot soldiers, on-duty at a moment’s notice with the push of a button. A bowling center is built to be noisy. Dozens of barely round house balls, each with its unique moonscape of chips and potholes, can rap out a symphonic rhythm that would
make Beethoven glad he was hearing-impaired. A bowling center is built to be noisy. Add the layers of high-volume music piped in from a satellite miles above our roofs; of cheers and jeers from hundreds of happy bowlers; of pings, tings, bells, whistles and simulated gunfire emanating from the arcade—add all this, and a bowling center can be a head-banging cacophony. A bowling center may be built to be noisy, but a proprietor is not. After a particularly long and grinding day, and night, at the center, I let myself into my home where my family is already asleep and I try to remember that not every place is built for noise. I walk carefully on the wooden floors and make my way to my closet at the far end of the house. There, I close the doors and breathe in for a moment to really appreciate the sound of silence. In that space, the fabric absorbing all sounds, I can hear the absence of sound. The silence can be deafening.
– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com
4THIS MONTH AT www.BowlingIndustry.com This year’s Bowl Expo, June 22-26, has moved back to Vegas, baby! The Paris Las Vegas Hotel and Casino, to be exact. The theme, “Unlock Your Potential,” should resonate with proprietors and companies alike. Besides the opportunity to view first-hand new equipment and products and sit in on the invaluable seminars, those attending will have the pleasure of hearing keynote speaker, sports phenom and entrepreneur Magic Johnson and be entertained by REO Speedwagon. There are so many aspects to this event which make it a must–attend. Use IBI Online to begin your networking and reconnect with other proprietors and friends in planning your stay. Remember, what happens at Bowl Expo, helps your business thrive. IBI Online is free. Just go to www.bowlngindustry.com and sign up.
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SHORTS |
Compiled by Patty Heath
IN MEMORIAM BPAA lost a member of its staff in February. Sherry Gutkowski, 43, died after crashing a motorcycle she was test-driving. Authorities stated Gutkowski, while riding the motorcycle in a private parking lot, hit a curb next to the motorcycle dealership, flipped and fell off. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The Dallas Morning News reported that Gutkowski was wearing a helmet. Gutkowski had been with the BPAA a little over a year as a national exhibit sales manager and was a key member of the meetings and events department. Those of us at IBI who spoke with her on the phone always enjoyed her friendly and helpful manner.
A BIG TOURNAMENT YEAR FOR Kegel has extended its partnership with the World Tenpin Bowling Association to provide lane maintenance for all WTBA World Championship tournaments through 2015. Working together since 1995, Chris Chartrand, Kegel president, and Kevin Dornberger, WTBA president, have decided to continue the partnership and extend the contract for another year. Kegel will provide lane maintenance supplies and personnel for two WTBA World Championship events in 2015, the World Senior Championships, Aug. 23-30 in Las Vegas, and the World Tenpin Bowling Championships for The 13 lane machines were handWomen, Dec. 4-13 in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Another aspect of Kegel’s tournament activity is its highly painted by James Strickland, an airbrush artist from Sebring, FL. recognizable Patriot FLEX lane machine which will be seen at all USBC tournaments. These custom lanes machines, featuring a patriotic red, white and blue stars–and–stripes motif, are a limited edition built specifically for use at USBC championship events in 2015. At the conclusion, the machines will be sold and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Folds of Honor, a military organization that provides scholarships and assistance to the families of soldiers killed or disabled while serving.
COUGAR LANES HONEOYE FALLS, NY (16 LANES) We congratulate Brad Miller on his purchase of this fine center and thank Ms. Johnelle Higgins for trusting Marcel Fournier to handle the sale. We wish Brad and Johnelle all the best in the future.
Bowling’s Only Full-Service Brokers, Appraisers & Financial Advisors 28200 Southfield Rd., Southfield, MI 48076
(800) 222 • 9131 Check out our current listings at:
www.SandyHansell.com 8
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BREAKFAST OF BOWLING CHAMPIONS As reported by Bill Vint, the PBA and Wheaties have reached an agreement to have the General Mills brand come on as a sponsor for both the 2015 PBA league playoffs and as presenting sponsor of team L.A. X. The package includes on-site signage during the PBA League Elias Cup Playoffs, as well as 30-second commercials on the four ESPN telecasts during the event. “Wheaties is an iconic brand, and to have it attach its name to the PBA is very exciting,” said PBA commissioner Tom Clark. The Wheaties’ deal comes as the tour’s television series is enjoying a 22% increase in year-overyear audience ratings on ESPN. Wheaties will sponsor L.A. X, a team founded by NBA’s Los Angeles Clippers all-star Chris Paul and featuring a roster that includes two-time reigning PBA Player of the Year Jason Belmonte of Australia, England’s Stuart Williams, Sweden’s Martin Larsen, Columbia’s Andres Gomez, and Patrick Allen of Wesley Chapel, FL. The PBA League portion of the schedule has a unique attraction, Clark said, because it features teams competing rather than individuals.
BPAA Partners with Live Oak Bank Live Oak Bank, headquartered in Wilmington, NC, has announced its partnership with BPAA as part of the Smart Buy program. Member centers will have access to financing options specifically addressing the needs of the bowling industry. Founded in 2008, Live Oak Bank provides small business loans to those looking to start or expand their businesses. It offers financing solutions to family entertainment centers, bowling centers, roller skating centers, small parks and water parks nationwide in the form of construction, refinance, expansion and remodel, and working capital loans.
SHORTS
EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS Joint Base Lewis-McChord located outside of Tacoma, WA, has a renovated bowling center of which to be proud. McChord Field’s Sounders Lanes closed for renovations in November 2013. The final touches have finally been completed and the center is now officially re-opened. The renovation project included the removal of eight lanes, leaving 12, replaced with a family fun center with an indoor playground. Another new addition is a laser maze with various difficulty settings. Sounders Lanes is the first of several projects on the base to update facilities for its service members. Par Matt Lanes in Oakland, MD, is henceforth The Alley. Open since the ‘70s, it was time for a complete facelift. Renovation included extensive removing and replacing of all surfaces and fixtures and paving the parking lot. While still a work in progress, a new name and new features have given this center new life. Stan Clark, founder and CEO of Stan Clark Corp., likes to make his customers happy. Owner of several restaurants in Oklahoma, Clark decided that one of the best ways to do that would be to add bowling lanes. His Joseppi’s Italian Kitchen in Stillwater is adopting this new vision. The restaurant will have a new theme, 4,500 extra square feet and four bowling lanes. The new name has yet to be decided. Created for both young and old, Plano, TX’s Pinstack is no run-of-the-mill center. Recently opened in January, the 50,000-square-foot space offers 28 bowling lanes, a full-service restaurant, a coffee bar, and an arcade/game room. Pinstack is a little up-scale and a lot exciting. The arcade offers more than 100 games. There are laser tag, bumper cars and a rock climbing wall for the more energetic. The parent company, Entertainment Properties Group, is looking to begin construction on a second location in Alliance Town Center in Fort Worth.
ß BITS & PIECES ß ß ß ß Losing Streak? Go Bowling! The Cleveland Cavaliers seemed to be on a downward spiral in January. LeBron James had missed eight games with back and knee injuries and the team seemed to be unable to step up. Besides that, the rookie coach, David Blatt, was up to his eyeballs with criticism. What to do? Take the team on an unannounced “practice” to Memory Lanes in Minneapolis for some good, old-fashioned bowling. How did that work for them? A winning streak, of course: 11 and counting.
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The Best of the Classic
The Thrilllist.com, a men’s digital lifestyle brand, introduces all that’s new in food, drink, nightlife, and gadgets across the U.S. Contrasting the focus on trendy, high-end bowling centers, this website rounded up what it considers nine of the best classic centers. In no particular order: Action & Atomic Duckpin Bowling, Indianapolis, IN; Sunset Lanes, Beaverton, OR; Timber Lanes Bowling, Chicago, IL; Flaherty’s Arden Bowl, St. Paul, MN; Holler House, Milwaukee, WI; Mid-City Lanes Rock ’n’ Bowl, New Orleans, LA; Sacco’s Bowl Haven, Somerville, MA; The Gutter, Brooklyn, NY; and The Alley, Charleston, SC.
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Matinee Bowling League in NYC
New York City is falling back on a tradition big in entertainment in the ‘50s and ‘60s—afternoon bowling leagues for actors. Mondays at Frames bowling center in Midtown will be ZogSports’ Matinee Bowling league. ZogSports is a co-ed social network for young professionals. Monday, the traditional blackout day, is a great way for actors to share, have fun and relax while bowling.
TEMECULA LANES TEMECULA, CA (22 LANES) We congratulate Bill and Will Mossontte on their purchase of this fine center and thank Alex Mann for working with Ken Mischel to complete the sale. We wish Bill, Will and Alex all the best.
Bowling’s Only Full-Service Brokers, Appraisers & Financial Advisors 28200 Southfield Rd., Southfield, MI 48076
(800) 222 • 9131 Check out our current listings at:
www.SandyHansell.com IBI
April 2015
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GOODWILL CENTRAL
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The bowling business is tireless in its dedication to community. Here are just a few of the events held at centers across the country. March for Meals is a fundraising drive that takes place across the country for Meals on Wheels, a program providing healthful meals to senior citizens who have trouble leaving their homes and cannot make themselves meals. San Juan Lanes Bar & Grill in Anacortes, WA, was the venue for Skagit Country Meals on Wheels. Since 2005, this local organization has raised more than $680,000. In 2013, more than 65,000 hot meals were delivered to seniors in Skagit County. There are only five species of rhinoceros left in the world. The American Association of Zoo Keepers holds events all around the country in an effort to save these animals from extinction. Roger Williams Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the country, a 40-acre park located in Providence, RI, held its 3rd annual Bowling for Rhinos at Cranston Lanes in Providence. In an effort to combat the rising use of heroin and other drugs in and around Endicott, NY, a bowling tournament, Strike against Heroin, was held at Ideal Bowling Center. Guests included Endicott’s mayor, Rich David, plus guest speakers who educated those who attended on the heroin epidemic. All the proceeds went to the Addiction Crisis Center and Rescue Mission. Kasey Andrus, now 18 years old, is in need of a new kidney after both of his began failing at the age of 16. Volunteers have raised a total of $15,000 after organizing the latest benefit, netting $4,000, which was Bowling for Kasey, held at Morgan Lanes in Fort Morgan, AL. Riverside Lanes in Danville, VA, opened its usually closed doors on a Sunday to help raise funds for Patsy Farthing who was diagnosed with cancer. Her husband, Sam, has been a member of the Danville Bowling Association since 1979. Over 140 bowlers laced up to support Sam and Patsy. Sam says throughout the years, he has bowled for causes himself, and now it’s a good feeling to see that kindness returned. “It’s great to be able to give back. To do something. It’s not that hard,” said center owner Shirley Powell. The 24th annual Bowling for Miracles Bowl-A-Thon to benefit Children’s Miracle Network Hospital was held at Pin-O-Rama Recreation Center in Utica, NY. All proceeds from the 2015 event will make it possible for one of the patients to receive specialized care close to home. Leading for Our Kids, a group of young professionals committed to creating awareness and raising funds for Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, held Charit-A-Bowl. Eastbrook Lanes in Grand Rapids, MI was the venue. What is your center doing? Email Patty Heath at heath@bowlingindustry.com.
April 2015
USBC NATIONAL RECOGNITION AWARDS ANNOUNCED USBC has announced its awards for Proprietor of the Year, recognizing a bowling center proprietor for outstanding support of USBC programs; the Joyce Deitch Unity Award, which spotlights organizations and individuals who have made important contributions to bowling through vision, motivation, leadership and innovation; and the Helen Baker Award for Outstanding Association Service, given for leadership and contributions to local and state associations. The award winners will be recognized for their service and support of bowling during the 2015 USBC Convention in Omaha, NE. Sue Pinski, owner and general manager of Interstate Lanes in Rossford, OH, is this year’s Proprietor of the Year. She was one of the first proprietors in Ohio to implement the “After–School Bus and Bowl” program and is active in the high school bowling program. She has served as president of the Greater Toledo Bowling Council, was selected 2012 Ohio Proprietor of the Year by BCAO and is an Ohio Bowling Hall of Fame member. Dick Atkinson, owner of Hallmark Lanes in Killeen-Fort Hood, TX, received the Joyce Deitch Unity Award. He created the Texas High School Bowling Club in 2001 and continues to run the program, which has grown to nearly 200 schools. Atkinson also worked to have the Killeen-Fort Hood school district add in-school bowling to its physical education curriculum. In addition, he has been on the local association board for 21 years and has served as a director of the Texas State USBC. The Helen Baker Award for Outstanding Association Service went to Joe Spain, Jr., the association manager for Greater Atlanta USBC for the last decade. He is also association manager of the Georgia State BA and executive vice president of the Southeastern Bowling Association. Spain has served as the tournament director for local and state tournaments for more than 12 years and encourages support and participation in BVL and Bowl for the Cure. His leadership has made Georgia a top BVL contributor.
SHORTS
and the CHINESE MARKET CHINESE BOWLING FOUNDATION IS FORMED In a Brunswick press release, it was announced that Brunswick Bowling along with World Bowling—the international governing body of the sport of bowling—have joined with the Chinese Bowling Association to establish the new Chinese Bowling Foundation (CBF). While the popularity of the sport has waned since the bowling boom of the 1990s, many industry leaders in China believe that bowling is now poised for a major comeback, fueled by the country’s enormous population and fast-growing middle class. Brunswick Bowling and World Bowling have committed substantial resources to help the CBF achieve its goals. To support this effort, educational courses will be held in China on subjects ranging from coaching to ball-drilling to lane maintenance. Brunswick will sponsor PBA bowlers to play matches and exhibitions in China and will provide its services and products to help the CBF initiate a comprehensive bowling league and ranking structure in China. Gary Smith, Brunswick Bowling vice president of international sales, said, “We’re pleased to be a charter member of this important new organization dedicated to energizing this great game in China.”
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Kevin Dornberger, World Bowling president, added that China is crucial in ongoing Olympic recognition efforts.
BRUNSWICK TAPS LONGMARCH BOWLING FOR PARTNERSHIP Longmarch Bowling of Shanghai will distribute Brunswick products to the Chinese market, including capital bowling equipment to modernize or build new centers, as well as aftermarket products and consumer goods. The company operates its own popular bowling centers in Shanghai and Chengdu, China. Frank Zhao, head of Longmarch, is well-known as one of China’s most fervent champions of the bowling business. Zhao started in bowling in 1994 as a language translator in China. He soon began his own bowling equipment installation business that set up many new centers in China, and also developed a successful bowling ball manufacturing company. Gary Smith said, “Longmarch Bowling is perfectly positioned, geographically and strategically, to increase our penetration in the Chinese market.” He also added, “We’re especially excited to partner with this organization led by a gentleman with such great passion to reignite China’s interest in bowling.”
TRIBUTE
ERV HOINKE JR. Cincinnati proprietor made family tournament a household name. By Mark Miller
I
f the true measure a person’s life is the number of people who show up at his or her funeral, then Erv Hoinke Jr. must truly have been a saint. About 1,000 visitors were reported to have paid their respects to the long-time bowling center owner and tournament manager in his hometown of Cincinnati days after his Feb. 16 passing at age 82. Hoinke Jr. and his family originally lived in nearby Cheviot, a small town northwest of Cincinnati, in a home built by Erv Sr. The elder Hoinke also used wood given to him by a lumber business friend to construct the old Hoinke Lanes in 1941 on the second floor of the former Schueler Building. It was at that center that the now-famous Hoinke Classic originated in 1943 as a way for Erv Sr. and friend Clarence Stegner to promote bowling and American overseas efforts during World War II. It was Stegner who donated the earliest $1,000 first prizes in the form of war bonds. After bowling on an Armed Forces team in Korea, Japan and Hawaii during the Korean War in the early 1950s, Hoinke Jr. returned to the United States to follow his passion and the family business. He became more and more involved with the tournament bearing his family’s name. While on his watch, the Hoinke Classic grew into a nearly year-long event featuring a $1 million overall prize fund. It drew entrants worldwide, making it the planet’s largest privatelyowned amateur tournament, paving the way for the Hoinke Super Classic scratch singles event that started in 1982. The peak of the Hoinke Classic’s popularity was the early 1980s when, according to Hoinke’s son Russell, 55,000 participants came to their center. “Erv was such a great innovator with the Hoinke Classic,” USBC Hall of Fame Steve Fehr told WCPO-TV. “It was the world's biggest amateur tournament for years.” 68-lane Western Bowl originally was built in the late 1950s by three area businessmen. Over the ensuing years, the Hoinkes bought them out and by 1970 concentrated all their time there when they closed Hoinke Lanes and moved the entire Hoinke Classic to
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Erv Hoinke and sons Russ (left) and Tracy (center).
Western. While best known for the Hoinke Classic, Erv Hoinke also had a reputation for treating customers and fellow Western Bowl patrons right and making a friend of nearly everyone he met. “If my Dad didn't like you, you had to be a jerk,” Russell said. “He liked everybody.” Hoinke also was an avid bowler who more than held his own as a member of Cincinnati’s Hudepohl All-Stars during the sport’s beer-sponsored team era of the 1950s and 1960s. Ironically, it took him until age 72 to roll his only 300 game, though his son said the avid golfer sank holes-inone at ages 15 and 75. The family owned Western Bowl until 2009 when a combination of the recession, a decades-long decline in competitive bowling, and a statewide smoking ban dramatically hurt business. The facility was about to close when it was bought by Larry Schmittou and his S&S Family Entertainment chain, which has maintained the Hoinke Classic ever since. Hoinke retired to enjoy his family, which besides his wife and son, includes daughter Jennifer, sons Tracy and Christopher, 13 grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren. He leaves behind a lifetime and more of memories both on and off the bowling lanes. Anyone wanting a way to honor those memories can make memorials to the League for Animal Welfare, 4193 Taylor Road, Batavia, OH 45103. ❖
Mark Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and public relations specialist from Flower Mound, TX. He's the author of "Bowling: America's Greatest Indoor Pastime" available at Amazon.com or directly from him at markmywordstexas@gmail.com.
ASSOCIATIONS
Photos by eventphotosnw.com
Big-screen monitors punctuate the setting for Washington’s 50th anniversary gala. Decor by Prop Gallery Events.
NOSTALGIA AND WOW! Spectacular gala marks the 50th anniversary of Washington’s BPA. By Fred Groh
M
ilestones in life are places where we look backward and forward at the same time. Back at how far we’ve come, forward to what lies ahead. That’s how things went in the grand ballroom of the Hyatt Regency in Bellevue, WA during a cocktail reception and dinner to celebrate the 50th birthday of the state BPA in February. BPAA executive director Frank DeSocio was “blown away. One of the finest events I’ve been to in all BPAA E.D. Frank DeSocio: “Blown away.”
Seattle Seahawks star Bobby Wagner (left) shares a joke with event co-emcee and local radio sportscaster Dick Fain in on-stage interview. Later, selected young bowlers joined Wagner on the stage to ask him questions and get his autograph on memorabilia they’d brought. IBI
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ASSOCIATIONS
WASHINGTON BPA MILESTONES 1967 Northwest Bowling Proprietors’ Convention and Exhibit premieres, organized by E.D. Bruce Sargeant. The event joins Washington, Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Oregon. Held annually through 1992, it returns with the same partner associations in 2015. 1967 WSBPA High School Varsity Championships inaugurated. The yearly tourney is produced and operated entirely by Washington proprietors. 1978 Raised $3 million for the first Ronald McDonald House in Seattle, in days when bowling fundraisers were rare. Created allied Kids Bowling for Kids promotion, statewide campaign in which youngsters collected pledges; ran the promotion for 10 years. 1995 Inaugural WSBPA Jackpot Classic Tournament, a league promotion with an end-of-season trip to the tournament house for all league players in WSBPA-member centers. In the first year, 112 bowlers competed for $15,000 at the National Bowling Stadium; in 2015, more than 300 are expected to vie for $75,000 at two Las Vegas venues. my bowling life,” he said. “I’ve never seen a state do anything like it. It had a Bowl Expo—if not higher than Bowl Expo—feel.” A “very nostalgic” gala, Washington State BPA (WSBPA) executive director Greg Olsen summed up, “very upbeat.” Half the people in the room were the top high school bowlers in the state, chosen from 100 schools, who were in town to compete in WSBPA’s high school varsity tournament, also celebrating its 50th this year. “So we tied the two events together,” said Olsen. “We wanted to have these 300 kids in the room to see that there’s a future for them in bowling. There’s life beyond your high school career.” Natty in Seahawks green, Reggie Frederick of Chalet Bowl, Tacoma (left), and gala co-chair Bob Hanson of Tower Lanes, Tacoma (right), present lifetime achievement award to E.D. Greg Olsen.
The youngsters, their parents and coaches were joined by past and present Washington proprietors and area bowlers to hear a lineup of notables talk from the heart about how bowling changed their lives, the theme for the evening. “Frankly, it’s pretty much been my life,” said Hugh Miller, local boy (Mercer Island, WA) who made good with three PBA50 titles and seven PBA Tour titles. Marshall Holman, co-emcee of the gala and member of the PBA Hall of Fame with 22 tour titles, told the crowd, “Being so consumed with the enjoyment of bowling, it left little time for activities that might’ve gotten me in trouble.” Leanne (née Barrette) Hulsenberg, PWBA pro with 26 tour titles, recalled “great memories, learning experiences, and lifelong friendships— all helped me become the person I am today.” (For more of the speakers’ life lessons from bowling, see “What Bowling Means to Me,” page 17.) For E.D. Olsen, the gala was a chance to reflect on a distinguished 30 years with the association. He accepted a surprise award and “a standing O”—ovation, that is—“for being old, man!” Actually a tireless promoter of Internet technology for bowling centers, Olsen was among the first E.D.s to see his members start using email and every member with a website. Lately he’s been booming the importance of social media. Among the results: 100% renewal for the past six years. Olsen was also looking ahead. This year will see the return of the Northwest Bowling Proprietors’ Convention and Exhibit, July 26-29. (See sidebar.) When the gala evening arrived, he finally had a chance to take a breath. Olsen had lined up the event sponsors—QubicaAMF, Storm Products, and Western Bowling Proprietors Insurance— and organized everything. And his company, Prop Gallery Events, a wedding and special events decorator, donated the dress-up for the ballroom. $38,000 worth. ❖
Fred Groh is a regular contributor to IBI and former managing editor of the magazine.
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WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME
CHANGE OF LIFE The difference the game can make. Photos by eventphotosnw.com
BPAA president Tom Martino finished the first bowling game of his life and figured he had done pretty well. “I thought 36 was an excellent score,” he reminisced. He got a laugh. Speaking to an audience of 600 that included 300 high school bowlers, Martino was sharing how he and his bowling game have changed over “somewhere between 60 and 65 years.” The event was a February gala celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Washington State BPA. BPAA executive director Frank DeSocio, gala co-chairs Mike Gubsch and Bob Hanson, and a stellar roster of bowlers also took turns at the podium. The subject was how bowling changed their lives, the theme of the gala. Here are some of the stories told that night. “How did bowling change my life?” Frankly, it’s pretty much been my life. Bowling gave me a chance. Bowling gave me a voice. Bowling gave me a support family after my parents divorced. Bowling allowed me to excel at a sport that at one time was the number-one-ranked sports television show. Hugh Miller - seven PBA Bowling gave me a chance to Tour titles, three PBA50 meet, compete against, and Tour titles sometimes beat many of my idols including some in the room here tonight such as John Guenther, Marshall Holman, the late Earl Anthony. Bowl and compete against great guys like Matt Surina, Ed Dolfay, Steve Skrinksi, and many, many more of you here. Bowling gave me a chance to travel all over the world and meet so many people. I’m old enough to remember a time where there were almost as many bowling centers around here as there are Starbucks outlets today! Growing up as a junior bowler and competing in high school, if I was feeling a bit down, was having a hard time making new friends at school, or not being picked for the sports teams, there
Tom Martino
was always a friendly bowling center to go to. And at each center there was always someone there to talk to. Always a place to hang out, or an open lane to bowl a few games. It wasn’t until I was 14 that I really got serious about the game. And looking back on that time, it provided me with an activity that kept me busy. So many of our youth today have too much time on their hands, and with that time, many young people can and do get in trouble. Being so consumed with the enjoyment of bowling, it left little time for activities that might’ve gotten me in trouble. I was fortunate to have a long and successful career as a professional bowler, from 1974 through 1996, after which I spent five years doing broadcasting for ESPN and CBS. In 2001, I lost my job with ESPN Marshall Holman - 22 doing the color commentary for the PBA Tour titles, member tour. I went home not knowing what PBA Hall of Fame; coI was going to do. I really didn’t emcee WSBPA 50th think I had any skills. What I hadn’t Anniversary Gala realized was that my life in bowling has made me comfortable around people. I ended up getting into business with Liberty Tax Service. I do a lot of the customer
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WHAT BOWLING MEANS TO ME relations and the marketing for my business. Bowling gave me confidence. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re performing in a sport, your job or [in] a relationship, if you’re confident in what you’re doing, your chances of success are very good. My parents met in a bowling center, got married and had my brother and me. The four of us were a bowling family during my childhood, bowling a combined 10 leagues a week. My fondest memory is of my brother and me bowling our Saturday morning league and then going home to watch the PBA tour on Wide World of Sports. I started on tour when I was 19 and bowled on tour for 17 years until the PWBA tour ended. I wouldn’t trade that time for anything in the world. Great memories, learning experiences, and lifelong friendships—all helped me become the person I am today. The year after the tour ended, I met my husband at the USBC convention in Wichita while we were both working for different bowling companies. In 2011, my Leanne (née Barrette) childhood friend Mike Hillman and Hulsenberg - 26 PWBA titles, USBC I founded the Youth Bowlers Tour Women’s grand slam in Northern California. It was also (completed 2007) the year that I signed on with Storm and with that, they agreed to become the sponsor of the YBT, supplying us with bowling balls that we use to raise money for the scholarships we provide. In three years of running monthly tournaments, we have been able to award more than $160,000 in scholarships, and I am very proud of that. In 2013, my husband, Gary, and I accepted jobs at Storm. My job as the marketing coordinator allows me to [handle] all of Storm’s tournament sponsorships and their charity work. It’s an awesome job with an incredible company that takes pride in “giving back” to the sport of bowling just like I do. I was seven years old when I went bowling with my family for the first time. On that day, my life did indeed change. I was hooked. My parents hired a coach for me. I’m proud and honored to say that Sam Baca, a USBC Gold-certified coach, is still my coach to this day. I was taught not only the physical game but the mental game as well. I was taught how to win and lose gracefully. This molded my personality and attitude to become a winner. I got my first job at 16 years old working for Earl Anthony at Earl Anthony’s Danville [CA] Bowl. I worked the front desk. I loved it. Not only did it teach me responsibility of monies and 18
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business, but also social skills in dealing with the customers. When I was 18 years old and still in high school, I bought a spot into the 1986 BPAA U.S. Open. I won the tournament and $12,000. It was surreal. But looking back, April 5, 1986 was a day that gave me confidence and funding to compete on the LPBT [later PWBA tour] full time. In 2012 Brad Edelman, owner of Wendy Macpherson - 20 the High Roller Tournaments, asked PWBA titles, USBC Hall if I would be interested in promoting of Fame the many military, high roller and TAT tournaments he offers. A dream job for me. I am involved in the promotion and operations side of our tournaments. In 2013 I signed with Storm. All I can say is: wow! I am honored and blessed to have such wonderful companies in my life. As you can see, bowling did not change my life. It made me who I am. In 1979, after dropping out of the University of Washington (for, let’s just say, lack of interest), I went to visit a girlfriend of mine at that real university on the other side of the state [Washington State]. While I was there, I went down to the Cub, which is the bowling center on campus. The bowling coach asked if I [was going] to school there. I told him I really didn’t like school. He said. “You really should come to school here and bowl for us. We have a really good club.” He also told me if I would enroll in school, he could give me a job at the bowling center and all the free bowling I wanted. Well, all the way home, I was thinking, “All the free bowling I want, all the free bowling Bob Hanson - proprietor, I want, all the free bowling I want!” Tower Lanes, Tacoma (WA); co-chair WSBPA When I got home, I couldn’t wait 50th Anniversary Gala to apply. The following fall I was back in school and bowling for WSU. I ended up loving school, having a pretty good college bowling career, and actually graduating in 1982. Our team was actually very good, too. We ended up second in the country in 1980, and in 1982 we beat Michigan for the national championship. Our team in college was very close. In fact, we were so close that four of the men’s team married four of the women’s team. One of those women is my lovely wife, Carrie. ❖
HELPING HAND
IT BEGINS WITH ‘BOWLERS’ By John M. LaSpina
H
ow many charities do you know whose name starts with the word ‘bowlers’? Bowlers to Veterans Link was developed by bowlers, funded by bowlers, and supported veterans’ causes long before it became a trendy, glitzy thing to do. In the early 1940s, a group of women bowlers raised funds to purchase three medical transport planes, which helped bring wounded soldiers to medical facilities. I wonder how many lives this group of “can do” bowlers saved? Since then, almost $45 million has been raised by BVL and given to the Veterans Administration for non-budgeted recreational and therapeutic needs of America’s veterans. From sports equipment to arts and crafts kits, from pet therapy to special events, BVL’s programs are crucial to the needs of those recovering from the physical and emotional trials of combat, promoting wellness, reducing stress, and speeding rehabilitation. BVL has been quiet in its service to vets. It has little ego when it comes to the good that it does. It is neither glitzy nor sexy, and it may not be top-of-mind when the industry thinks of doing something for veterans. I applaud all of the organizations that want to legitimately help the veterans’ cause, but I want to remind our sport that our own charity has been “on the ground” for our veterans for 73 years, making a real difference in the lives of literally millions of them. What’s more, we do it efficiently and effectively: BVL’s staff is small, with an overhead of 6%, earning it honors as a top-rated non-profit, one of the “Best in America” charities in the Independent Charities of America federation. The increased support shown by many, especially bowling centers stepping up to raise funds through specific BVL events, makes the future even brighter. As a matter of fact, last year nearly $1 million was raised
while at the same time the number of organized league bowlers declined. This proves how generous our bowlers are; it shows how the initiative of bowling proprietors and the traditional support of bowling associations all over America can come together to do great things. Recently a few bowling corporations have seen fit to support another veterans’ charity that is trying to gain a foothold in bowling. BVL has been far too modest these past many years and it’s time for us to blow our own horn and say that BVL is bowlers—bowlers who have been helping veterans for more than 70 years. I am asking all who make a livelihood because of bowlers to stay the course and step up to support BVL. I want you all to learn about BOWL FOR FREEDOM, which will be launched at Bowl Expo and will begin 9/11/15 and conclude on Veterans’ Day, 11/11/15. It is our goal to bring the industry together to celebrate our freedom together, as a united industry. Let’s remember, BVL starts with the word ‘BOWLERS’ and ends with total commitment to those who have served our country with dignity and heroism. ❖
John M. LaSpina is president of Maple Family Centers, a past-president of BPAA, a Victor Lerner Memorial Medal/BPAA Hall of Fame member, and currently chairs Bowlers to Veterans Link.
SPRINGTIME MARCH FOR BVL It’s bowling, Facebook and vets. Or call it “March for BVL,” which BVL chair John LaSpina does. It’s a new campaign for “bowling’s own” charity that LaSpina says “is an opportunity for our supporters to get creative. “We’re encouraging every business person in bowling to take BVL fundraising in any direction they can think of—
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anything with a ‘marching’ theme. Proprietors could collect donations for BVL in an old Army boot or announce a collection by playing a John Philip Sousa march during afternoon leagues.” Photos from fundraising events can then be posted on BVL’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/BowlersToVeteransLink. “We can’t wait to see the results,” LaSpina smiled. Not coincidentally, BVL unrolled the “march” campaign last month, but unfortunately too late for our March issue.
OPERATIONS
Welcoming customers at Star Lanes Polaris. The center is managed by Lucky Strike.
NEWBIE’S BEST BUD Just starting in bowling? Roll out quickly with a management partner. By Robert Sax
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he current renaissance of bowling has brought innovative concepts, fresh brands and new customers to the industry. It has also attracted would-be proprietors who have no experience running a bowling center. How can a neophyte get ahead of the learning curve and succeed in a complicated business? One effective approach is to team up with an experienced management company that will run the center for you. That approach has worked well for Polaris Entertainment Partners, which owns Star Lanes Polaris, an FEC near Columbus, OH. The company is a family affair run by brothers Doug and Jeff Mechling and their father, Mike. Doug is an experienced retail contractor, Jeff is a 20year veteran of the restaurant business, and Mike is a retired financial analyst, so they have a great deal of business savvy between them. In early 2008, the Mechlings were inspired by the success of Lucky Strike Lanes and its boutique bowling concept. Doug knew it was
something that their home town of Columbus could really use. “In Columbus we had bowling alleys that were old and hadn’t been renovated in quite some time. When I saw something that was leading a renaissance of bowling, it appealed to me,” says Doug. “I knew it was something the Columbus market would embrace.” A few years later they found a promising location, a former Circuit City store on the perimeter of a suburban mall. The area offered a strong mix of corporate offices and apartment communities with a large pool of single young people. The Mechlings saw the potential for lots of corporate and young adult customers, and planned a center that would include dedicated rooms for business meetings and a private IBI
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OPERATIONS
The Mechling clan at Star Lanes Polaris: Jeff (left), Doug (third from left), and Mike (right), with consultant Jerry Merola of Amusement Entertainment Management.
bowling suite for special events. At finance time, however, the banks were leery of the Mechlings’ lack of experience in the bowling industry. “Lenders were asking us, ‘What do you know about bowling?’,” recalls Doug, and they were reluctant to finance the project. That’s when their industry consultant, Jerry Merola of Amusement Entertainment Management,
suggested a management company. “Jerry said, ‘Bring in a seasoned operator, you work alongside them, and this will alleviate the fears of the lenders’,” says Doug. The Mechlings met with several potential providers, ultimately going with Lucky Strike Entertainment, owner and operator of the Lucky Strike chain of centers. They signed a management agreement with Lucky Strike and also licensed its “sister” brand, Star Lanes. The arrangement did the trick with the bank. “We had a very strong location, a strong format and a strong operator,” says Doug. “It was what the landlord and the lender wanted to see, and that’s what pushed us over the top.” It was Lucky Strike’s first time as a management company, but with 20 of their own centers up and running, the company had lots of experience. “It’s a fun business but it’s a lot harder than it looks,” says Steven Foster, CEO of Lucky Strike. “Polaris wanted expertise in all phases of running an FEC.” While the Mechlings saw to the build-out of the site, Lucky Strike hired and trained staff, set up the operating systems and initiated the marketing program. Foster still oversees the project, and two Lucky Strike executives, a regional director of operations and a national sales manager, are in regular contact with the Mechlings and their staff. “The relationship is strong,” says Doug, but that’s not to say that he leaves everything to Lucky Strike. “[We] try to play to the strengths of both sides. We complement each other well.” Polaris gives directives to Lucky Strike and is free to deviate from its programs. “We don’t always go with the same sales promotions,” says Doug, “and we also use a local firm for our marketing program.” ¨
Open-air feel at Mechling family’s Star Lanes Polaris.
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Trifecta Management is another consultancy that develops and manages FECs. In 2013, Travel+Leisure magazine included four of its client projects on a list of “America’s Coolest Bowling Alleys.” Bruce Nussbaum, one of Trifecta’s partners, sees a growing need for outside management services in today’s more diverse bowling universe. “The industry as a whole is [resurgent] with hybrids, boutiques and other models that vary from the old traditional centers,” says Nussbaum. “Those models are more complicated boxes [with] a lot more moving pieces; customers are more discerning.” As a result, owners have a greater need for the services of an experienced operator. Trifecta primarily works with two types of proprietors. One is the entrepreneur with no expertise in bowling who needs professional help launching and running a project. After three to five years, the proprietor may transition to running the center on his own. The other is a retail developer “who sees a need for a center but can’t find a suitable pure tenant or isn’t happy with the deal that a pure tenant is willing to make.” Nussbaum advises both types of clients to get involved with
OPERATIONS partners were just a 45-minute flight away was also a strong factor in Uphoff’s decision to buy. In an unusual quirk, “Uptown Alley #2” opened several months before the first store, and both locations are doing very well.
Uptown Alley owners Steve Uphoff (center) and Steven Moore (left), with general manager Jimmy Cabanban on the right. Signature onepound Uppy Burger is on the table. The center is managed by Trifecta Management.
a management company as early in the process as possible. “We have found the decisions you make during the layout and design phases can impact operationally and revenue-wise,” he says. Steve Uphoff, co-owner of the Uptown Alley centers in Virginia and Arizona, found that out the hard way. He has a long record of success in restaurants, oil and gas retailing and property development, so when co-owner and son-in-law Steven Moore talked him into a bowling center, Uphoff initially headed up the effort himself. They were already deep into planning with an architect when Brunswick, his equipment supplier, urged them to hire Trifecta Management to help plan and run the center. Uphoff was initially reluctant to hire Trifecta because they were located on the other side of the country from his planned center in Virginia. His confidence was challenged further when Trifecta made recommendations that required dumping his architect’s plans and starting over. What won Uphoff over was the track record of Trifecta’s partners, who as executives had built up Steven Spielberg’s pioneering “eatertainment” chain, Gameworks. “I felt if it was good enough for Steven Spielberg, it was good enough for me,” Uphoff recalls. The new relationship was beneficial from the start. Uphoff had been ready to take on a partner for his center’s arcade, agreeing to share profits in return for getting games at no upfront cost. Trifecta was adamant that he pay for the equipment himself. “It was $500,000 of equipment and I had to write the check,” says Uphoff. But Trifecta showed him that he would be giving up too much of the profits otherwise. “I had no idea what they were talking about,” says Uphoff, “but we ended up paying for the investment in less than a year. It was an enormously good recommendation.” It was just one of several leaps of faith that paid off for Uphoff. His first Uptown Alley was already under construction when Trifecta told him about a partially-completed center in Arizona that was for sale. Uphoff had not planned on opening a second center yet, but the price was right and the market was primed for it. The fact that Trifecta’s 24
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The 14-lane boutique module at Uptown Alley in Richmond, VA.
Uphoff’s advice to other bowling newbies is: “Don’t break the number-one business rule of all time, and that is: don’t do something you don’t know anything about. Hire someone that’s better at it and let them do it for
Richmond Uptown Alley’s 38 open lanes.
you. It was a departure from our normal operating process, but in the end it was a wise and a profitable decision.” ❖
Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.
COVER STORY
EAT LIFE
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COVER STORY
UP!
Pac-Man reboots as sophisticated “Eatertainment.” By Robert Sax n 1981, Namco Entertainment of Japan introduced a video game called Pac-Man to America. As the best-selling video game ever, PacMan went on to make a global fortune for Namco while becoming the world’s most recognizable video game character. Most pop culture icons would be ready to take it easy after a nearly 35-year career, but not Pac-Man. He is now preparing to chomp his way into the world of “eatertainment” as the inspiration for Level 257, an upscale restaurant and entertainment center in Schaumburg, IL. The restaurant’s name is a sly homage to Pac-Man history, referring to the original game’s 256 “levels,” or stages, of game play. The innovative new venue will go “one level beyond,” says David Bishop, executive vice president of strategic project development for Namco Entertainment. It’s also a major clue to the sophisticated design and concept of Level 257. It’s not surprising to see Pac-Man as the inspiration for a restaurant, because eating is what Pac-Man is all about. In the game he travels through a maze eating pellets and fruit, moving from level to level while evading (or eating) ghostly enemies. There is even an eating sound effect, called “nom-noming,” to highlight Pac-Man’s hearty appetite. Pac-Man fanatics may remember that their perpetually-hungry hero fronted
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On the Cover: Shimmering masking holds all eyes at Level 257.
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COVER STORY and we found that Pac-Man represents that catalyst for people to come together again and enjoy each other’s company.” Clark knew that it would be important to reenvision Pac-Man for an upscale restaurant. “We didn’t want it to be a glorified arcade. We wanted to be something more special than that.” From the subtle name to the design, Pac-Man would be felt more than seen. “It’s definitely more about what Pac-Man represents than just putting PacMan all over the place; that wouldn’t appeal to our demographic,” says Clark.
PENCIL AND PAPER John Karabatsos
David Bishop
a 1990s food and entertainment venture from Namco and Skyline Multimedia Entertainment called XS. Each XS center combined several floors of video games with a restaurant called Pac-Man Café, and there were branches in New York City and Orlando, FL. But the XS centers closed after just a few years, taking Pac-Man’s first restaurant with them.
SECOND TIME AROUND A few years ago, Namco started thinking about out-of-home entertainment again. Dave and Buster’s had become a successful eatertainment chain, and the debut of New York’s Barcade revealed a market for bars and restaurants for adults that featured vintage video games. “We looked at where entertainment was going and games were going and developed a new business segment,” says Bishop of Namco’s decision to re-enter the market with Level 257. Level 257 was initially conceived as a conventional family entertainment center, with the emphasis on game play. But the more Namco studied the market, the more they realized that the restaurant had to be front and center. “We said let’s turn this on its ear,” recalls Bishop. “We’re going to be a restaurant and then we’ll bring everything else on top of that.” Jim Clark of marketing agency Blind Society led the research and development effort for the restaurant concept and PacMan’s role in it. “Namco knew they had a strong intellectual property in Pac-Man, and they knew they wanted to evolve their business into the world of entertainment.” To everyone’s delight, Clark’s research revealed that “Pac-Man was still cool” and had strong appeal to Level 257’s target demographic of 30- to 50-year-olds. “Pac-Man as a brand invited everyone to play. It was the first video game that had a storyline, and it introduced the female demographic to the world of gaming,” says Clark. “Play can mean a lot of different things, 28
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With the branding in place, Namco turned to Ron and Roman Architects, a design firm with expertise in restaurants, as opposed to FECs. “It’s not a themed restaurant,” says Roman Bonislawski about the subtle influences of Pac-Man on Level 257. Instead, he adopted gaming’s “Easter egg” technique, in which gamers can discover hidden objects that enhance play or act as visual jokes. “[For example] we are using brown-and-black carpet tile, and we’re interspersing an occasional yellow tile.” (For the uninitiated, yellow is the color of Pac-Man.) “The arcade component is really a very small aspect of what’s going on. This is nothing like a Dave and Buster’s,” declares Bonislawski. Early in the process, Ron & Roman decided that “to play is human. Everything we’ve done here is to encourage socialization. You can dine off of the full menu at any place in the facility.” The architectural design strives for an “urban sophistication” in a suburban location. That means incorporating such urban restaurant trends as a
COVER STORY Lanes, opened in 1975 and closed in 1997. A second center, Woodfield Lanes, operated from 1979 to 2001. Both centers were torn down, the former for residential development and the latter to expand a car dealership.
FOOD THAT’S A LEVEL ABOVE
variety of seating choices including communal tables, stand-up bars and laneside dining. “Even in our gaming area, we have some areas that are lounge seating,” says Bonislawski. “You can actually participate in old-fashioned board games if you want to.” Namco has been developing Level 257 for more than four years. While Dave and Buster’s and Gameworks succeeded with a mix of games and food and drink, Level 257 will be a great restaurant first. “[That’s] a key differentiator between what we do and what a lot of other people do in out-of-home entertainment,” says Bishop. “We have to perform really well as a restaurant. Once people are there and they have a great meal, then we want them to stay and relax and have a good time.” Bishop says that while his competitors do a terrific job offering entertainment, he believes that food is secondary to them. “[Level 257] is a different concept and a different audience. We are trying to bring the service level to a big notch above the level you would see in a lot of those other facilities.”
LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION It was a lengthy search to find the right location for Level 257. “It took us a year to find the real estate,” says Bishop. “We were very particular. We wanted it in Chicago because that’s where we’re based. We wanted it close enough so we could touch it and feel it every day.” They ultimately settled on suburban Schaumburg, an upscale village northwest of Chicago just a few miles from the offices of Namco Entertainment. Schaumburg offered the target demographic, which John Karabatsos, vice president of concept/project development, describes as “Educated, affluent guests, probably above 30 [years old. That’s] how we’re designing it. The younger ones, the kids, will come along because it’s a cool place to be.” Schaumburg is home to many large corporations, a plus because Level 257 is intended as a fun and handy facility for business meetings and events. Namco has taken over a 40,000-square-foot space in the Woodfield Mall, which had been storage space for the Sears store next door. The mall location offers plenty of parking, essential for a big suburban operation. US Bowling Corporation provided 16 retro-styled boutique bowling lanes and scoring system for what is the first Namco center in the U.S. to offer bowling. (Namco’s Funscape centers in the UK all include bowling.) “[Schaumburg] is thrilled to have a bowling alley again,” says Karabatsos, a former Brunswick executive. The village’s first bowling center, Schaumburg 30
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Pac-Man has to survive on power pellets, fruit, and any ghosts he can catch, but Level 257’s 180-seat central restaurant offers food that can compete with Chicagoland’s best eateries. The menu specializes in fresh and innovative dishes created for the local market and prepared by skilled chefs. Corporate executive chef Aaron Whitcomb is the talent behind several top-rated restaurants in the West. He has been featured in Esquire, Food & Wine, Sunset, and Wine Spectator magazines and has received such accolades as “Food & Wine Rising Star” and inclusion in “Top 20 Best New Restaurants.” Drinking amenities include cocktail lounges with fire pits and a separate sports bar. All feature a wide selection of craft beers and speciallyselected wines and cocktails. The other entertainment spaces include a multi-purpose banquet and event suite that can accommodate more than 300 people, as well as state-of-the-art presentation rooms. Customers can enjoy a games lounge with classic arcade games alongside exciting new titles, plus custombuilt game tables offering old-school board games. Rounding out the venue is an art gallery and the first-ever Pac-Man retail shop. Level 257 is a big bet for Namco, but it seems a smart one now that Pac-Man’s original fans have grown up. They have sophisticated tastes in food and drink and more than a few quarters to spend for an evening’s entertainment. Pac-Man spawned sequels, so is Level 257 destined to multiply? Bishop isn’t talking about the future yet, but did admit that “Namco is not built to do [just] one of anything.” ❖
Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.
YOUTH
Turbo Charged High schoolers and college bowling get together at Collegiate Expo.
By Jim Goodwin
T
ruly original ideas are rare and special. The Collegiate Expo concept was created by Turbo Bowling Accessories president Lori Mraz and a few key staff members in 2010. Heavily involved in coaching bowlers in their Turbo Tech Training Center, especially high school and college players, they wanted to provide an annual event that would be educational, and that would bring together student athletes and their parents with college coaches looking for top bowlers for their teams. They also wanted to give parents a place where they could explore multiple educational and scholarship opportunities for their college-bound student athletes. USBC Gold Coach Lou Marquez was the director of the Turbo Tech Training Center at the time, and professional star and coach Bob Learn Jr. had just accepted a coaching and sales position after leaving his job with USBC. They talked about the fact that high school and college bowling were thriving, but there was no clear connection 32
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between students looking for scholarship opportunities, and college coaches looking for new players for their teams. A few coaches scouted students at events like the USBC Junior Gold and the Teen Masters, but there was no organized program that put them together in the same venue where they could meet face-to-face. Marquez and Learn pitched the idea to Mraz, and recognizing its potential, she instantly and enthusiastically signed on and began the work of developing the first registration brochure. Mraz believed in the project so Lori Mraz
YOUTH
LOOKING AHEAD
Turbo Tour staffer Amleto Monacelli in on-lane coaching at the Expo.
strongly that she not only committed Turbo’s resources and pro staff, she began contacting her fellow suppliers for their support. She wanted it to be more than simply a Turbo promotional event. She wanted it to benefit the sport and the industry. She also thought it was important for the Turbo Professionals, bowling stars like Carolyn DorinBallard, Mika Koivuniemi, Diandra Asbaty, Jason Couch, Clara Guererro, Bill O’Neill, Mike Fagan, and many more. Mraz wanted the pros to not only offer their coaching expertise, but share their college experiences and knowledge of the pro tours with the students. She believes strongly that professional athletes are role models, and there is no better way for them to “pay it forward” than to interact with young bowlers, many of whom have dreams of becoming college and professional bowling stars. Getting the sponsors on board the first year was no easy task, but Mraz would not be denied. “I reached out to all of my industry colleagues to explain the premise and ask for their support and sponsorship. At the time, we did not have a track record. We did not know how many students or colleges would show up, so it really was a leap of faith for all involved,” said Mraz. As the former president of the Billiard and Bowling Institute of America, Mraz has many friends in the industry, and more than a dozen joined her that first year. Today, they are lining up to become involved. 22 industry companies will sponsor and actively participate in this year’s event.
The Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo is an event that in a very short time has had enormous impact on the lives of many college-bound bowlers, their parents, college coaches, bowling product manufacturers, and some of the best professional bowlers in the world who serve on the pro staff of Turbo Bowling Accessories. As they gear up for their 5th Annual Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo this summer in Chicagoland, Mraz and her staff are more excited than ever to see what develops, and like every year, they are working hard to take the event to the next level. This year’s event will again follow the strategy of positioning the event in the same time frame and market as the very popular USBC Junior Gold Tournament. “Our Collegiate Expo has become the largest and most significant contribution we make to the sport each year, without a doubt,” said Mraz. “And it has been extremely rewarding for everyone involved— students and their parents, college coaches, our pro staff members, our sponsors, and the communities and centers who host the event. We are very proud that many students have been recruited to a college bowling program because of their participation in Collegiate Expo. There is nothing more rewarding and no bigger compliment than knowing we are helping in making a difference in young lives and in the sport.” And that difference has been significant. Last year alone, when the event was held in Rochester, NY, attendance included 168 student bowlers and their parents, 27 college coaches, nine Turbo pro staff coaches including sports psychologist Dr. Dean Hinitz, more than a dozen Turbo and center volunteers, and every major bowling product company. Collegiate participation has nearly doubled, from 14 in 2011 to last year’s 27. The 5th Annual Turbo Collegiate Expo will roll into Town and Country Lanes in Joliet, IL, July 8-10, 2015, and again, it will be an event supported by the entire bowling community. “Joliet Town and Country Lanes is both honored and excited to be hosting the 2015 Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo,” said Town & Country Lanes
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YOUTH
proprietor George Kontos. “We welcome all bowlers and families, pro staff members, ball and equipment manufacturers, college coaches, and Turbo representatives. We will do all we can to make sure you enjoy your experience.” Turbo’s Collegiate Expo was born out of great love and respect for the sport. Mraz, and her father, Dave Bernhardt, who founded the company in 1989, believe that all of their success has stemmed from their personal involvement in the sport as bowlers and coaches. Their first products were neon-colored finger and thumb inserts for bowling balls. From that humble beginning, they have evolved into one of the most successful, innovative and respected bowling accessories companies in the world.
TRACK RECORD Word-of-mouth is a widely accepted premise in determining the success or failure of any product or service, and in the case of the Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo, people from all corners of the sport and industry can’t stop singing its praises. University of Nebraska head bowling coach Bill Straub was one of the first to sign on. “Anyone who knows the history of Turbo knows that they do things the right way, and this is a very classy production,” said Straub. “I fully expect to see many players from this event prominently helping college bowling teams for many years to come.” One student athlete who has reaped the rewards of attending Collegiate Expo is Jackie Evans from Lexington, MA. After attending with her mom, she said she felt like she had “hit the lottery of bowling.” Her excitement is understandable. After attending, she was contacted by a college she had never heard of—Lawrence Tech. They offered her a $4,500 academic scholarship and a $10,000 bowling scholarship. She is now attending, majoring in engineering. “I was extremely excited that I was offered a scholarship,” said Evans. “I feel really honored. I believe the Expo made finding the right college a lot easier. Engineering and bowling you don’t really find too often as a pair; and since Lawrence is a small private school, I wouldn’t have found them if Turbo didn’t have them there. It is just the best thing that could have happened.” 34
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Companies that sell bowling products are also very pleased with their involvement in Collegiate Expo. Last year, Ebonite’s Ed Gallagher said, “The Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo is absolutely one of the best events we have ever been a part of. To see the level of talent and the great atmosphere created is infectious. The opportunity for this great group of bowlers to advance not only as bowlers but as a person and more importantly toward their academic future, is wonderful. This is unprecedented in the sport of bowling.” Lori Mraz will have her usual lineup of pro stars and coaches at the 5th Annual Expo this summer, but she also now has a powerful new partner in adding hall of famer Carolyn Dorin-Ballard to the full-time Turbo Staff. Carolyn will serve as the event’s executive director, and her close relationship with the professional staff she will now be coordinating will bring even more excitement to the event. “The players on our pro staff look forward to the Collegiate Expo. Everyone I call says, ‘Count me in,’ and they already have it on their calendar. They see [it] as not only the right thing to do, but as an opportunity to promote the brand. It is positive for everyone involved—the pro bowlers, the college coaches, the students and their parents.” Dorin-Ballard is also looking toward the future. “We are exploring the possibility of creating regional Collegiate Expo events,” she said. “That would give more youth bowlers a chance to develop their skills and expose them to college scholarship opportunities even if they are not attending Junior Gold. Smaller regional events would continue to reinforce our commitment to education, and give even more of our pro staff members an opportunity to stay involved in the sport when not competing on tour.” Based on its incredible start, all indications are that the Turbo Tech Collegiate Expo will be around for a long time, bringing together students, parents, colleges, bowling centers and communities, professional bowlers and coaches, and bowling product companies. What a concept—and one whale of an original idea put into practice. ❖
Jim Goodwin is the founder and president of the Bowling News Network and a former president and life member of the International Bowling Media Association.
NEW LOOK
ANATOMY OF A MAKEOVER
PART 1:
Jamie Brooks is at it again, turning his Plano, Texas center into a hybrid. By Mark Miller ix decades since converting the first of dozens of struggling bowling centers into profitable centers, Jamie Brooks certainly doesn’t have to work anymore. The lifelong Texan could easily walk along the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico. He could hang around his new home north of Dallas. Heck, he could just visit his current centers in Plano and Fort Worth and reminisce with friends, customers and staff while trying to regain his former on-lanes prowess. But to know the now 80-year-old Brooks is to understand he’s not the type to just sit around and do nothing. History also has shown he will not leave things the way they’ve always been. So it should be no surprise that he’s taking one of the nation’s most successful traditional centers and changing its model. Despite a huge base of league bowlers and an array of well-attended tournaments that has his 24-hour establishment full on most days, Brooks knows changing the 48-lane Plano Super Bowl to a hybrid is a must. It’s the best way to add new customers while keeping the current ones happy. Since the center as currently arranged has maxed out its monetary potential, a major overhaul was in order, one Brooks is personally overseeing. “The basic reason is when you’re in a business, my philosophy is you always need to strive to increase the volume every month over the previous month and year. We have been extremely successful here. But there’s hardly any more [space where] I can stuff more business,” said the center’s president and largest shareholder. “This model as a conventional bowling center looks like it’s terminal. So while I am full and making good money, we would like to make more.” Based on Brooks’ many years of experience and attention to current and future trends, the only way to do that is change the center into a hybrid. “We think we can double our business,” Brooks said. “And that’s already been shown. A couple people have been doing this. But I don’t know how many big, full bowling centers have ever done it before.” Before you begin thinking the 30-year-old establishment is a dump, think again. Plano Super Bowl opened in 1985 with all the amenities of a typical 48-lane establishment and still looks great today. Behind the lanes on the low end are youth offices, a meeting room and small gaming area. Toward the middle is the front desk and main entrance. Further down are a pro shop, upgraded snack bar, liquid refreshment bar and large room with pool tables, dart boards and places to sit and eat. But by the end of the summer, the only round-the-clock bowling center in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex will be something Brooks hopes
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NEW LOOK new customers will consider. “We’re going to spend upwards of two million bucks, all on the inside, to re-do the whole thing,” Brooks said. You might say Brooks is an expert at creating new concepts, having owned 43 centers dating back to his first in 1955 at age 20. He’s even bought former big-box department stores in San Antonio and Houston and refitted them into thriving bowling centers. “My forte was to buy bowling centers that were under-performing and [fix] them,” he said. “When I did them myself personally, it worked great. When I put someone else in it, it was less than perfect. “I understand how to do it, having done it before. I know which buttons to push. They’re never the same.”
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Planning for his latest renovation actually began soon after Brooks reacquired Plano Super Bowl in December 2012 after previously owning it from 2006-2010. Phase one was completed in February with changes on or near the lanes themselves, all courtesy of QubicaAMF equipment. “We started out in the most important part of the bowling center—the lanes,” Brooks said. “All of that is because we plan to stay in league bowling. We’re all lifetime league bowlers who work here. We love the sport and we’re still going to promote that part of it. But what we have to do is change our business end to add more parties and redemption games.” Replaced first were 57 panels to upgrade the 1990 model synthetic HPL AMF lane surfaces that were beginning to decompose. “This place has been a high-lineage place all these years, so it is a great surface to last that long,” Brooks said. Also changed were the 50-year-old large gutter caps under which the bowling balls roll bought from another center. Some wood gutters and all kickback plates and back flat gutters were replaced with new ball returns and 50-inch television monitors added. There are also new masking units and QubicaAMF’s BES X Scoring System “Every time I’ve done something like that my business has increased,” Brooks said. “Every place I’ve ever had ever since I started using Qubica, every time I’ve upgraded, my business has increased.” Next on the agenda is everything across from the lanes. Brooks hired Howard Ellman of Dynamic Designs of Birmingham, MI (Detroit) to be the main architect because “he seems to win all the awards every year,” Brooks said. As of early March, Brooks and Ellman were acquiring bids from construction companies, electricians, plumbers, carpenters and others. Among the amenities they are seeking are new flooring with a combination of wood look and carpet, plus new doors, ceilings, and different color schemes. Their first task will be to build a new main counter, then take out the old counter area and office and game room behind it. Next will be construction of a new bar that will stick out into the lobby and include big-screen televisions that Brooks projects will help increase the bar business by 50%. After the bar is operating, out will come the old bar to be replaced by a game room with 54 games and a small room next to it that will feature pizza, hot dogs, sodas and popcorn. Included will be three pizza machines for quick turnaround including a future star attraction, a 30-inch pizza. Following that, the popular existing snack bar will be remodeled with new equipment.
“While I am full and making good money, we would like to make more.” —Jamie Brooks “Our food here is great, as good as anywhere I’ve eaten in a bowling center, and reasonable,” Brooks said. “We will upscale our presentation and menu. We have too much on our menu now, so we’re going to make it better.” The facility’s second level will feature two new party rooms in addition to two behind lane 48 on the lower level. The goal is to complete that phase by the end of May when leagues end. Soon after, a soundproofing wall will be installed on the current lane 8 where a new ceiling will help create a boutique feel on the new lanes 1-7. A removable curtain between lanes 4 and 5 will allow for two groups, with more party rooms to replace the current youth offices behind them. All party rooms will accommodate plug in audio-visual equipment for meetings and other functions and big-screen TVs.
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“Our goal is to be a hybrid and only lose two lanes of league,” said Brooks, who also owns Cowtown Lanes in Fort Worth. That’s important because Plano Super Bowl features about 2,000 nighttime league bowlers, 550 daytime seniors and women, and more than 350 youth. With the place nearly full on two shifts every night, Brooks and his staff want to keep them happy. “We work very, very hard. Our number-one thing is customer service,” he said. “Everyone who walks through the door has got a problem and if we can get them to forget their problem for three hours or however long they’re here, they’re going to come back. We work very hard at that.” Brooks estimates that under the new model there will be fewer weekend tournaments and more events and parties, and that income will IBI
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NEW LOOK triple in Saturday business and double on Fridays and Sundays. Plano will maintain partnerships with good causes such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation with Chris and Lynda Barnes, a Labor Day youth event, the Chris Barnes Thanksgiving Tournament in November, and a Senior All-Star Association event July 4th weekend. Also staying will be the annual Plano Independent School District tournament for elementary schools, plus nine high schools and what Brooks has heard is the nation’s fourth largest youth program. If everything falls into place, the revamped facility will be ready for full public use by August. Brooks plans several openings—one for the general public, one for the Plano Chamber of Commerce, one for the city of Plano, and one for church activity directors. “We’re excited about it. In fact, this has always been Plano Super Bowl and we’re considering making it PSB Entertainment,” Brooks said. “We know we’re making a huge investment but we believe we can do it better than anybody because we’re here. I’ve learned from running 43 of these things that I do a whole lot better when I’m in there than having somebody do it from afar. “Our staff is second to none and I’m positive we’re going to make a success out of it.” If his history repeats, Brooks will be very happy with the results of his vision. “I’m having fun coming in to work at 80 years old,” he said. “I still feel good. I’m still bowling. I’m averaging around 210 in league. I bowl two leagues, one at Cowtown and one here.
“We have been extremely successful here. But there’s hardly any more [space where] I can stuff more business.” —Jamie Brooks
“Bowling’s my life. I don’t know how but I’m back on the BPAA national board where I think I can help them. “We just borrowed a bunch of money and I signed a 25-year, 9% note and I’ve got to live 25 years to pay this off. Even though I’ve got good people it always takes someone to drive it. My job is to drive it forward and I still enjoy doing that. I’m having fun doing that.” ❖
Mark Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and public relations specialist from Flower Mound, TX. He's the author of "Bowling: America's Greatest Indoor Pastime" available at Amazon.com or directly from him at markmywordstexas@gmail.com.
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CONVENTION
STAYING ALIVE WITH YOUR FEC Conference on the cliffs raises four vital questions for survival. By David Garber
W
hat happens when you gather leaders in the family entertainment business, top manufacturers, media people, and an agenda devoted to an “evolve or die” approach to operating an FEC? The inaugural Face 2 Face Entertainment Conference (F2FEC), conceived by Ben Jones, Rick Iceberg and George Smith, otherwise known as The Three Amigos, is the answer. The event took place Feb. 24-26 at the Pointe Hilton Tapatio Cliffs Resort (above), a peaceful oasis in Phoenix and the ideal setting for facing off on how to make the family entertainment industry better. The industry includes bowling centers and laser tag, roller-skating, arcades, amusement parks, and theaters to name a few of the venues, but it encompasses all businesses that bring family and fun together. Four themes emerged in the seminars, roundtables and keynote addresses— 42
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words to the wise for bowling proprietors.
∂ Are you relevant?
Is it enough to be just a bowling center or is it time to act—to study your market and competition to see if you are relevant anymore? If the answer is yes, how do you stay that way? Resting on your laurels because things are going well is not good enough any longer. Today’s market is tougher than ever to survive in because there are numerous things keeping people away. How do you get these potential customers out of their homes and into your
CONVENTION place of business? Most attendees agreed that constant updating is the key to keeping your business relevant. It can be new arcade/redemption games, better food and beverage options, improved sound, lighting and videos in your entertainment system. Even a better-trained staff can change your center’s revenue positively. As a wise counsellor once said, “Your front line staff affects your bottom line.” Of course updating does not mean renovating every week. It can be as simple as moving your games around in the arcade. The big changes should be made once a year, and with these projects, your customers get a shot of that “I like to hang out here!” feeling. And that means price increases can work.
∂ Are you bankable?
All these are good ideas and easy to say, but in the end you’ll need to be bankable, conference attendees agreed. Do you re-invest in your business with a bank that may not know the FEC industry, or do you get involved with an industry partner like Live Oak Bank or Firestone Financial?
∂ Are you visible?
The physical location of your business was not the idea, so much as your company’s visibility in social media. We can all post on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Snapchat, and the like, but is the message meaningful? Is it getting to the customers you want? One perspective during the conference was that Facebook is an “antisocial media” site. It works against literally going out and meeting friends, or picking up the phone and calling people. True, it is a fun and useful tool with which to share ideas, but the fact is if you do not use it in the right way, it will not help your business. What visibility comes down to, attendees concurred, is that most Rick Iceberg, F2FEC co-creator, and David Dalpizzol of CJ Barrymore’s, Clinton Township, MI, FEC.
Kay Anderson, Live Oak Bank, and Ben Jones, F2FEC co-creator.
businesses need help to work social media well and should understand Google analytics to be significant. In today’s society, 70% of people use mobile devices to look at websites and other media, so you are probably losing business if you have a website that does not cooperate with mobile devices.
∂ Are you memorable?
Creating memories is crucial in the entertainment business. They most likely will determine whether you have repeat business from individuals, birthday parties and corporate outings. The process starts with pricing and the reservations process, but the tougher test is what effect you have when people walk in. Are your customers welcomed? Is everything on time, food hot, drinks cold? As customers leave the premises, are they given a fond farewell and words to encourage them back again? That can make or break a return visit. Knowledge is power, and this F2FEC conference delivered a straightforward message that should motivate everyone in the family entertainment business to “do it” better than our competition. The success of the event is sure to create a 2016 F2FEC, and I would recommend you get involved. Good luck and go create some memories! ❖
David Garber is IBI associate publisher and former USBC Coaching Director and fouryear member of Team USA.
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DATEBOOK
APRIL 1-2 Birthday University Chicago, IL Frank Price (919) 387-1966 fprice@birthdayuniversity.com 12-14 72ND BBIA Convention Omni Hotel & Resort Hilton Head, SC www.billiardandbowling.org 13-18 ITC (Intercollegiate Team Championships) Northrock Lanes Wichita, KS www.bowl.com/tournaments 19-20 BCA of Ohio Fall Seminar & Meeting Doubletree Hotel Columbus, OH Pat Marazzi (937) 433-8363 27-30 USBC Convention Ramada Plaza Omaha Omaha, NE convention@bowl.com (800) 514-2695
MAY 4-8 Brunswick Training GS-Series Pinsetter Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800) 937-2695, option 2 www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training 5-6 LaserTAG360 Creative Works, Inc. Hilton Garden Inn Indianapolis, IN Heidi Melton (317) 834-4770 www.laserTAG360.com 46
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6 IBCA Board of Directors Meeting Lafayette, IN Scott Devers (765) 413-7323 11-15 Brunswick Training Vector Scoring Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800) 937-2695, option 2 www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training 13-19 USBC Queens–Sr. Queens Ashwaubenon Bowl Green Bay, WI (800) 514-BOWL (2695) 20-22 BCAO Convention & Tradeshow Doubletree Hotel, Worthington, OH Pat Marazzi (937) 433-8363
JULY 11-17 Junior Gold Championships Dupage, IL (800) 514-2695, ext. 8426 USBCjuniorgold@bowl.com 20-21 BCA–Michigan Convention & Tradeshow Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Mount Pleasant, MI Ken Prokopec (630) 235-7794 21-23 Foundations Entertainment University Chicago, IL Randy White (816) 931-1040 23-25 BPA of the Carolinas/Georgia Summer Convention Sea Trail Resort Sunset Beach, NC (910) 484-5178
JUNE
10-11 Birthday University Raleigh, NC Frank Price (919) 387-1966 fprice@birthdayuniversity.com 15-19 Brunswick GS-Series Pinsetter Maintenance School Muskegon, MI www.brunswickbowling.com/servicesupport/training 22-26 International Bowl Expo Paris Hotel Las Vegas, NV www.bpaa.com
SEPTEMBER
27 – October 2 Entertainment Center Manager (ECM) School International Bowling Campus Arlington, TX Kelly Bednar (817) 385-8462
OCTOBER 13-15 Foundations Entertainment University Dallas, TX Randy White (816) 931-1040
SHOWCASE PIT BELTS
Guaranteed quality and performance go hand in hand with QubicaAMF pit belts. Its Red Belt offers 25% thicker plies than other PVC belts, faster pin movement and less jam, less cleaning and less oil transfer. The Pumpkin Belt, the industry standard, has a mechanically and chemically stitched splice that resists delamination and curling, provides superior oil resistance and is preconditioned for reduced break-in time. Both come with a 2-year warranty. For more info on pit belts and other QubicaAMF parts, call 866-460-7263.
ARCADE GAMES
Coastal Amusements, Inc., manufacturer of coin-operated redemption games, that Dave & Buster’s Entertainment, Inc. has placed orders for three of the company’s newest games: Yahtzee, Subway Surfers, and Black Hole. Dave & Buster’s plans to roll out the games at all locations as part of its “Summer of Games” package, which includes a national TV spot and instore promotion. Coastal Amusements offers more than 27 years of experience. For more information call Patrick Mills @732-905-0294 or go to www.coastalamusements.com.
POS SOFTWARE
Party Center Software now offers customers a full point of sale (POS) feature on a tablet device. This tablet provides even more options for the POS terminal, as one can use a traditional desktop, an all-in-one desktop, or a tablet. The application is compatible with Microsoft Surface Pro 3 and can be used with Microsoft Surface Docking Station to build an efficient terminal. It can also be used as a mobile payment station with receipts being printed wirelessly. To learn more about these new features, visit www.partycentersoftware.com.
CARD SYSTEM SOLUTION
Embed’s emONE is the industry’s only selfcontained, self-installed card system solution. This Embed cashless system can enhance the revenue potential of a center’s game room. emONE comes complete and houses all system components in a secure kiosk design, with no running cables, or server or other network equipment. It can be set up and operating in less than a day with Embed remote assistance. emONE offers a complete system optimized for up to 40 swipers. For more info contact Allison Timberlake at allison@laigames.com.
REDEMPTION GAMES
UNIS’ Beat the Goalie is another small machine, under 6’, which has proved a big winner. With head–to–head scoring for one or two players, this soccer-themed redemption is attractive and fast-paced. Aim to shoot the balls through the individual holes and beat the goalie before the time runs out. For further info and to see the complete new UNIS Games range for 2015, go to www.universal-space.com or contact International Sales Manager, Steven Tan, sales@universalspace.com.
LANE MACHINE
Brunswick Bowling’s Envoy lane machine is a state-of-the-art system, which is simple to operate and creates any shot bowlers expect. In conjunction with Brunswick’s Direct+ conditioning system, it provides individual board-by-board application for superior pattern consistency. Envoy’s FlexPower system gives you the choice of two types of battery power or AC operation. For more info, contact your Aftermarket Product Specialist, or visit brunswickbowling.com/products/lane-machines/envoy.
LASER TAG SEMINAR
Creative Works, Inc. is offering a two-day educational event. LaserTAG360 will be held in Indianapolis on May 5-6. This is the twelfth such event, covering best practices for adding additional space, how to create a new business model and where to find financing. Included is a tour of the 20,000-square-foot theme factory, where there will be the opportunity to see how the company designs and creates its attractions, plus the 7,000-square-foot showroom featuring four themed arenas. For additional info, visit www.LaserTAG360.com.
BEVERAGE CONTROL
A good day in a cocktail lounge is when bartenders make decent tips and managers are able to minimize over-pouring. AlcoholControls.com offers the bar industry’s most popular loss-prevention products, maximizing beverage profits. The website has a variety of portion and free-pour spouts with varying polycorks to fit any bottle neck size. Check out the shot-pouring training systems to aid in accuracy. When ordering through the website, type in BOWL2015 for 10% off already discounted web-special prices. IBI
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CLASSIFIEDS Merchant Coupon RESULTS "One of the best promotions we have ever had." - Bryan Senker, Flamingo Bowl (TX) "I should have re-ordered your coupon program sooner…you can quote me on that.” - Max Cook, North Bowl Lanes (WA) "BMA goes above and beyond any other marketing service.” - Patrick Kline, Shelby Lanes (MI) "Top notch from start to finish. I love the results!" - Doug Cottom, Ross Cottom Lanes (IL) "A glowing recommendation. I took a chance, it paid off. ROI was over 800%. Been using it ever since!" - Chuck Linn, Daffodil Bowl (WA)
Try a free Market Test... Call Chris at 888-930-4039 or visit ibi.BMAmkt.com
ARE YOU A FAN OF BOWLING? www.Facebook.com/BowlingFan
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CLASSIFIEDS
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
SELL YOUR CENTER
(818) 789-2695
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) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com. Get Redline Foul Lights at www.joystickscoring.com or call Werner @ (888) 569-7845. Sold exclusively in Canada by JD Bowling Services (800) 346-5781. Home of Bowlingtrader.com, your FREE buy & sell site. FOR SALE: 28 lanes HPL, full lane; Route 66 Small Ball coin-operated; Brunswick & AMF power lifts; ball returns; factory A2 pinsetters; A2 machines for parts; vent–free fryer; Impenger Conveyor Oven; Bakers Pride Pizza Oven; 16’ vent hood stainless steel; bowling lane lumber for foundation or used wood bowling lanes; A2 cushions & moving decks; pinwheels; 27” monitors for Steltronic scoring; 42” Steltronic flatscreens; AMF Excel Automatic Scoring System; Swingn-Swivel seating. Complete lane packages. INSTALLATIONS AVAILABLE. (719) 251-1616.
EQUIPMENT WANTED
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LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Call (608) 764-1464.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 32-lanes, Brunswick lane panel and approaches. Approximately 20 years old. Will be available after May 1, 2015. Great for spare lane panels. FOB Studio City, CA. Call Scott Frager @ 818-769-7600.
SELL YOUR CENTER (818) 789-2695 50
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Bowling Parts, Inc. P.O. Box 801 Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-3635 Email - daryl@tuckerbowling.com
www.tuckerbowling.com
SELL YOUR CENTER
(818) 789-2695 Felix Erickson Co., Inc. Strike Zone © Family of Lane Products Strike Zone© Next Generation LC 5 gal case $105 Envi-Cide II Disinfectant Shoe sparay 12/15 oz $87.95 Solve-It © Orange Foam Cleaner 12/18 oz $69.95 FESI Solve-IT © Ball Wheel Liner 22’ $90 NEW RM 107 Rubber/Cork Wheel Liner $29.95/Roll 070-006-757S Smooth Dist. Belt w/ lacing $35 ea. 000-024-604 Gray Ball Lift Belt $195 ea. Exclusive Phenolic Kickback Plates Front F128D 16” x 33” $88 ea. Rear F129 19” x 23 3/4” $88 ea. NEW F131T 16” x 40” $125 ea. All plates include screws and instructions 800-445-1090 (F) 609-267-4669 festrikezone.com Resurfacing - Repairs - Supplies - Synthetics IBI
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CLASSIFIEDS NEW ITEM AMF Chassis Plug Access Door. Easy access to work on chassis plugs. $9.99 ea. Nationwide AMF service. Visit TheBowlDoctor.com or call (608) 3819276.
POSITION WANTED Certified Brunswick mechanic well-versed on all serial machines both American & Japanese. Seeking 20-24 hours per week employment in Denver, CO, area. 45 years experience. Has own tools. Excellent references. Call Steven @ (303) 870-5860 or email cstaylor1993@gmail.com.
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Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576
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Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com. AMF 5850 & 6525 CHASSIS. Exchange your tired or damaged chassis for an upgraded, rewired, cleaned, painted and ready-to-run chassis. Fast turnaround. Lifetime guarantee. References available. CHASSIS DOCTOR (330) 314-8951.
CENTERS FOR SALE NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS: 8-lane center, full-service kitchen & bar with large Beer Garden plus 3-bdrm/2-bath apartment. Business & real estate. Reasonably priced. Contact Curtis for pics and more information. (316) 806-7744. OHIO, Archbold: 12-lane Brunswick center on 1.81 acres w/ 13,440 s/f commercial bldg. Plus QubicaAMF scoring system, pro shop with eqpt. & restaurant/bar area with eqpt. & fixtures. Asking 189,900.00. Contact lshirkey@fmbank.com or (800) 451-7843 x 15290. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: 32-LANE CENTER. Owner retiring. Priced to sell. $1.8 mil annual revenues. Broker: Harry Sidhu, cell (510) 490-9705 or office (510) 366-6130. 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.
SELL YOUR CENTER
(818) 789-2695
CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE OKLAHOMA: Lease to Own or Owner Carry for Viable Investor. 16 lanes—fully remodeled with so much potential, A2s, Steltronic w/42” flatscreens, synthetic panels, 11th Frame Grill, laser tag, largest game room in the area & thriving lounge w/ room to expand. (719) 251-1616. LARRY DOBBS APPRAISALS. (214) 6748187. Bowlingvaluations@yahoo.com. 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. SOUTHWEST KANSAS: Well-maintained 8lane center, A-2s, full-service restaurant. Includes business and real estate. Nice, smaller community. Owner retiring. $212,000. Leave message (620) 397-5828. 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) 351-5152 or toms-uvl@sbcglobal.net. NEW YORK, Lowville (home of QubicaAMF pin production): new, established 12-lane QubicaAMF center with all amenities including soft-serve window, state-of-the-art kitchen, bar & arcade. 16,640 s/f building with parking 150+. (315) 376-3611 or (315) 486-4325. WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA: One of the top five places to move! Remodeled 32lane center. Good numbers. $3.1m gets it all. Fax qualified inquiries to (828) 253-0362. 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. 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.
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MINIATURE GOLF COURSES Indoor/Outdoor. Portable/Pre-Fab. Black Light/Traditional/Pro Putter.
202 Bridge Street Jessup, PA 18434 570-489-8623 www.minigolfinc.com
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN IBI
April 2015
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REMEMBER WHEN
1950s T
his mid-‘50s ad sent a very clear message that with a sparkly smile, you were sure to get a strike. In the ‘40s and ‘50s, Pepsodent toothpaste was one of the most popular brands. In fact, those of a certain age will no doubt start humming when reading the slogan, “You’ll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent.” Pepsodent was so popular Bob Hope’s radio program was entitled The Pepsodent Show Starring Bob Hope. Its first broadcast came from the Hollywood Canteen in 1942 and soon the show was playing live to U.S. troops during World War II. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific alluded to Pepsodent in the song, “Bloody Mary.” Cole Porter acknowledged it in his song “You’re the Top.” Probably one of the more iconic homages was in Mad Magazine where Leonardo da Vinci sat in front of the Mona Lisa with tubes of paint, plus a tube of Pepsodent, thinking, “I wonder where the yellow went?” Bowling was always in the best of company! ❖ – Patty Heath
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April 2015