CONTENTS
VOL 23.11
6 ISSUE AT HAND
28 COVER STORY
“Crushing It”
“Getaway ‘n Play” in A-town!
By Scott Frager
At Stars and Strikes locations in the Atlanta area, the inspiration is family entertainment.
10 SHORTS • Petty Motorsports and Strike Ten Entertainment partner again. • Switching desks at Brunswick. • Sex, Death & Bowling. • Storm Products welcomes Blair Blumenscheid. • Steltronic moves to sunny So Cal.
By Robert Sax 22
THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber garber@bowlingindustry.com
OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com
CONTRIBUTORS David Garber Jim Goodwin Patty Heath Pamela Kleibrink Thompson George McAuliffe
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Fred Groh
35 BEYOND BOWLING • IAAPA Preview • The Perfect Couple: Bowling and Movies • Interesting Interview • Showcase
fredgroh@bowlingindustry.com
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424
FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)
By Patty Heath
58 ECBCC SPECIAL SECTION
16 INDUSTRY NEW Don’t Stop Believing… In the Olympic Dream Despite being turned down for the 2020 Olympic Games, bowling needs to keep on believing that it could happen in L.A. in 2024.
64 PROFILE 28
Laissez Les Bons Temps Rouler! It’s good to be Marc Pater, who has spent his entire career in the bowling business.
By Robert Sax
By Jim Goodwin
22 BUSINESS Keep on (Game) Trucking
67 Classifieds
Increasing your arcade revenue is easy with GameTruck.
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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:
By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson
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12655 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com
THE ISSUE AT HAND
“Crushing It” According to a recent press release from Bowlmor AMF, and, in recent interviews on business TV networks by Tom Shannon, chief executive, chairman and president of the aforementioned company, there can be little doubt that Shannon’s vision is “crushing it” big-time for him and his company’s stakeholders. That’s also wonderful news for everyone in the bowling business. For at least two-and-a-half decades, we have heard of rumors of the attempt to build an Industry Marketing Fund to create a bowling branding campaign from coast to coast. I am humbled by the hard work and efforts from those visionaries who, to this day, dream of such a fund. Selfishly, as a center operator in a top consumer market in the U.S., I’d love to see such a campaign gain traction. Until then, I will be focusing my efforts locally, where my bowlers come from. But, what about the largest bowling chain in the United States (and the world)? What is Bowlmor AMF doing to get more guests flocking to their locations?
To Shannon’s credit, he has undertaken one of the most fun, creative, edgy, and probably the most expansive marketing campaigns to drive business and create a cutting-edge brand identity for Bowlmor AMF. For those who have seen Bowlmor AMF’s recent TV commercial featuring PBA pro bowler Jason Belmonte, you will undoubtedly agree that this is a real winner. If you haven’t seen it, please go to BowlingIndustry.com and you’ll find a link that will take you to the video. It’s a real winner not just for Bowlmor AMF, but for everyone in the bowling business. Even more than my appreciation for the fresh and fun perspective of the campaign, I love the vision and commitment Tom Shannon is making to forward his beloved brand. Congratulations, Tom. Congratulations, Bowlmor AMF. Congratulations, Jason Belmonte. You certainly are “crushing it!”
– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com
4THIS MONTH AT www.BowlingIndustry.com October was trade-show month. The ECBCC, October 4-7, in Atlantic City, and the WCBC, October 18-20, in Reno, are the stalwarts that have always given proprietors and vendors the opportunity to meet in an intimate setting, each benefitting from the one-on-one. For the ECBCC, this year, while Atlantic City was getting its welcome ready, along came Joaquin. As a Category 4 hurricane, Joaquin presented tough decisions. His sister hurricane, Sandy, had already taught the lesson—once caught, twice prepared. Based on the safety of attendees, exhibitors and staff, the organizing committee cancelled the ECBCC. While the hurricane did not directly hit as thought, high fives should be given for putting people first. Next year? October 24-26. Place? Golden Nugget, Atlantic City. Plan to attend. On the West Coast, where no rain was in sight, the annual WCBC went without a hitch. Want to touch base with those missed on the East Coast? Go to IBI Online! Inclement weather or no, you will be able to connect at www.bowlingindustry.com.
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SHORTS
ß BITS & PIECES ß ß ß F2FEC heads to Kona Kai Resort, San Diego in 2016. The 2016 theme, 10X Better, for the Face 2 Face Entertainment Conference Experience, will be held at the Kona Kai Resort in San Diego, February 23-25, which will create a relaxed and sharing atmosphere among attendees, according to Rick Iceberg. F2FEC is produced by the Three Amigos: Rick Iceberg of CJ Barrymore’s; Ben Jones, Live Oak Bank; and George Smith, president of Family Entertainment Group. It is an independent conference for leaders of the entertainment industry, its manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, media and facility owners of FECs, bowling centers, cinemas and hybrid entertainment concepts. The focus is to help every attendee develop relationships and share what’s now, talk about what’s next and lead an industry. Jones put 10X Better this way, “greater focus on fewer aspects of your business leads to greater results, and this is what 10X Better is all about; less IS more.”
ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Brunswick Bowling Products takes training program to China.
Members of the Chinese national team, along with other bowlers, maintenance personnel, bowling center and pro shop owners and operators enjoyed classroom and hands-on training by Brunswick Bowling Products at the Chinese Bowling Foundation (CBF) Education Conference this past July. The CBF was founded to promote and publicize the game of bowling in hopes of making bowling an Olympic sport. “China is critical in our efforts to gain Olympic recognition, given the tremendous growth potential for bowling there,” said Kevin Dornberger, World Bowling president.
ßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Main Event and Betson Enterprises are a team.
Main Event, a Plano-based entertainment company, plans to launch projects totaling 15 in the next few years. To facilitate this expansion, CEO Charlie Keegan announced that Main Event has entered into an exclusive partnership agreement with Betson Enterprises for “the upcoming year.” Betson will provide an array of services to Main Event, including game design, installation, set-up distribution and training. “Betson is proud to partner with one of the fastestgrowing, bowling-anchored entertainment centers in America,” said Bob Boals, Betson executive vice president. 10
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EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS San Luis Obispo, a California college town, has been grappling with whether to approve plans for an upscale bowling-based entertainment venue, Discovery SLO. While there was some hesitation, the city council green-lighted the project with two provisos: the layout must be adjusted so minors may access the bowling area without walking through a bar area, and the center must close no later than midnight, rather than 2 a.m. as developers had wanted.
The Choctaw Nation Resort Casino has opened the latest of a two-part expansion for Durant, OK. The District opened to a crowd of hundreds. The 20-lane Brunswick house, complete with arcade, follows the opening of the Grand Theater. A food court and sports bar are following shortly.
The Corner Alley in downtown Cleveland, OH, has upped its offerings. The 25,000-square-foot, 16-lane center which opened in 2007 has just finished a $2.2 million renovation. The owners have added an open-air bar and 40 new highdefinition televisions and games of every kind.
SOME THINGS DEFY EXPLANATION A 30-year-old female employee of Pla-Mor Lanes in Decatur, IL, reported to police that a robber knocked her unconscious with a bowling ball, and then emptied the company’s safe, taking $2,100. However, upon reviewing the surveillance video, a completely different story emerged. After stealing the money, our little culprit hit herself twice in the back, left side of her head with a bowling ball. She then lay and waited for someone to discover her. When the police officer told her that he had viewed her hitting herself on the surveillance camera, she sighed and told him some of the money was in her car. Tucked into a Hello Kitty bag was $439; she had gambled the rest of the money in the center’s slot machines. Further investigation uncovered that she had also gambled away her paycheck and $250 that she had previously taken from the center. wwuww Loxahatachee, FL, had its own bowling aberration. A 21-yearold was arrested on charges of arson by bowling ball. He didn’t want a bank to sell his foreclosed home and tried to blow it up, using a bowling ball with gun powder and a rope fuse. First, he set objects on fire in the house. When firefighters came upon the scene, they discovered the “bomb,” as yet unlighted and called the sheriff’s bomb squad. Fortunately, our perp never found out if the device would have worked.
GOODWILL CENTRAL
SHORTS While every month is a good month for charities, October saves itself for breast cancer. Centers all over the country stepped up to help spread awareness, to support research and to raise funds for breast cancer. One of the big participants was Storm Products, Inc. who partnered with Striking Against Breast Cancer Foundation and the Huntsman Cancer Institute and donated a portion of the proceeds from every sale of “Paint the Lanes PINK to SAVE LIVES” products to these foundations. Several hundred people participated in Bowl for the Cure at South Point Casino bowling center. The money raised from the 15th anniversary event will go directly to Southern Nevada’s Susan G. Komen Foundation. Eastern Middle Tennessee Association of Realtors came together to “Strike Out Cancer” at Pro Bowl West in Lebanon. Kiki Shepard, co-host from Showtime at the Apollo, held her 12th annual Celebrity Bowling Challenge for Sickle Cell Awareness at Pinz Entertainment Center in Los Angeles, CA. The star-studded attendees included Sallie Richardson and husband Dondre Whitfield who serve on the board of directors at the K.I.S. Foundation which puts on the event. In Highland, IN, The Humane Society Calumet Area held its Bark & Bowl event to raise money for shelter animals. Plaza Lanes in Highland was the host center. Cowabunga, dude. Nearly 200 surf industry brands, retailers and athletes bowled to raise funds for 15 Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) humanitarian beneficiaries. StokesMe “Bowl-A-Rama” was held at the Costa Mesa 55 Tavern + Bowl, Costa Mesa, CA. The biggest and best were present: Rip Curl, O’Neill, and Vans to name a few. StokesMe is the fundraising arm for SIMA. About 100 children who participated in the Wantagh, NY, public library’s summer reading program were rewarded with a free evening of bowling at AMF Wantagh Lanes. The event was so popular last year that the library staff decided to continue it as the culmination of the reading program this year. This is not charity per se, but fun nevertheless. Triangle Bowl in Longview, WA, was the venue for Uncaged Cycles, a Harley-Davidson sales and service company. They held their Sucky Biker Bowling Night, “two hours of rip roaring fun and really bad bowling.” Everyone was invited to come and hang out and laugh at the sucky biker bowlers. What is your center doing? Email Patty Heath at heath@bowlingindustry.com.
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CALIFORNIA WELCOMES STELTRONIC NORTH AMERICA Steltronic North America has consolidated its Wisconsin and California warehouses into one new location in Montclair, CA. The 6,160-square-foot warehouse and offices can easily accommodate Steltronic’s growing sales. Jim Osdale, president, said of the new facility, “Extra offices were needed to hire a software programming team to help develop new software and extra features for our automatic scoring and complete center management operating system.”
NEIL HUPFAUER IS BACK! Co-founder of Main Event Entertainment, Hupfauer steps back into the industry. Cinergy Entertainment Group, Inc., a high-end, multi-activity movie theater chain, based in Midland, TX, has lured Neil Hupfauer, co-founder of Main Event Entertainment, out of retirement. He will join Cinergy as interim president and chief operating officer. He has been a consultant since 2009. In his new role, Hupfauer will assist in opening Cinergy’s newest cinema-bowlingentertainment concept as well as executing new programs to increase operation efficiency. “We are pleased that Neil has officially joined the Cinergy team,” said Jeffrey Benson, CEO. “Neil’s vast experience developing and operating bowling and family entertainment centers, coupled with his entrepreneurial perspective will allow Cinergy to further develop and expand our operations and innovation.” Hupfauer has an extensive business background in the bowling, restaurant and family entertainment industry spanning more than 45 years.
SHORTS
Media
WATCH THE NEXT LEBOWSKI? Sex, Death & Bowling. Now there’s a movie title that gets attention! At least that’s what television’s Sons of Anarchy actress Ally Walker hopes. Walker directed the film, released November 6, and stars Adrian Grenier, Selma Blair, Drea de Matteo, and the young Joshua Rush. Eli (Rush), the eleven-year-old hero, is on a quest to win The Fiesta Cup, a local bowling tournament. Adrian Grenier plays the uncle who returns home and finds himself helping his young nephew. Not to give away the plot or the touching fun, check out the trailer on www.bowlingindustry.com/videos. It could very possibly be the next bowling cult film.
HOW TO BE AMAZING iTunes’ How To Be Amazing, a podcast with Michael Ian Black, had a segment with Chris Hardwick, actor, TV host, comedian, producer and, for those in the bowling industry, the son of pro bowler Billy Hardwick. Black sits down with Hardwick to hear the story behind how he went from MTV to standup to acting, not in that order, to running an empire. It started with being the son of a professional bowler, spending a lot of time in bowling centers. He makes a point of differentiating between a center and an alley. It’s an inspiring and motivating conversation about getting one’s act together. Check it out.
START YOUR ENGINES No. 9 GoBowling.com Ford, driven by Sam Hornish, Jr., made its debut at the Federated Auto Parts 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, Sept. 12, at the Richmond International Raceway. This is the second time Strike Ten Entertainment has partnered with Richard Petty Motorsports, combining one of America’s favorite pastimes, racing, with the nation’s number one participatory
PEOPLEWATCHING Brunswick Bowling Products announced that Dan Borgie and Gary Smith, company vice presidents, will be trading positions effective immediately. Borgie was named vice president of international sales and Smith is now vice president of modernization sales, North America. Borgie joined the Brunswick sales team in 1984 and Smith came on board in 1988. Dan Borgie “At Brunswick, we’re committed to developing key employees by exposing them to a variety of senior-level positions throughout the company,” said Brent Perrier, CEO. “Dan has had great success leading the U.S. modernization and new-start sales teams, which will help him as he shifts his focus to our international markets and channels. Gary has a combination of product development and sales experience, which will be a strong asset to the U.S. market as we continue to roll out Sync scoring and Gary Smith management system.” Storm Products has hired Blair Blumenscheid as social media manager. Blumenscheid was a three-time Academic AllAmerican and 2013 graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in strategic communication. She also bowled for Ohio State where she earned SMART scholarships. At OSU, she had All-Tournament Team honors and served as president of the Ohio State Bowling Club for two years. She is also a USBC Bronze certified coach. As social media manager, Blumenscheid will implement and manage Storm’s social media marketing, including content strategy, brand awareness development, inbound traffic generation and cultivation of leads and sales. “She possesses visionary qualities with very lofty but strategic goals to grow our Blair Blumenscheid brands, and we have every bit of confidence she’ll achieve them,” stated Gary Hulsenberg, director of marketing.
sport, bowling. The first time was in 2014 at Pocono Raceway. “We are very excited to once again partner with Richard Petty Motorsports as we continue to raise awareness for the sport of bowling among NASCAR’s loyal fan base,” said John Harbuck, president of Strike Ten Entertainment. “Like bowling, racing is recognized by fans all over the world, and we believe Richard, Sam, and the entire No. 9 team will be great ambassadors for both the sport and our bowling centers across the country.” IBI
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INDUSTRY NEWS
DON’T STOP BELIEVING… IN THE OLYMPIC DREAM Despite being turned down for the 2020 Olympic Games, bowling needs to keep on believing that it could happen in L.A. in 2024. By Robert Sax his year bowling came closer than ever to making it to the Olympics as an official sport. Unfortunately for the international bowling family, close only counts in horseshoes. The situation seemed promising earlier in the year. World Bowling was among twenty-six, IOC-recognized, international federations that applied for inclusion of their sport in the Tokyo games. It will be the first Olympics for which the host country is allowed to recommend new events, and bowling was one of eight sports that were shortlisted by the Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee (OCOG) in June 2015. On September 28, OCOG announced that it had recommended five of the eight sports to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for inclusion at the Games of the XXXII Olympiad. Bowling missed the final cut, as did wushu (a martial art) and squash. The recommended sports were baseball/softball, karate, roller sports, sport climbing and surfing. The final decision on inclusion will be made at the 129th IOC session in Rio in August 2016, just prior to the next summer games. Although World Bowling called the decision “a big disappointment,” its efforts were not in vain. World Bowling president Kevin Dornberger said it was a huge milestone in his organization’s Olympic quest. “We believe that this has laid the foundations for a brighter future ahead,” said Dornberger, who acknowledged, “This is the first time bowling has been on a shortlist, rarely are first-time sports added … we need to learn more patience in regard to the Olympic process.” The Tokyo 2020 OCOG believes the proposed additional sports will inspire more young athletes to strive to compete in the world’s greatest sporting spectacle. Greater youth participation is one of the goals of the Olympic Agenda 2020, which wants to “get the couch potatoes off the couch.” “Each of the eight shortlisted international federations amply demonstrated their potential to add to the value of the Games,” said Fujio Mitarai, chair of the Tokyo Games’ Additional Event Programme Panel. “We firmly believe that by connecting with youth, bringing to life Olympic Agenda 2020 and the Tokyo 2020 vision, our proposal constitutes the best possible package.” Bowling was a demonstration sport at the 1988 Summer Games in Seoul, Korea. Asian bowlers reaped the rewards of bowling’s first
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official appearance in an Olympic Games, including a rare gold for host country Korea. Filipina bowler Arianne Cerdena won an even more rare gold for the Philippines, whose athletes had never before won the top award in any Olympic competition. More recently bowling was Kevin Dornberger included in the 2014 Asian Games and the 2015 Pan American Games, but the Olympics have remained elusive. “We have had an image problem,” Dornberger said in USA Today in 2014. “People still see it as a recreation where you have a few beers … but there’s also an elite competitive side, and being in the Olympics would open up incredible opportunities in terms of visibility and appeal.” That’s why the World Bowling delegation made a significant effort to get bowling into the 2020 Games, including two days of presentations in Japan. World Bowling highlighted the sport’s mix of performance and participation, its ability to reach new audiences and the sport’s high visibility and appeal to Japanese audiences. "Japan is our secondlargest member federation, behind the United States, in terms of participation,” said Dornberger. “Twelve million Japanese bowl regularly. It is a sport that is part of their culture." The delegation was comprised of Dornberger and several other representatives from World Bowling plus Tsutomu Takebe, president of the Japan Bowling Congress, Jason Belmonte, the world champion professional bowler, and Japan’s world youth champion Shion Izumune. After the presentations, Belmonte spoke to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation about the
INDUSTRY NEWS motivating influence of the Olympics. "No matter what public opinion is of [a] particular sport, once you're in the Games, it's an automatic ‘we have to take this seriously now because people are representing our country at the Olympics,’ " he said. The World Bowling delegation also pointed out the sport’s popularity with girls and women from the Southeast Asian and Middle East regions where participation of women in sport is relatively low. Dornberger said “Bowling is one of the most practiced sports among girls and women in Southeast Asia and the Gulf region, making it a gateway for women’s participation in sport.” World Bowling plans additional initiatives to foster youth participation in bowling,
especially for girls. Youth development is currently handled by individual federations, because cultural differences dictate that different norms call for different methods. “World Bowling will encourage equal opportunity for female youth to participate and learn,” said Dornberger. “In many countries, female participation in sport is quite limited.”
Los Angeles Bid Offers Hope Olympics watchers know that the city of Los Angeles recently jumped into the bidding process for the 2024 Summer Games. Given that bowling is more popular in America than anywhere else in the world, would a successful bid mean a return for bowling in a Los Angeles games? “We would have to convince Los Angeles that bowling would be good for the LA Games and a smart choice on their part,” said Dornberger. IOC rules prohibit bidding groups from lobbying for or against any particular sport, so the Los Angeles group was unable to comment. However, with bowling more popular in America than in any other country, bowling could have a good shot with a Los Angeles Summer Games. America also offers a big pool of young potential Olympians, which is important to the IOC agenda. According to a 2015 survey by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association, 23.7% of Americans who bowl at least once a year are aged 6-17 years; they also have the highest participation rate of all demographic groups. A lot has to happen before the IOC announces the 2024 host city in September 2017. So keep holding a good thought for Los Angeles. With a little luck, bowling could soon get another good chance to go for the gold. ❖
Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.
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BUSINESS
GameTruck rolls in video games, you roll in customers. By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson owling center operators can now offer customers a wide array of interactive entertainment options without a major investment in new equipment thanks to an innovative service called GameTruck. GameTruck brings quality mobile entertainment to operators’ doorsteps, creating an inviting environment for customers seeking entertainment options. “GameTruck adds a blend of state of the art video games to a bowling center by adding an interactive component to any event,” states Scott Novis, CEO and founder of GameTruck. “By adding the video game theater to the mix, owners can in essence extend their party room capacity by selling video game parties. For a fraction of the cost of building out an arcade style room, owners can increase the utility of their space by having parties scheduled back to back, thus generating revenue during what would normally be ‘drive time’ getting from party to party.” GameTruck offers a premier party experience for both adults and children in a multiplayer, interactive environment accommodating at least 16 players. Self-powered, climate-controlled GameTruck trailers are equipped with four to eight flat-screen HDTVs, comfortable seating, enhanced sound systems, all the major video game consoles (XBOX360®, Nintendo Wii™ Scott Novis
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and Playstation®) and a selection of more than three dozen of the latest multiplayer video games. Laser tag is also available in some areas. Quality obstacles and precision taggers keep players active and engaged while promoting positive gameplay and teamwork. Professional GameCoaches encourage cooperation, teamwork and competition as guests play with and against each other to keep play fair, positive and fun. Founded in 2006 by Novis in Tempe, AZ, GameTruck was inspired by traditional video arcades. GameTruck brings modern games and consoles together with the social atmosphere of arcade gaming. “The most important thing about bringing a game theater to a bowling center is to overcome the objection, ‘I would have stayed home if I wanted to play video games,’" notes Novis. “You need to emphasize and market the types of experiences they can only have in your theater environment. The successful stores blend the familiar with the unique. For example, most patrons know how to play x game, but they can't play it with 15 friends in their house.” GameTruck can add to a bowling center’s business. “Unlike a cabinet which must be completely replaced, a game theater only needs new copies of a few games to continue to provide new entertainment,” Novis points out. “The video game business is constantly evolving, so the content stays fresh but we also keep old favorites. What's more, by packaging food with video games, owners can extend the revenue generating capability of their footprint. Owners can
BUSINESS blend digital and real events for a new breed of entertainment. Finally mobile gives the owners the ability to extend into their surrounding neighborhoods.” A bowling center with an aging arcade might be interested in the GameTruck concept both for the lack of maintenance and for content. “The best interactive content has moved to consoles and portable devices,” states Novis. “This has forced traditional arcades back into ‘carnival’ style activities which typically have a mechanical component requiring service. A GameTruck video game theater recaptures the feeling of the arcade.” Novis notes that most bowling centers team up with a GameTruck franchise owner/operator. GameTruck began franchising in 2008 and has experienced continuous growth since, with 100 units serving 25 states in the United States. GameTruck was recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as a stand out franchise business in their list of Franchise 500 in January 2013 (#218) and was named the #7 Top New Franchise in the March 2013 issue and the #55 Top Home Based Franchise in the April 2013 issue. Novis states that GameTruck operates on three core values: “Excitement: Whether we’re bringing customers laser tag, video games, or educational materials, we strive to help people share exciting experiences. By sharing the things we love with others, we help bring communities together and leave them more connected. Respect: GameTruck owners and GameCoaches respect the gamers, parents, and educators that we work with. Through respect we can build a mutual trust and understanding that lets everyone have more fun and strengthens community relationships. Community: We believe that community provides feelings of connectedness, self worth, and happiness. Our goal is to help people build relationships and find the place they belong by using play to bring friends and family together.” GameTruck is contributing to communities through efforts with Make-A-Wish®. “We are extremely proud of the work we did with Make-A-Wish,” said Novis. “Not only
ORMOND LANES ORMOND BEACH, FL (40 LANES)
We congratulate Jerry Isan on his purchase of this fine center and thank Fran Todd for trusting David Driscoll to handle the sale. We wish Jerry and Fran all the best.
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28200 Southfield Rd., Southfield, MI 48076 24
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did we make a considerable financial contribution, but our GameTruck parties helped bring smiles to these children’s faces and helped them escape in our video game world for a few hours, which was priceless.”
Novis enjoys playing Borderlands and Mario Super Sluggers in his free time. He earned dual engineering degrees from Arizona State University, and after being awarded 10 patents in the video graphics hardware industry, he jumped into video game development. After spending a decade guiding Rainbow Studios for THQ, and later Fall Line Studios as a vice president for the Walt Disney Company, Novis founded GameTruck in 2006. While working at Rainbow Studios, Novis came up with the idea for GameTruck. “I saw four trends converge in 2005,” says Novis. “Massive Local Area Network (LAN) stores were exploding in Asia but failing in the US. American gamers wanted to play at home, but arcades were effectively dead. Flat panel displays collapsed in price from $75,000 per screen to $2,400. Honda introduced an
BUSINESS ultra-quiet large capacity portable generator. And finally, more gamers were playing shooters [games] on consoles than PCs.” The cost to obtain a GameTruck franchise ranges between $85,000 $300,000, depending on the amount of territory acquired and the mobile GameTruck has locations in 25 states: Alabama (Birmingham, Huntsville); Arizona (East Valley, North Phoenix); California (Inland Empire, LA/South Bay, Los Angeles, North San Diego, Orange County, Pleasanton, Sacramento, San Jose, South San Diego, West Inland Empire); Connecticut (Middlebury); Florida (Ft. Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Miami, Orlando); Georgia (Atlanta North, Atlanta West); Idaho (Coeur d’Alene); Iowa (Des Moines, Council Bluffs); Illinois (Chicago, Illiana/South Chicago); Indiana (Avon); Massachusetts (Boston); Maryland (Howard County); Michigan (North-East Detroit Metro, Michigan SE); Minnesota (Minneapolis/St. Paul); North Carolina (Charlotte, Triangle); Nebraska (Omaha, Lincoln); New Jersey (Atlantic County, Berkeley Heights/Warren, Cherry Hill, Garwood, Howell, Princeton); New York (Central New York, Long Island); Ohio (Cleveland/Akron, Columbus, Dayton); Oregon (Portland); Pennsylvania (Hershey, Horsham); South Carolina (Columbia, Myrtle Beach); Tennessee (Greater Knoxville, Memphis); Texas (Amarillo, Arlington, Austin, El Paso, Houston, North Houston, Houston SE, Laredo, North Dallas, North Tarrant County, San Antonio); Virginia (Northern Virginia/D.C., Richmond); Washington (Seattle, Spokane).
video theater selection and customization options. Bowling center operators who have a limited arcade or limited space might want to investigate teaming up with a GameTruck franchisee or investing in a GameTruck themselves. For more information on GameTruck call (480) 303-7212 or visit http://www.gametruckfranchising.com. ❖ Pamela Kleibrink Thompson lives in Idaho. In addition to writing, she is a career coach and scenario role player for peace officer training. Pamela worked as a production manager on the Emmy Award-winning animated series The Simpsons, where she bowled regularly with members of the crew. She speaks on career issues at conferences all over the world.You can reach Pamela at PamRecruit@q.com.
www.strikingproducts.com | 1-(330) 518-4726 26
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COVER STORY
ert Sax By Rob
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n 1996 Atlanta, GA, hosted the Olympic Summer Games, which put the international spotlight on the booming city. By 2000 Atlanta had an estimated population of more than 4.1 million, much of it in the sprawling suburbs. It was this burgeoning suburban market that led to the founding of the successful Stars and Strikes chain of family entertainment centers. In 2003, Jack Canouse and Chris Albano were friends and neighbors with young families. Both were frustrated by the lack of attractive family entertainment activities in suburban Atlanta. “There were not a lot of great venues,” Canouse recalls. “Whether it was the mall or the movies, neither of them were the best way for us to spend time with our children.” They reasoned that there was a large group of suburban families that shared their frustration. At the time Canouse, an investment banker, and Albano, an executive for Scientific Atlanta, were looking for a business venture of their own. Over the next year they did a lot of research into the family entertainment concept. There were a few local traditional bowling centers run by AMF and Brunswick but, aside from a single US Play FEC, nothing that truly catered to families. In July 2005, they saw an excellent market opportunity and opened their first FEC dubbed Stars and Strikes. It was more than 50,000 square feet and took up half of a former Walmart store in Cumming, Georgia. They utilized Brunswick’s Build to Bowl program to develop the layout, which took eight months to construct. “We had some surprise moments,” recalls Canouse, “nothing that killed us but it was certainly a learning experience.” Stars and Strikes featured 36 lanes of bowling, a single story laser tag arena, a 4,500-square-foot arcade, a restaurant and sports bar plus rooms for corporate meetings and birthday parties. It was a hit almost from opening day. “I think the day we opened the door to Cumming, the majority of the county that we served arrived on our doorstep,” recalls Albano. “It was really well received by the community and business was strong. So we started looking for the next locations in Atlanta.” The partners felt that there was enough demand for wholesome family entertainment to support between five and ten FECs in their market. They began searching for additional locations and opened their second center in Dacula/Lawrenceville in December of 2007. “The second facility we bought land and built ground up,” says Albano. “Third facility, we bought a building and added to it.”
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COVER STORY
Chris Albano (left) with business partner Jack Canouse.
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COVER STORY The fourth facility was an existing bowling center that they converted to an FEC. Since then they have added a blend of leased and purchased properties with original construction or conversion. As of mid 2015, the Stars and Strikes chain consists of eight locations in the metro Atlanta area with a mix of bowling, games, laser tag and other attractions.
Service, Service, Service Canouse and Albano were new to the FEC business, so it’s not surprising that finding the right people to manage their centers was a challenge at first. Initially they hired bowling people because bowling was the anchor business. Now they focus on
people with “guest service DNA.” “Whether it is the arcade, or the restaurant, or the bowling concourse, it is all about the guest experience,” says Canouse. “So we try and hire people that
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have one of those three backgrounds.” Stars and Strikes’ current staff includes several general managers with extensive experience in BECs and FECs. They also have a number of people that came out of Dave and Buster's and others from the arcade industry. The partners say that the people they hire are the number one influence on the success of Stars and Strikes. “No matter what Chris and I believe and no matter how well we draw it out or explain it, having the right people to implement the product on a daily basis and maintain and better the product is by far the most important thing,” says Canouse. They also believe in continually tweaking Stars and Strikes to
COVER STORY keep pace with trends and customer desires. “I think one thing that became apparent to us really early on in the business is that you can't stand still,” says Albano. “You constantly have to be evolving what you are offering to your guests. So you kind of have to constantly be looking for what's that next thing.” Eric Lindfors, new business director of Brunswick Bowling Products, has worked with Canouse and Albano since their early days. He believes the founders’ corporate experience is one of the reasons for their success. “They have done a good job of hiring talented people and creating a structure to help them control what they have and grow in the future,” he says. They are also willing to try new things, such as their own call center for reservations. “They went to a call center after [opening] three centers,” says Lindfors. “They realized that customers weren’t getting serviced right by
people talking on the phone in front of people standing at the counter.” The call center runs on software from Meriq AB of Sweden, which interfaces with Stars and Strikes’ Brunswick Vector system to manage and allocate inventory. About three years ago, Stars and Strikes upgraded its locations with electronic debit card systems from Embed. The system improves cash control, inventory management and makes the redemption center more efficient. It will
JACK AND CHRIS’ IAAPA PLAY LIST The Stars and Strikes team will attend the IAAPA Expo in Orlando in November. Jack Canouse and Chris Albano are looking forward to getting together again with their Brunswick customer forum group. The group meets semi-annually at IAAPA and BowlExpo. It consists of 15 to 20 proprietors of newer FECs and hybrid centers, who share their experiences as operators. “One of the biggest things for us is, ‘how do you know what your customers want?’ “ says Canouse. “Sometimes the best answer is other people in the industry that have tried something, [and] we share those ideas. We always get [good] brainstorming there.” At the show they will explore new attractions, particularly ropes courses, to see what might be a good fit for their customers. “You can’t stand still,” says Albano. 32
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also allow Stars and Strikes to add the customer loyalty program it plans to introduce in early 2016. “It’s a very simple way to set up [a loyalty program] and put it to use immediately,” said Phil Showler, senior sales director for Embed. For its newest location in Woodstock, Stars and Strikes enlisted Redemption Plus to develop a 600-square-foot redemption store, an alternative to the traditional counter that works well with high volume centers. The goal is to make sure that guests have a great “last impression” of their visit. “You don’t want to blow the game at the buzzer,” says George McAuliffe, chief FEC strategist for Redemption Plus. “You can do [bowling, attractions and food] great and then lose it because the guests had an unsatisfactory experience at the redemption center.” “Chris and Jack are really focused on the guest experience,” said McAuliffe. “As they have grown, they have been able to translate their ethic and create an organization that is really unified and aligned around creating that great guest experience.”
Expanding the Footprint Expect to see future Stars and Strikes locations spring up outside Atlanta. They are currently exploring potential locations within three hours’ drive from the city. In June 2016, they plan to open a new location in Columbus, Georgia. Meanwhile, the population of Atlanta continues to grow; the 2010 census pegged it at 5.2 million. “We feel really good about our footprint in Atlanta, not to say that there couldn't be another Atlanta location” says Canouse. That’s good news for Atlantans seeking family fun and a great customer experience. ❖
Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.
INTRO
According to George f you read the August edition of Beyond Bowling in IBI, you saw the article on where we stand in the life cycle of the BEC industry. If you didn’t catch it, the short version is we are past the pioneers and early adopters and we are now seeing, over time, faster growth as the business model proves worthy. Change is a business imperative in two ways: there is the need to stay on top of the changes in customer behavior and demand, which we might look at as the macro challenge. Then there’s the need to introduce change to our entertainment mix, economically and over time, and which can be a day-to-day challenge. Both ways speak to the need to stay relevant. This is our IAAPA Preview edition of Beyond Bowling. Most operators of bowling entertainment with a few years under their belt know that IAAPA is a valuable and growing resource for staying relevant. The exhibitor list is a who’s who of the FEC and BEC businesses, all showing off their latest products and services. The seminar schedule provides opportunities for more formal learning on relevant topics, almost like a college for entertainment center operators. In a less formal way, just running into fellow operators in the aisles and sharing stories about wins and losses is often worth the trip by itself. You’ll see a preview of some of the upcoming IAAPA highlights in my article inside. If you’re going, I hope it helps you to navigate the amazing variety of attractions and activities. If you are looking at how to stay relevant (read: what to change and how) IAAPA is a great place to be. Enjoy!
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P. S. I’ll be in our Redemption Plus Booth 1034 throughout the show. Stop by and say hello.
George McAuliffe
Chief FEC Strategist, Redemption Plus
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From David’s Desk ‘
is the season for serious fun and games as IAAPA rolls out the red carpet for proprietors, owners and managers in the entertainment industry at its annual Attractions Expo. IAAPA has been around a long time, but bowling is a relatively new addition and is getting a lot of respect and attention. In fact, bowling is the anchor piece for many FECs, as it allows for family competition, time for good eats and knows almost no age limits. These factors have made bowling one of the most sought after capital additions to a new entertainment business. It has also created a reason for traditional bowling centers to consider a BEC model. If you are in the business of traditional bowling and looking for new ways to increase your business revenue, then IAAPA is a must-attend show. There are consultants, designers and banking specialists, all ready to help educate you in the broader FEC and BEC environments. There is smart card technology plus end-user items such as laser tag, redemption arcade games, mini-bowling, and go karts. You will also find the latest in food and beverage options. Take this opportunity to step out of the comfort zone of only bowling in your market place. Catch the fever that is riding high in the entertainment industry and create the buzz in your center. If you have any thoughts of evolving into a new area, IAAPA will give you the tools and the contacts to begin. Hope to see you November 15-20, in Orlando, FL, at the Orange County Convention Center.
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David Garber
Associate Publisher International Bowling Industry
IAAPA PREVIEW
By George McAuliffe
Insider’s Guide to IAAPA 2015 IAAPA, the International Association of Amusement Parks & Attractions, holds their annual mega trade show of all things FEC November 16-20 in Orlando. Here’s a preview of the highlights of the show.
Trade Show BAYTEK GAMES, Booth 1023
Baytek will be showing its newest products along with some of their greatest hits: Big Bass Wheel, Ticket Monster, Dizzy Chicken, and Sink It Shootout, to name a few. They will also show this year’s emerging hit, Grand Piano Keys, which was launched in March and is becoming a “must have” addition to the game mix. Other new games include Hop Star, Full Tilt, and Flappy Bird Merchandiser, along with Tower of Tickets, which is a co-launch with Elaut. A new alley bowler with an innovative lighting package and a great new mechanical ball drop game are both in the works.
BMI, Booth 823
In addition to showing the hottest redemption items, BMI will be exhibiting its automated reorder system (ARS) which syncs with all leading POS systems. The result is the world's most efficient, just-in-time redemption inventory management. Locations utilizing ARS receive on-site set-ups and refreshes, virtual websites depicting digital plan-agrams, which are easily followed for easy merchandising, and much more.
COASTAL AMUSEMENTS, Booth 1323
Make sure you plan plenty of time when you visit Coastal Amusements this year because they are really stepping up
with new redemption products. Their latest ticket redemption game is Pop-A-Ball. This modern-day version of a previous smash hit should be a winner. It’s family friendly, wide age-range appeal, and has a beautiful LEDlighted cabinet with a small footprint. Ticket Typhoon is Coastal’s creative take on the ticket crane, utilizing a vacuum instead of crane claw. It is versatile enough to handle most prize options along with tickets. Coastal will also debut Leap Frog, which challenges the player to ‘stick’ as many frogs as possible onto the rotating log. As the frogs stick to the wheel, the wheel picks up speed adding to the challenge. A “flying ticket” appears at random for an extra bonus. With a 65” high definition LCD display in a hiprofile LED-lighted cabinet, Leap Frog will be hard to miss. Another interesting Coastal piece is The Balloon Game, a carnival-themed videmption piece. It, too, has a 65” high definition LED display. Finally, Sharpshooter has been completely redesigned with a more streamlined cabinet, an upgraded audio package and additional content within the level promoting repeat play.
EMBED/HELIX LEISURE, Booth 1335
One of the leaders in BEC debit card systems, Embed will be showing new tools for entertainment operators. Embed, now part of Helix Leisure, is well into it’s second decade of developing and deploying out-of-home entertainment software and card systems. At this year’s show, they will feature their Smart Touch reader. The company is keeping the feature set close to the vest until show time, but it is a version of the card touch reader recently installed at Dave and Buster’s. Helix also owns LAI Continued on page 40... IBI
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games, another leader in amusement game manufacturing, and is one of the largest game operators worldwide through their Time Zone chain. These three branches create tremendous synergy and help Embed to know and understand their customer in a deep way.
CREATIVE WORKS, Booth 825
Creative Works continues to be a leader in debit card design and game/attraction development for BECs. They will be featuring their suite of attractions and themes, including the latest release of Color Crush. Those who stop by the booth will also learn about how to attend the LaserTAG360 event, a contribution to the education of its customers.
INTERCARD, Booth 1030
Debit card systems are the most powerful tool to enter the amusement game. They provide guest convenience, labor savings, cash control, pricing flexibility, great reporting, and a long list of marketing tools to help drive guest satisfaction and sales in your facility. The other leader in our BEC world, Intercard, is at the forefront of debit card installations in BECs. They will be showing several reader options offering operator flexibility. Be sure to get a download and see the I-3 Reader, ahead of its time as it incorporates RFID and NFC (cell phone read) technology so you are ready when those technologies become commercially feasible in our industry.
LASERTRON, Booth 3006
Lasertron is the leading force in the laser tag world. Lasertron has always been known for its technology, durability, and reliability and innovation. In addition to manufacturing, they have operated one of the most successful laser tag operations in the world in Buffalo, NY, for several decades. They are constantly tweaking their systems and playfields as well as developing new ideas. They recently opened another center in Rochester that is getting high marks for state-of-the-art innovation. A visit to their IAAPA booth will flesh out the details.
LIVE OAK BANK, Booth 1934
Live Oak Bank, a lender that specializes in providing financing solutions to the amusement industry, has a sharp focus on FECs, BECs, bowling centers, roller skating centers, small parks and 40
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water parks nationwide. Ben Jones, a former operator and amusement park industry leader, leads the lending team. Live Oak provides financing for the purchase of new games and attractions, remodeling, expansion, refinancing to improve cash flow or a combination of any of these needs. They are becoming a household word in our industry as they’ve shown their flexibility and understanding of operators borrowing needs.
QUBICAAMF, Booth 1338
QubicaAMF will have their usual presence on the show floor in Booth 137. They will be showing off the brand new coin-operated BES-X system for Highway 66. The BES-X system with its unique features are helping centers reach new customer segments and engage customers on a whole new level. QubicaAMf ties this together with the Suite Spot, which delivers a unique, relaxing, social environment for all to enjoy.
REDEMPTION PLUS, Booth 1034
Redemption Plus has been adding capabilities for years to assist companies beyond just the merchandise. The company has integrated FEC Advisory Services, formerly known as Pinnacle Entertainment Advisors by Redemption Plus, into the mainstream of the company. Our Customer Success team will be in the booth to share insights, products and services to help operators build their business. Having consulted on adding the FEC piece to over 100 bowling centers, we have quite a lot to share.
Educational Seminar Programs IAAPA has so much to offer, and not just on the FEC track. I’ve learned so much over the years from the general education and amusement park presenters; I’d encourage you to check out the whole program at www.iaapa.org/expos/iaapa-attractions-expo/education In the meantime, here are a few highlights of the
program. Be sure to check the link above for dates and times.
Rookies & Newcomers. Originally a mainstay of IALEI, the original FEC association which merged with IAAPA several years ago, this seminar has been honed over a twenty year period. The result is as comprehensive an educational experience as exists in the industry. More than a dozen experts in FEC management share their insights and experiences in how to develop, plan, and run an FEC. This is a one-and-a-half-day program that looks at everything from researching your market to how to conduct day-today operations. It also includes a welcome reception, a behind-the-scenes tour to Dave & Busters in Orlando, a fieldtrip to Fun Spot America, and VIP seating at Monday's Lunch and Learn with Mark Woodbury, president of Universal Creative. Participants receive credit toward an IAAPA Certified Attractions Manager.
methods for recruiting, training and engaging millennials to make a difference in connecting with them. FECs and BECs are challenged to stay relevant. Staying relevant with the millennials will be essential now and in the years to come. � George McAuliffe has operated family entertainment centers from 20,000 to 150,000 square feet as a corporate executive and entrepreneur. He is currently Chief FEC Strategist for Redemption Plus and leads the company’s strategic advisory team. Readers can visit www.grouppinnacle.com for more information or contact George at gmcauliffe@redemptionplus.com and 913-563-4370.
FEC Promotion Roundtable. BECs are a repeat visitation business. This seminar will examine different promotions utilized at several FECs to drive traffic and sales. It will include group discussions of actual promotions in the following categories: best promotion, worst promotion, best VIP program, best holiday promotion, best way to collect customer email addresses and best Facebook/social media promotion.
Seven Star Guest Service: Turn Every Guest into a Fan. Ruby Newell-Legner's client list includes clients in a wide range of industries, including Seven Star hotels. Ruby will share her seven-step process for positive interactions with guests.
Enhancing Revenue Through Entertainment: Millennial Generation. The millennial generation is a growing force in retail entertainment, as customers and staff. This seminar promises to provide IBI
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FEATURE
The Perfect Couple Malco marries the movie business to bowling, and now it’s happily ever after.
By Jim Goodwin t age 11, Ricky Bourgeois took a trip with his family from his home of Morgan City, LA, to Lafayette for a piano festival. While there, the group went bowling, and to the angst of his very musical mom and dad, Ricky discovered that he liked the activity of knocking down pins as much as the one involving ivory keys and clarinets. Today, at 66, he is still bowling, but it has been a while since he played the clarinet or piano. A year after that first game, his family moved to Baton Rouge, and he rode his bike to Circle Bowl where he fell in love with the game. And at age 15, he got his first part-time job with the company he would still be working for a half century later. In March of 2015, The M.A. Lightman Company celebrated its 100th anniversary. The dynamic entertainment company is known as Malco. To commemorate the occasion, the Coca-Cola Corporation commissioned an oil painting that was presented at Malco’s corporate office in Memphis. Officials from Coca-Cola’s Atlanta headquarters were there and said that there were only two companies that have been their customer for 100 years. One is the Greyhound Bus Company; the other is Malco. Malco now operates 35 movie theaters with 350 screens in six
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southern states and is well- known and respected as one of the pioneers of that industry. M.A. Lightman, Sr., opened his first theater in Sheffield, AL, in 1915 during World War I. In 1955, when the movie business slowed with the advent of television, Malco expanded into the bowling business, opening two centers in Memphis, before automatic pinsetters. The bowling chain grew to 13 at one point. Today, Malco operates five centers, and has plans
The Malco executive team from left to right: David Tashie, Stephen Lightman, Jimmy Tashie and Bobby Levy.
for more of its new Premier Lanes model, hybrid centers featuring bowling, movies, food and games all under one roof. Rick Bourgeois is Malco’s vice president of bowling operations. After college he accepted a full-time management position, and celebrated his 43rd year with the company this year. Today, Malco’s bowling division operates two traditional bowling centers – Circle Bowl in Baton Rouge and Acadiana Rick Bourgeois Lanes in Lafayette, plus two new Premier Lanes Family Entertainment Centers with movie theaters in Gonzales, LA, and Oxford, MS. A new Premier FEC is coming to Broussard, LA, in 2016. Acadiana Lanes will get a major remodel as well. “I grew up with the third generation owners of Malco, and my wife Gail and I are godparents to three of the fourth generation owners,” said Bourgeois. “It is a great family business. And every day, the prospect of building new facilities and training younger staff people to get excited about this business is important to me.”
Movies and Bowling – Together at Last Years ago, Bourgeois and his management team tried crossmarketing a couple of their bowling centers with the movie theaters, but the experiment found little success. At the time, league–based business was going well, so the incentive to find new revenue streams was not strong. But about 10 years ago, when league business began to decline, the idea of putting movies and bowling under the same roof started to make more sense. After attending the first BPAA-sponsered FEC conference in 2011, two of Malco’s bowling center managers, Stuart Moss and Zach Lightman, greatgrandson of the company founder, convinced Bourgeois to reevaluate construction plans for a new FEC in Gonzales. “We had seen a couple of articles about other movie chains branching out into the bowling business, and after that conference, Stuart and Zach were very excited about the prospect of putting lanes and movies together. Our new location started to look like a good fit. Gonzales had never had a bowling center, and its only movie theater had closed 30 years earlier, so we changed the plans.” In December 2012, Malco opened its first Premier Family Entertainment Center in Gonzales. It is 42,000 square feet with 20 standard lanes, a six-lane boutique called the Ascension Zone, named after the parish where the center is located. It also features the Spin Zone bumper cars, Funovation Stuart Moss 44
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laser maze, and Prize Palace redemption store. In 2014, Malco’s 35th movie theater with 11 movie screens and seating for 1,600 was added to the building, making the total facility 80,000 square feet. In May 2015, the second Premier FEC was opened in Oxford, MS. This 72,000-square-foot location has 14 standard lanes, six VIP lanes, Prize Palace and Funovation laser maze, plus a large outdoor area with patio furniture and bocce courts. The movie theater has eight screens and 1,600 seats, plus a ninth outdoor auditorium that can be used during pleasant weather. The food and beverage operation in the Premier FEC centers is also greatly enhanced, starting with well-trained food and beverage managers. Kitchens are in the 1500-2000-square-foot range with walk-in coolers and freezers. Kitchens contain multiple pizza ovens and plenty of storage and food prep areas. Food is served on the lanes and servers are trained to emphasize that some items take longer because they are made fresh after order. Electronic paging systems are on every pair of lanes to insure good service. One of the key secrets to success of this new FEC bowling and movie model is proximity. Two different businesses under the same roof inspire a completely new way of marketing. If movie customers see other forms of entertainment under the same roof, they take notice. If there is a wow! factor and a friendly sales team in place to greet them and answer questions, it is natural they will return to the location to bowl, see a movie, or play games , or (hopefully) all of the above.
The Walmart concept comes to bowling Walmart took one-stop-shopping to a new level. Hybrid entertainment centers like Premier and a few others are doing the same for family entertainment. Customers love the idea of getting various types of fun and entertainment under the same roof, and Malco is in the unique position of having expertise and experience in America’s two most popular forms of family pastime – movies and bowling. This gives them a distinct advantage over anyone thinking of getting into either bowling or the movie business without knowing the nuances of the operations. According to Bourgeois, there have been a few new ventures in other places that failed because they simply did not recognize that each business is unique, and there are secrets of melding them together that only experience can provide. “You can’t just open up one of these places without a great understanding of how to blend these businesses together,” said
Community Involvement Is the Key
Bourgeois. “First, you have to have very well-trained staff and sales teams that know the business. For example, you can run a movie theater with only a manager and one or two others, but when you add bowling, food and beverage and games, it becomes a very different business. That is why we don’t go out and just start building several at a time. It takes careful planning, the right location, and most of all good and well trained sales and operations teams.” Since launching the Premier FEC model, Malco’s bowling division has seen revenues jump substantially. “Without getting into exact numbers, our Premier customers probably spend two to three times as much per visit as a traditional lanes customer,” said Bourgeois. “And we are getting a lot of new customers that have not bowled before.” Of course, operating costs, training, and construction costs are higher. But not many businesses can virtually reinvent a new model that can double or triple gross revenue.
Movie Marketing Brings New Bowlers Anyone who operates traditional bowling centers knows that marketing is a tough challenge, and very few bowling centers have big advertising budgets. With the bowling and movie model, Malco may have found a magic formula that can generate thousands of new bowling customers. “Historically, a bowling facility rarely has the marketing dollars needed to bombard the public enough to get a response or an identity, but the movie industry spends billions to drive traffic to see a movie,” said Bourgeois. “When those patrons go to see the current blockbuster, our team will stand ready to meet the scrutiny of an interested customer, give them the wow! factor when they come through the door, greet them and answer questions, and have a variety of venues for them to enjoy.” 46
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According to Bourgeois, Premier FECs are an entertainment destination for a 100-mile radius. Malco managers and sales representatives join the chambers of commerce of all towns in that radius and attend events like ribbon cuttings, luncheons and fundraisers. They join and work with the Better Business Bureaus. They join Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs and volunteer to become officers of these groups. They spend more time outside the centers promoting than they do inside. Within the centers, managers departmentalize by putting someone in charge of each area: food and beverage, redemption and party operations, making sure things run smoothly whether they are in the facility or promoting in the community. A couple examples of longevity and company loyalty on Malco’s bowling management team are Jason Kokenge and Marc Pater. Both were hired by Bourgeois in the early 80s and both are still enjoying the business every day. Kokenge is the general manager of Acadiana Lanes in Lafayette, and Pater is the area manager in Baton Rouge. These days, Kokenge is getting geared up for the major remodeling project coming to his center next year. Pater makes his office at 32-lane Circle Bowl, which will be the lone traditional, league-based center left in the Malco chain after the Acadiana facelift. Working alongside Bourgeois for more than 30 years, Pater has seen a lot of history in the region and within the company, and he is an example of the community and industry involvement that makes it all work so well. He spends some of his time working in the community with the Kiwanis Club and other activities, and he has been the Louisiana State BPAA executive director since 1986. Circle Bowl still enjoys more than 800 league bowlers, but Pater recognizes the changing marketplace, and embraces both the sport and casual sides of the business. “You have to give people what they want in this business,” said Pater. “The new things that are happening in our industry and within our company are all good. For one thing,
the next generation of owners and people on the theater side of Malco are looking at the bowling side of our company in a different way. And all of us are very excited about Malco’s future in the family entertainment business.” Malco outsources many of its human relations tasks and employs Trainertainment. Beth Standlee, chief sales officer and president of Trainertainment, says she is very impressed with Malco’s concept of blending bowling with the movie business to create a new type of FEC. “It's an amazing concept,” said Standlee. “We were pulled in to help open their facility with an FEC mindset that added to their knowledge of the bowling business. As a result of the systems we put in place, they [Malco] were able to hold 600 birthday parties in the first four months of business. To me, the marriage with the theater business is genius. I believe the foot traffic alone easily insures that open play part at the FEC. Rick and his team are terrific to work with, and we hope to have the opportunity to work on many more projects in the future.”
Innovation Works Every Time
Where does it all go from here? With great people like Rick Bourgeois and fourth-generation family members already involved, it looks like Malco may be in the movie and bowling business for another 100 years. Company founder Morris A. Lightman would be proud. ❖
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.
“One thing I can say for sure about Malco is that we have never been complacent about anything,” said Bourgeois. “We have always been in expansion mode, continuously upgrading operations with the latest technology in movie sight and sound, and this philosophy has been passed down to each generation of ownership and to my division of the company.” This innovation philosophy goes all the way back to the 1920s, when Vitaphone and Movietone Sound systems were added to the theaters when ‘talkies’ first started, according to Malco Theaters marketing director Karen Scott. “After M.A. Lightman’s death in 1958, the company passed to second generation owners M.A. Lightman, Jr., Richard Lightman and Herbert Levy. They are the ones who added bowling to the company in 1955 to hedge against declining theater attendance due to the emergence of television. In 1970, the partners began building multiplescreen theaters, including the Ridgeway Four in East Memphis which became the location of Malco’s corporate headquarters,” said Scott. Today, it has been fully remodeled and has been re-named The Ridgeway Cinema Grill featuring luxury seating and an expanded food and wine menu. Scott goes on to say, “In 1996, the business passed on to third-generation owners and family members Stephen Lightman, Jimmy Tashie, and Robert Levy. This group built the first stadium-seating megaplexes, beginning with the 20-screen Majestic Cinema in 1997, featuring THX and Dolby sound systems and the first digital projection auditoriums in the nation.” IBI
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INTERESTING INTERVIEW
By George McAuliffe
A Few Minutes with Jack Canouse and Chris Albano At Stars and Strikes, it’s all about family entertainment.
Editor’s Note: Stars and Strikes currently operates eight BECs in the Atlanta market. See this month’s cover story for more on the company.
1. How did you get your start in the business? Jack: Chris and I moved into the same neighborhood in the same week in June of 1996. At the time I was an investment banker. Chris was in the corporate world with Scientific Atlanta. We became friends. Chris: We shared Thanksgiving in the mountains of North Carolina every year and in 2003 we started bouncing around ideas for a business together. We both had young families and realized there was a market demand for family entertainment. We found bowling, connected with Brunswick, and the rest is history.
2. How did the company develop? Jack: Our first location was in Cummings, GA, a few miles north of where we lived. We signed a lease on half of a Wal-Mart store, 51,000 square feet, in 2004 and opened in July 2005.
same year we signed leases on our second and third locations. Once we got to three [centers], that gave us the scale to support corporate overhead and feed both families. Chris Albano (left) with business partner Jack Canouse. 3. What do you see as the key to the success of the model? Chris: Part of our success is that our early growth was at a slower pace. That allowed us to develop the team to execute a consistent product, the Stars and Strikes experience. Jack: That’s really it. Our team works real hard on consistency. When you’re entertaining people, the standard is high. I’d add geography as a factor. Being in the Atlanta market, Chris and I know the majority of our 600 employees on a first name basis. This creates long term employees and allows our team to grow professionally as we add locations.
4. Can you boil it down to the top three factors for your success? Chris: First is customer service: you can play games in other places, they serve food in other restaurants, but it’s the service where you can distinguish yourself.
Chris: After the first week we knew we were onto something. We liked the performance, saw the customer delight and demand, and we immediately began looking at other markets.
to get stale or run down. It’s very critical to stay up to date. The regular customers appreciate improvements in “their place.”
Jack: We kept our day jobs for the next two-plus
Chris: Third has to be great value. When we started a movie cost
years. Chris officially retired from SA in 2007, the 48
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Jack: I’d rank reinvestment as second. We don’t allow our product
$5-6. It’s now at $11 in our market. Stars and Strikes has maintained
entertainment value at a consistent price, and we’re always looking at the value equation. 5. What are the next phases for Stars and Strikes? Your vision for the next five years? Jack: We are working now to finalize our ninth location in Columbus, GA. As we continue to grow the company, we’re open to other locations in the Southeast. Chris: We want to stay within a reasonable drive time of home. We don’t have a specific goal in terms of numbers, but with great investor and banking partners onboard, and our management team, we’ve got the foundation for growth
6. How do you handle the adult vs. family customer segments? Are there conflicts? Chris: At Stars and Strikes, we are family first. Family means children and adults; we want everyone to feel welcome. We do corporate and other adult groups, league bowling, and so on, but our approach is family first. Jack: That doesn’t mean we design the atmosphere for
kids. Kids perceive quality surroundings too. The parents certainly do. We think “higher end” in our design package but we don’t think that is choosing adults over the kids.
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Higher end benefits all. There’s no downside. 7. Any other wisdom you care to share for our readers? Jack: The most incredible thing for us is the wide appeal of the product, from a youth group to a senior social event. We believe every person out there is a potential customer. With that wide of an audience, focusing on execution pays off. Before we got in the business Chris and I rarely bowled. Now we’re league bowlers! Chris: Our centers are a venue for social interaction. In today’s fast-paced world, people, especially families, need a place they can get together and have fun. You can’t talk to your children and coworkers in a movie theatre, but you can socialize over a game of bowling, laser tag, or a meal.
George McAuliffe has operated family entertainment centers from 20,000 to 150,000 square feet as a corporate executive and entrepreneur. He is currently Chief FEC Strategist for Redemption Plus and leads the company’s strategic advisory team. Readers can visit www.grouppinnacle.com for more information or contact George at gmcauliffe@redemptionplus.com and 913-563-4370.
SHOWCASE
SMART CARD TECHNOLOGY
Embed announces that its hard work is paying off with new products that answer the pleas of operators. A testimony to this is the completed work with Dave & Buster’s, using Embed’s latest smartTouch™ debit card reader. It allows for a remarkable amount of interactivity with guests. Embed is very excited to display smartTouch™ and more at IAAPA Expo, Booth #1335, plus other shows coming up in the spring of 2016. Guests will be able to check out readers that display both an Insert and a Tap function. A customer can insert his card and pull it out to start a game or leave it in for more functions. For the Tap version, placing a card against the reader will access the functions. For more information about Embed, please contact sales@embedcard.com or call 469-521-8000.
FAMILY REDEMPTION GAMES
Coastal Amusements, located in Lakewood, NJ, is a leading manufacturer of redemption games. For 27 years, Coastal has designed and built some of the most innovative games in the coin-op industry. Top hits such as Simpson’s Soccer, Temple Run, Temple Run 2, Subway Surfers and Spinout have become staples for FECs over the years due to the high popularity and great licensing of these ticket redemption games. Black Hole, which debuted at IAAPA 2014, is a true skill redemption game where the player has total control. It has been having tremendous success and the demand for the game keeps increasing. The smaller footprint, excellent earnings and replay value have made this game extremely popular with operators and customers alike. For information on Black Hole or any of Coastal Amusements’ games, contact Patrick Mills at 732-905-0294 or go to www.coastalamusements.com.
FULL-SERVICE THEME CREATOR
CASH MANAGEMENT SOLUTIONS
Intercard, Inc., a leader in cash management solutions for the amusement industry, is having a record year for its number of site installations in the U.S. Through Sept. 2015, the company has completed 86 installations in the U.S. and Canada, which is more than 20% above the full-year record posted in 2014. The growth is coming from Intercard’s full spectrum of clients—from single-site operators to large, multiunit businesses—who desire to use technology to improve their businesses’ efficiencies, reporting and bottom line. Intercard delivers those benefits with products and support that allow for using additional and newer technology as it becomes available. For example, the i3 Reader is the only reader on the market that can accept three different payment methods: magnetic stripe; RFID proximity cards/wristbands; and smartphones. For more info, go to www.intercardinc.com or call 314-275-8066.
Creative Works, Inc., the industry’s one-stop source for attractions, effects, décor and more, began over 18 years ago with a strong mission to deliver the WOW Eeffect to its clients. As a family company, Jeff Schilling and his “theme team” began as a laser tag supplier for themed arena playing fields. Today, they remain the largest provider of laser tag experiences for the amusement industry. Complementing Creative Works’ portfolio is its built-to-last miniature golf courses, as well as its line of small box arcade attractions. One of those, the Lazer Frenzy laser maze, was awarded the best new product for amusement centers. Other games include Atomic Rush and Color Crush. Each with its own unique and entertaining twist, the games take up very little room but produce big results from an ROI perspective. Visit www.theWOWeffect.com or call 317-834-4770.
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SHOWCASE
GAMES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES
Grand Piano Keys (GPK) is taking center stage this year for Bay Tek Games, Inc. The game’s presence is sure to grab attention with the simple, intuitive play that has an addictive feel. Standard as a 2-player game, it allows for excellent social interaction and competition. This is something families are looking for, a way to unplug from tablets and smart phones and engage each other in competitive game play. Simply strike the large novelty keys that match the colored squares on the 60” monitor. The faster and more accurate, the more tickets you win. Play for fun, challenge a friend, try to beat the high score or just enjoy the multiple tunes programed into the game. No matter what, it is a crowd pleaser. For more info, go to www.baytekgames.com.
MINI BOWLING ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEMS
QubicaAMF provides the perfect combination of bowling and mini bowling attractions to suit any budget, help attract more customers and drive business. The new Highway 66 delivers the ultimate in state-of-the-art, on-lane entertainment with BES X, the only bowler entertainment system, and features eight new and exciting themes to “wow” customers and maximize overall experience. The Suite Spot™, the ultimate attraction to maximize group and party business, combines the new Highway 66 mini bowling with BES X—now in coin-op version—coordinated with the reconfigurable Harmony Furniture line in a themed environment. The result: a unique, turnkey attraction designed to accommodate and entertain groups of any size or age. To see the new Highway 66, The Suite Spot and the coin-op version of BES X, visit IAAPA Booth #1338 or go to www.qubicaamf.com.
SUPER GAME ROOMS
Redemption Plus will be at IAAPA in Booth #1034. Here is their invitation to you: What powers you? We want to talk to you about your super powers. What do you do to deliver a memorable guest experience to everyone who walks through your doors? We found that gaining alignment through a shared purpose has given Redemption Plus super powers that have allowed us to develop initiatives, such as our new GameChanger Training Experience, which gives back to the community. So we want to know: do you fight
LASER TAG SYSTEMS
LASERTRON’s LT-12 Game System, LED Illuminated Arenas, and Cyber Sport will be represented at IAAPA this year. The LASERTRON team and their products will be in Booth #3006. LASERTRON produces high-quality products designed to last 10+ years. All clients receive a lifetime warranty on the durable, plastic arena parts, a lifetime warranty on the phaser cords and a 3-year warranty on the batteries. No other laser tag or arena manufacturer can offer such a turnkey, reliable package. For over 12 years, LASERTRON has offered free entertainment center conferences at its location in Buffalo, NY. The LASERTRON team and other industry speakers have shared a wealth of information. The education and networking opportunities benefit existing clients, as well as new clients. The next conference will be in May of 2016 at the Rochester location. Visit the booth to find out more or go to www.laser-tron.com or contact Ann Kessler at 800-897-8766, ext. 314.
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the crimes of bad customer service, evil product mixes and wicked dysfunctional games? If you stop these crimes right in their tracks, we think you deserve special recognition. Come by our booth and be transformed into what you really are…a super hero! You can also share your super powers with us on social media with the hashtag #PoweredByPurpose.
SHOWCASE
SOCIAL MEDIA
Want to drive more people to your business? eBowl.biz gives you the tools to function in today’s marketing world. Get more four and five star reviews of your business with eBowl.biz’s Social Media Monitoring service. You will receive all of your online reviews from a dozen social media sites including Yelp, TripAdvisor, and Google+. Proven to increase your good reviews! For more information, call 541-549-0999 or visit www.eBowl.biz.
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LOAN SOLUTIONS
Live Oak Bank is a lender specializing in providing loan solutions to industries such as FECs that have often faced challenges obtaining business financing. As an FEC or small parks owner, imagine speaking to a lender who understands your business model. From miniature golf to roller skating rinks to bowling centers, and from gokarts to waterparks, Live Oak Bank provides financing for expansion, remodeling, new construction, acquisition, succession planning and refinancing. Its team of FEC experts and lending specialists will become trusted partners helping you to discover unique opportunities to grow your business and achieve your dreams. Call 910-758-2035 or go to www.liveoakbank.com.
ECBCC SPECIAL AD SECTION
Dear Bowling Industry, Due to Category 4 Hurricane Joaquin, the East Coast Bowling Centers Convention was cancelled. At the time of the decision, Governor Chris Christie of New Jersey, as well as governors from three other surrounding states, had declared a state of emergency ahead of the severe weather surrounding Hurricane Joaquin. After much deliberation and concern for the safety of the attendees, exhibitors and staff, the decision was made to cancel by convention committee. We appreciate all the support for this very difficult decision and for the support for the ECBCC which you have shown each year. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused you. During the month of November, ECBCC will be promoting show specials from the various exhibitors. Please visit www.eastcoastbowl.com for more information coming soon. Further, International Bowling Industry magazine has created a special advertising section for the exhibitors that were affected by the cancellation. We encourage you to take advantage of any special offers within the ECBCC section. Again, ECBCC wants to thank the sponsors and exhibitors for their understanding and support. THE EAST COAST BOWLING CENTERS CONVENTION will return to The Golden Nugget in Atlantic City in 2016! We look forward to welcoming you all. So, mark your calendars NOW for October 24-26, 2016!
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PROFILE
It’s good to be Mark Pater, who has spent his entire career in the bowling business.
we can use in our centers, and why not do it while we are also enjoying a nice trip?”
A Bowling Lifetime
By Jim Goodwin
O
n Saturdays in the fall, you will find Marc Pater and his wife Sharon tailgating outside football stadiums with 30 or 40 of their close friends, enjoying the annual ritual before Louisiana State University games, and watching their beloved Tigers go into battle. Pater, 55, has been an area manager for the M.A. Lightman Company, Malco, since 1990. Pater started his tenure at Malco as a mechanic and pinchaser while at LSU from 19791983. Today, the tailgate parties are just another way to stay involved with the community and network with folks who enjoy the movies and bowling that Malco offers. In 2011, Pater and his group leased a bus and took the football tailgate party to the parking lot of the International Bowling Campus in Arlington Texas. LSU was playing Oregon at AT&T Stadium, and Pater saw it as an opportunity to show off bowling’s world headquarters to his football friends. The IBC is only a few blocks from the stadium. “Most of them had never been there, and they were extremely impressed with the Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum,” said Pater. “Rich Cairns and his wife were our hosts, and we had a great time at the campus and at the game.” LSU won the game, but bowling won the day. This year, Pater took the group all the way up to New York for the LSU vs. Syracuse game, and again, he found a way to tie the trip to bowling. “In New York, we visited Jack Moran’s bowling center to see his improvements, and we took a side trip to Rochester to see LASERTRON and visit with Ann Kessler,” said Pater. “There is always something to learn that 64
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Marc Pater has been around bowling his entire life. Originally from New Iberia, LA, he grew up watching his parents and older brothers bowl, and he took up the sport at age eight. “My folks bowled in the Schlitz Beer league at Cajun Lanes in New Iberia, and I was in the nursery there ‘til I was old enough to join the AJBC junior leagues,” said Pater. Pater’s dad worked at the Ashland Chemicals plant in New Iberia, and in 1983, Marc earned a chemical engineering degree from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette. The job market was soft, and he was offered a co-manager position with his junior league friend Jason Kokenge to manage Malco’s new Acadiana Lanes, which opened in 1984. He accepted, and he has never looked back. Neither did Kokenge; he is still managing that center today, and getting ready for a major remodel in 2016. In 1986, Pater was asked to take over the ailing Plank Bowl in Baton Rouge with Stuart Moss as his assistant manager. They changed the name to Metro Bowl, and made many improvements that saved the business. In 1990, Pater moved over to nearby Circle Bowl to work with manager Sue Broud and become the area manager. Moss was named general manager of Metro. Circle and Metro enjoyed good business for many years, but in recent times, Malco’s director of bowling Ricky Bourgeois and his management team realized that the traditional league-based center model was no longer working as well as it should. In 2012, Malco took its first step into the FEC business by building Premier Lanes in Gonzales, LA, just southwest of Baton Rouge. In 2014, when movie theaters were added to the new project, Metro was closed and Moss became the general manager at Premier. “To be honest, we wondered how many movie customers would just go to the movies and not bowl, but looking at the numbers, we now know that it definitely works. The spike in bowling revenue after we added movies is amazing,” said Pater. In 2015, Malco opened its second Premier location in Oxford, MS, near the corporate offices in Memphis. The Oxford FEC is
PROFILE managed by Zach Lightman, great-grandson of company founder Morris Lightman. Zach was trained by Pater and Moss, and represents the fourth generation of the Lightman family business, founded in 1915. In 2016, the third Premier bowling and movie center will open in Broussard, LA.
30 years serving BPAA, the Sport, and Other Centers Malco believes in the BPAA mission of sharing information, technology and ideas. Bourgeois has groomed all of his managers to think and promote not just within their own centers, but in their communities and with long-term goals. Pater has enjoyed the freedom that this philosophy brings, and he has enthusiastically accepted the responsibility that also comes with it. In 1986, he was asked to take over as secretary for the Louisiana Bowling Proprietors Association. He eventually became the executive director of LBPA, and 2016 will mark his 30th year on the job. “I have to give credit to Ricky [Bourgeois] and Malco for allowing me the time it takes to do that work,” said Pater. His duties include keeping the books for the group that now serves 30 centers, trips to Arlington and Bowl Expo where he meets with BPAA officials and other executive directors, and making sure centers have everything they need for shared promotions. “My executive director job changed completely when John Berglund came to BPAA,” said Pater. “Before, we talked about things like the scoring controversy, long and short oil, and problems with the USBC. Berglund changed the focus and brought new costsaving programs in to partner with vendors. Today, it is called Smart Buy, and it has had a major impact on state association budgets, and it has cut our costs in many areas. It is the best program I have seen. It more than pays for membership dues.” Other Pater success stories include management of one of the best high school bowling and Grand Prix Scholarship programs in the nation, and a very successful run with the National Family Tournament, now called the All American Family Tournament. “I met with Texas director Jack Martin in 1998 about the Grand Prix Program, and our board approved it immediately. We appointed Stuart Moss administrator and he is still doing that job today,” said Pater. “The program has raised over $1.25 million and paid out more than $600,000 in scholarships to Louisiana youth bowlers.” Bourgeois is the commissioner of the Louisiana varsity high school bowling program, and Pater was very involved in organizing it as well. Today, it is one of the best programs in the country, with more than 100 teams from 70 schools. In 2012, the United States held its Open Championship Tournament at the Baton Rouge Convention Center, and the Malco team was instrumental in its success, especially in organizing opening events like Strike Out Hunger Celebrity Challenge that drew a sell out crowd and raised over $30,000 for the local food bank in one day. It was a spin-off of a special “Bowl-A-Palooza,” a pro am-designed program developed years earlier to get open play customers involved in a PWBA tournament. 66
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From the left: Jason Kokenge, Stuart Moss, and Marc Pater, all of whom have worked for over 30 years for Malco, tailgating at an LSU game.
Excited About The Future Pater has seen a lot in his long career, but what comes next may prove to be the best chapter of all as his company builds more FECs and he gains more knowledge of Malco’s primary movie business combined with bowling. “We are still learning how to capture those movie customers because different movies bring in different types of customers, so we have to have a bigger and well-trained sales staff to make them bowlers as well.” But Pater and Bourgeois and their team also believe they have a small advantage because of their company’s 100-year history with movies and more than a half century in bowling. “I think some others in the movie or the bowling business don’t understand as well as we do that bowling is a sport as much as it is a game or just family recreation,” said Pater. “It doesn’t take any athletic ability to watch a movie, but it does take a little to bowl, and that is where the challenge comes in. I also think that we still need to have leagues. They will always be a part of the winning formula.” Pater recognizes that he has had a unique opportunity in bowling, and he seems to appreciate that the company and people he has had the privilege to work with have made it very special. “I still enjoy it every day,” he says. “Malco has allowed me to be my own boss, to be the one that makes it happen and to [supervise] places that give people joy and excitement. That is very rewarding. And being with a successful company is also great. I have friends that have had several jobs. I feel lucky and blessed that I have been able to stay with one company and work with many good people for so many years.” ❖
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.
CLASSIFIEDS
WWW.TEXTBOWLING.COM
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CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 24 lanes of used Anvilane Pro (glow) removed from center. LANE ONLY – Foul Line to Pindeck. Does not include approaches, pindecks, or underlayment. Just the lane-only panels. $25,200.00 USD. Located in Dearborn Hts., MI 48125. Ken Smoltz, cell (734) 516-9151. REPAIR & EXCHANGE. Call for details (248) 375-2751. NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.
SELL YOUR CENTER
(818) 789-2695
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
AMF and some BRUNSWICK PC board repair/exchange. 6-month warranty, fast turnaround. Call or write: WB8YJF Service 5586 Babbitt Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054 Toll Free: 888-902-BOWL (2695) Ph./Fax: (614) 855-3022 (Jon) E-mail: wb8yjf@sbcglobal.net Visit us on the WEB! http://home.earthlink.net/~wb8yjf/
FOR SALE: Phoenix Lane Machine, $2,500; 30 lanes Mitsubishi Media Mask, $2,000; Brunswick Rock Worx speakers, large & small, call for pricing; Blacklight Bulbs, bulk purchase only, 50 - $12, 100 - $10; Custom Vinyl Couches, bright multi-colors, like new, $1,000/settee, $500/per; refurbished, like new ZOT Lustre King ball polisher, $3,000; 24 B2000 Hood/Rack, $550; Brunswick & AMF powerlifts, rebuilt $850, as is $550; PhotoStrike Reservation Station; 40 Steltronic monitors, granite case, take all, $1,000 OBO; 42’ Steltronic flat screens; 16 lanes complete Qubica Scoring $2,250; 24 lanes complete Excel Scoring $1,500; HPL Panels, spare panels or complete lanes, call for availability; A2 pinsetters, complete or for parts. Or Make Offer. (719) 251-1616
EQUIPMENT WANTED LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Call (608) 764-1464.
MECHANIC WANTED Experienced 82-70 head mechanic for successful 16-lane center in northern Arizona (Flagstaff). Excellent pay and benefits. More experience = more pay! Please call Ron at (928) 526-1138.
AMF • BRUNSWICK EQUIPMENT COMPLETE PACKAGES WORLDʼS LARGEST NEW – USED SPARE PARTS INVENTORY ALL AMF BUMPER PARTS, XS Q-BUMP, DURABOWL AND GEN II IN STOCK
SEL L
BUY
Danny & Daryl Tucker Tucker Bowling Equipment Co. 609 N.E. 3rd St. Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-4018 Fax (806) 995-4767
Bowling Parts, Inc. P.O. Box 801 Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-3635 Email - daryl@tuckerbowling.com
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SERVICES AVAILABLE Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com. 46-inch Inflatable Bowling Pins. Perfect to Decorate-Market-Promote. Use Code PinSale and save 20% today (expires 1/16). bowlgameops.com.
CLASSIFIEDS
SELL YOUR
CENTER OR EQPT.
FAST!
(818) 789-2695
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
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CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES AVAILABLE ATTENTION!! AMF 82-30s, 3930/4400 chain drive chassis owners: Converting your chassis to 5850 or 6525 chassis is possible!! Call the Chassis Doctor (330) 314-8951.
CENTERS FOR SALE PENNSYLVANIA: 20-lane popular & busy, newly renovated, historic 80-year-old Brunswick center. Includes 20 A pinsetters, auto scoring, and a stage. Just remodeled. In an up-and-coming Pittsburgh suburb. Website with lots of info available. Call (412) 503-3606.
SERVICE CALLS WORLDWIDE • PRE-SHIPS • WE SELL
AS80/90 • BOARD REPAIR • Frameworx NEW KEYPADS • FRONT DESK LCD MONITORS
Michael P. Davies (321) 254-7849
291 Sandy Run, Melbourne, FL 32940 on the web: bowlingscorer.com email: mike@bowlingscorer.com
PROPRIETORS WITH AMF 82-70 S.S. & M.P. MACHINES Save $$ on Chassis & P.C. Board Exchange & Repair! A reasonable alternative for Chassis and P.C. Board Exchanges MIKE BARRETT Call for Price List
Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576
LOCKER KEYS FAST! All Keys done by code # Locks and Master Keys E-mail: huff@inreach.com TOLL FREE
1-800-700-4539
SELL YOUR CENTER
(818) 789-2695
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WESTERN OREGON: 16-lane center in growing small town with high quality of life. Revenue per lane above average and cash flow trending up. Strong state license video poker revenue. A-2s, wood lanes, Qubica scoring, Frameworx seating. Includes real estate. Ken Paton, (503) 645-5630. WESTERN WASHINGTON: 32-lane center in urban area with colleges and military nearby. Strong revenue with upside potential. A-2s, HPL, Frameworx scoring. Real estate includes extensive recent upgrades. Large building with generous parking included. Ken Paton, (503) 645-5630. CENTRAL OHIO: 16-lane profitable Brunswick center with nightly leagues, lounge and snack bar. In fastest-growing and highest-income county in Ohio. Call Debra (740) 369-3451. NORTHERN INDIANA: 20-lane center w/ AMF 82-70s, Brunswick FrameworX returns, Steltronic scoring and synthetic lanes. Also, snack bar with beer & wine license. Call Ken (574) 293-1632. 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. 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. NW KANSAS: 12-lane center, AS-80s, Lane Shield, snack bar, pro shop, game & pool rooms. See pics and info @ www.visitcolby.com or contact Charles (785) 443-3477.
CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE NE ARIZONA: 12-lane Brunswick center, new scoring, room to add 4 more lanes. 14,201-square-foot building. 2.41 ac. Food, & #6 liquor license. Growing area: Hdepot, Lowes, & Super Walmart. Appraisal done. 21,780 cars pass by daily. Family owned 21 yrs. Owner retiring. See Pics at Covey Luxury Properties. Call Bryan (928) 521-2681. NORTHER CALIFORNIA (foothills): 12-lane Brunswick center with pro shop, arcade, and snack & cocktail bars. 22,000 s/f/ in updated building on 2 acres. Room to expand. Fishing, snow & water skiing close by. $999,000. For right situation, owner will carry. Dee Durbin, Bella Real Estate (530) 957-5409. APPRAISALS: LARRY DOBBS MAI, ASA. (214) 674-8187. Bowlingvaluations@yahoo.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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN 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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