CONTENTS
VOL 22.10
THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager
6 ISSUE AT HAND
26 COVER STORY
May I Ask Who’s Calling?
A Smashing Success The Jones Bar Group has been transforming the entertainment life of Leeds, England for 10 years. It’s latest addition, Roxy Lanes, is an industrial-chic venue where bowling is the star.
By Scott Frager
8 SHORTS
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• Bowlmor AMF gets nod from Inc. magazine. • A bowling blind date for 600 in London. • Final frame for Jack Fine, Canadian bowling ambassador. • Paul’s Bar & Bowling makes it to TV’s Food Network.
By Paul Lane
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber garber@bowlingindustry.com
OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com
CONTRIBUTORS Fred Groh Patty Heath Paul Lane Anna M. Littles Robert Sax
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks
40 CENTER STAGE “Drink Slowly, Eat Well, Speak Warmly” No need for perfect etiquette at Punch Bowl Social. It’s all about comfort and fun.
By Patty Heath
By Anna M. Littles
www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424
INTERN Rachel Gale FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)
12655 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com
www.BowlingIndustry.com
14 INDUSTRY NEWS
HOTLINE: 888-424-2695 26
Odds Are Good at the ECBCC
56 REMEMBER WHEN Clorox
The ECBCC partners with Brunswick and QubicaAMF to raffle off big prizes.
1966 By Patty Heath
By Fred Groh
48 Showcase
16 MARKET WATCH/ PICTORIAL
50 Classifieds 55 Datebook
Poland: Bowling Has Arrived Poland came late to bowling but now the industry is positioned for a strike. By Robert Sax
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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 2014, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.
MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:
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THE ISSUE AT HAND
“May I Ask Who’s Calling?” In the course of a month, we each take hundreds of calls. From clients and vendors who do business with us, folks who want to do business with us, staff, family and others. Our ears and brains are miraculously tuned in to identifying the voice on the other end of the phone. It’s all pretty amazing to me considering there are times when my ability to recall names and/or faces seems to be in a constant state of decline. However, there are some voices, names or faces that are plainly and simply unforgettable. It could be the tone, the clarity of speech, the pitch or the cadence of an individual’s voice that is so distinct it remains etched in memory. One of those voices, and faces, is that of Jack Fine, CEO of Bowling Sales of Canada and proprietor of the Bowlerama chain of centers. Jack would only ring my office three or four times a year, and yet everyone on my staff would know instantly who was on the other end of the call. There was never any need to ask, ‘May I ask who’s calling?’ when Jack was calling. Patty, who inevitably would be the first person to answer the ring, would immediately usher Jack’s call to my extension without delay and without announcing who was on the line. There was no need. Jack was a unique man with a wonderfully distinctive voice to match. Jack passed away Aug. 27. He was a true bowling industry ambassador and had served in the Bowling Proprietors Association of Canada and BPAA, among other associations. He operated the largest chain of centers in Canada, owned a leading bowling distributorship and helped bankroll more than a couple of young entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in the bowing business. I got to know Jack when I was a newcomer to this industry almost 22 years ago. He was a
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very gracious and generous man who agreed to a plan to help me distribute IBI magazine to some of the 250+ bowling centers in the Great White North. We’d send the magazine in bulk to his warehouse, and Jack would include a copy of IBI with his customers’ invoices. I used to think Jack agreed to do this because he was an astute businessman who knew the value of how to sell and how to promote. However, the more I think about our little arrangement, the more I believe he did it more as a favor to me, a budding entrepreneur than because it was smart for Bowling Sales of Canada. After all, IBI is filled with Jack’s advertising competitors, including distributors, and I don’t know very many folks who would be willing—or brave enough—to help a competitor get his word out. When I’d see Jack at Bowl Expo, he would always manage to spend a few moments at my booth to chat and ask my opinion about this, that or the other thing happening in the industry. And the more I think about that as well, the more I’m sure Jack wasn’t learning anything more than he already knew. He was politely being generous with his conversation the way an all-star basketball player will pass the ball, and an open shot, to another player on the team. We never spoke on the phone for great lengths of time. Jack wasn’t one to wax on poetically about topics. When he was done, the call was done. That simple. It was always a treat talking to Jack. It didn’t matter if my calendar was overflowing with tasks that day, I always took Jack’s call. And I always tried asking for his thoughts and advice. The more I think about it, the more I realize that I’m going to miss his unique voice just as much as I’m going to miss his words.
– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com
SHORTS
Creative Re-Purposing If you need a summer project, here’s just the trick! You know that old-fashioned, aka retro, bowling ball holder that has been in the equipment room in the back of your center for years? Dave Heeman found one when a Chicago bowling center was being demolished. He rescued it, and, with little imagination, gave it a new life as a very colorful planter. You could do that!
By the way, Dave has a website: Industrial Lion, http://www.industrial-lion.com/.
PEOPLEWATCHING Maple Family Centers president and long-time supporter of veterans John LaSpina has been elected chairman of the BVL (Bowling to Veterans Link) board of directors. LaSpina’s selection marks the first time a BPAA John LaSpina representative will serve as chair. “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m very passionate about the BVL mission,” said LaSpina. BVL “Bowl for Freedom” campaigns are now being conducted in hundreds of bowling centers across the U.S. LaSpina’s own centers have contributed more than $100,000 to BVL. The BVL board also welcomed new USBC appointee Anthony Colangelo, who will replace Darlene Baker, outgoing USBC representative and former BVL BOD chair. Serving on the board for 2014-2015 will be BPAA representative Wally Hall and USBC representatives Marci Williams and Libbi Fletcher. Elaine Hagin (USBC) is a member emerita. 8
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EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS In August, Cedar Bowl reopened as Wild Bill’s Wings & Bowling in North Platte, NE. The new owners, Lonnie and Kelly Parsons and Gary and Chris Suhr, completely remodeled with synthetic lanes, new scoring software, lighting, and couches.
A multi-family project in a Houston master-planned community will feature luxury amenities such as a pool with cabanas, soundproof music practice rooms, and bowling. This gardenstyle luxury complex is being developed by Judwin Properties, Inc., a Houston apartment development company, and is expected to open in the first quarter of 2016. The bowling area will consist of four lanes with a private room for children’s birthday parties. Residents will have to bring their own shoes, but bowling balls will be provided.
32 bowling lanes and a two-story laser tag arena constitute Windsor, CO’s new Summit Entertainment Center. The 50,000-square-foot center opened in August. Besides the lanes and laser tag, a 175-seat Crossroads Tavern and Grille is available for guests, along with a VIP lounge with an additional eight lanes. Billiard tables and 80 games are also offered. The Summit, at present, has 189 employees with plans to grow to about 220 employees. Windsor Economic Development Director Stacy Johnson noted that the project represented years of hard work through partnerships between private developers and the town.
Main Event Entertainment opened its second San Antonio location. This unique “Eat.Bowl.Play” experience has 58,000 square feet incorporating bowling with blacklights, fog and lasers plus multi-level laser tag, a gravity ropes course featuring a swaying bridge, and tightrope walking, all suspended over the game rooms, and billiards and 100 arcade games. There are also a dining area, a full bar and private rooms for birthday parties and corporate events.
Reno is a big bowling town which will get even bowling-bigger. Jamy Kashmiri, owner of the Woolworths Building downtown, will be building out a restaurant and bar with a six-lane bowling boutique which will reside on the basement level. The hope is the bowling and restaurant will jump-start development on the other floors.
Westfield, MA, has been without a bowling center for 14 years. That changed in September with the reopening of Westfield Candlepin Bowling Center. After two years of effort, Ronald Cappa finally completed the center. There is, however, one caveat. The building itself, which Cappa rents, is in jeopardy. Westfield’s long-term redevelopment plans call for it to get torn down and used as parking for an eventual retail redevelopment of the old J.J. Newberry’s site around the corner. “They have been talking about taking the building for 15 years,” Cappa said to Jim Kinney of MassLive.com business news. “The landlord told me to go ahead.”
SHORTS
IN REMEMBRANCE Jack Fine Jack Fine of Bowlerama Ltd., Toronto, Canada, passed away on Aug. 27. A leading ambassador for the bowling industry, Fine took his first bowling center, Bowlerama Lanes, in 1959, and developed it into a 22-center chain which prospers today in several cities across southern Ontario. A tireless promoter of the game and sport, Fine helped found the BPA of Ontario in 1954, and served in a variety of posts, including president of the BPAO and the BPA of Canada, and director of the BPAA. He and Bowlerama Ltd. had a long record of support and sponsorship of the Sport Governing Body and its various programs, plus the 25-year-old Bowlerama Match Play Tournament which is the longest continuously running event of its kind in Canada.
Arthur Wagner Eau Claire, WI, lost bowling proprietor Arthur “Stir” Wagner who, with his brothers, Kenneth (“Budge”) and Chet, owned Wagner’s Lanes and Wagner’s West, now Bowlwinkles. Wagner was a decorated World War II veteran with the rank of colonel and, in 2006, was inducted into the Army National Guard Hall of Honor. Wagner bowled competitively as recently as last season. He was 95.
They Stole What? Sometimes you just have to wonder, what in the world were they thinking?! Here is a Dragnet-ish breakdown of the crime of all crimes: Agawam Bowl in Agawam, MA, was the target of two wouldbe burglars. When stopped for suspicious behavior, the two dropped the bags they were carrying and ran for it. The bags were confiscated and the suspects were apprehended. The police officers discovered that one of the men was wanted on three warrants in Massachusetts and the other was an employee of the bowling center. Upon further investigation, they found that the snack bar of the closed center had been ransacked. The items found in the bags? Candy–mostly Twizzlers and York Peppermint Patties! Criminal #1, wanted on the warrants, could face up to 20 years in prison, or two years in jail, for breaking and entering. Criminal #2 needs to pick better friends. 10
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SHORT SHORTS Bowling and Reality TV Restaurant: Impossible, a Food Network episodic reality show, moved its focus in one episode to “Bowling Impossible.” Host and chef Robert Irvine went to Paterson, NJ, to help save Paul’s Bar & Bowling. With only two days and $10,000 available, he met with Paul Awramko, owner of the landmark business that has been around since 1910 and not changed one iota since the 1950s. With business on the brink of closing, Robert’s first assignment was a thorough cleaning and then a culinary renovation including help from a professional mixologist. While the bowling lanes stayed retro, with scoring done with a pencil, the atmosphere was definitely brought up to date. Episode IL0903ZH aired in August and can be seen at Foodnetwork.com, and search bowling.
GoBowling.com As stated by PRNewswire, bowling and racing came together as GoBowling.com served as title sponsor for the NASCAR Spring Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, PA. The race was won by Dale Earnhardt Jr., his third victory of the season and the 21st of his career. For the second consecutive year, the race was renamed the GoBowling.com 400 and featured the branded GoBowling.com No. 43 Ford Fusion (featured at Bowl Expo in 2013). John Harbuck, interim president of Strike Ten Entertainment, said, “We were thrilled to once again partner with the great teams at Pocono Raceway.” Richard Petty served as grand marshal.
A Wedding on the Lanes Josh Burum and Sara Bostrom first met at Rohnert Park’s Double Decker Lanes in 2007. After seven years of bowling, flirting and subsequent dating, the couple married where it all began. “Why are we getting married at Double Decker?” Burum said before the ceremony. “One, it was her idea. Two, I didn’t want to argue. Three, it was a great idea.” General manager Dennis Ganduglia was happy to oblige. Owner Jim Decker said it was the Kevin Walters, Blue Iris Arts Photography lanes’ first wedding in about 30 years.
Geography of Bowling According to the U.S. Census County Business Patterns, 2012, geographically most of the nation’s bowling centers are clustered around the Great Lakes and in the upper Midwest, whether one is looking at raw or per-capita counts. This was reviewed and reported by Christopher Ingraham, data journalist with The Washington Post. Also, according to Bloomberg Businessweek, the number of U.S. bowling centers in 2012 was down 25% from 1998. The concentration of centers in the “Rust Belt”—the industrial sector ranging from New York to Illinois and eastern Wisconsin—and a one-third decline in the number of manufacturing jobs there since 1986 coincide with a drop in the number of bowling centers in the area over the same period.
SHORTS In the U.S., there is Match.com, eHarmony.com, JDate.com, to name a few of the more well-known dating services. In the UK, DoingSomething.co.uk is a dating site that does not offer love or a soul mate per se. The concept is, if you meet someone over a game of ping-pong, bowling, a good meal or whatever, you find fun and things could happen. With that in mind, DoingSomething joined forces with Brooklyn Bowl London for a grand night of dating for 600 singles. 300 men and 300 women came to meet and bowl in a winner-stays-on tournament, the winners being crowned king and queen of Brooklyn Bowl. For those who got knocked out early in the competition, there was a party where the Brooklyn Bowl’s resident DJ transformed the evening into a club night. The premise for the dating site is to pick the date idea, someone else sees it, along with your profile, and, if it sounds good, you arrange to go on that date. Well, for 600 people, bowling turned out to be a fun date. The evening was such a huge success, DoingSomething plans to add the Big Brooklyn Bowl Date as a regular feature on its calendar.
600 Men and Women Meet for a
GOODWILL CENTRAL
Bowling Date
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There are all kinds of fundraisers but the inaugural Eye Bowl for New Vision for Independence, a Florida organization providing free services to residents with blindness or low vision, has added a new twist. Sixty-eight bowlers, making up 17 teams and representing four different eye doctors’ offices, bowled blindfolded. Hosted at Point Break Alley in Tavares, FL, the teams were required to bowl blind with vision simulators that gave them the sense of being blind. Cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, legal and total blindness were among the vision aliments they experienced while blindfolded. Bowling for Rhinos can be found taking place in centers coast to coast. The Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden will hold its fundraiser Oct. 11. The ongoing goal is to raise funds and awareness for the plight of all five species of rhinos, Javan, Black, White, Sumatran and Indian. The first Strike Out Violence Bowling Extravaganza was held at Midway Lanes, Mandan, ND, and hosted by the Abused Adult Resource Center. All proceeds went to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Bowling has always been a way for people to interact and have fun at the same time. Middleton Sport Bowl, Middleton, WI, was the venue for the fifth annual Bowling and Conversation which offers a chance for young adults to bowl and families to connect and talk during a fun activity. The event was hosted by Living Our Visions (LOVE-Dane) a grassroots organization whose commitment is to alter the perception that the primary role of people with disabilities is as clients and receivers. What is your center doing? Email Patty Heath at heath@bowlingindustry.com.
October 2014
Bowlmor AMF Named to Inc. 5000 Inc. magazine editors last month named Bowlmor AMF number 423 on its list of the 5,000 fastest-growing U.S. companies. The company won its place on reported three-year growth of 1,120.1% and revenue last year of $408.5 million. Bowlmor AMF president, chairman and CEO Tom Shannon told the magazine that his start in bowling began, “as so many things do, with a girl.” Invited by a young lady to a birthday party at Bowlmor bowling center in Manhattan, Shannon found himself in an alley built in 1938 that ”looked like it hadn’t been cleaned since,” he reminisced. ‘Disgusting’ was the word for the restrooms and just about everything else. But having studied AMF’s buyout and turnaround as an MBA student at Darden, Shannon spent the party mulling how he could apply his lessons to Bowlmor. Three years later when he got the keys, he lost no time revamping it into a class bowling act. “It was still bowling, but I improved the ‘wrapper’,” he told Inc., “and marketed it aggressively and it worked.”
INDUSTRY NEWS
The ECBCC partners with Brunswick and QubicaAMF to raffle off $25,000 - twice! By Fred Groh et’s cut to the chase. What are your odds of winning? The scene is the East Coast Bowling Centers Convention in the last minutes of the trade show, 5:45 p.m., Oct. 8. Two drawings are about to be held, each for $25,000 in winner’s choice of capital equipment and bowling products. One $25,000 pot is from Brunswick, the other from QubicaAMF. Each attendee at the trade show (must be present to win) has 1 chance in each drawing, or 2 chances. That means 2 chances for you plus 2 chances for each person who registers with you. If you take 4 employees, you have 10 chances. And if, for example, 500 people attend the show, you have 5-in-500 chances in each drawing, which is 1-in-100 in each, or 2×1-in-100 in both drawings together, or 1-in-50 odds of winning $25,000. The winner of the $25,000 Brunswick package can take his choice of capital improvement items, genuine Brunswick parts, or lane cleaners and conditioners from the Brunswick catalog. The winner of the $25,000 from QubicaAMF can take it in any capital improvement items bearing the QubicaAMF name, such as scoring systems or upgrades. “How crazy is that?” said a smiling John LaSpina, this year’s convention chair, as he explained the $50,000 Great Eastern Golden Giveaway. It’s the biggest giveaway ever at the industry’s biggest regional show. “Free money, courtesy of Brunswick and QubicaAMF. And this isn’t Bowl Expo. Meaning your odds are pretty good.” The spectacular prizes tie in with this year’s show theme, “Waves of Change, Oceans of Opportunity.” “We’re exploring ways of taking the traditional box and changing it, building on what’s good, learning what’s new,” LaSpina explained. And that theme ties in with a clutch of four special presentations, one right after the other on the first education day, about making changes at your center. ¨ The first two are by consultant Peter Starkel, who was featured in IBI’s series on the eye-popping re-branding of Phil Huffman’s Michigan house. Starkel keynotes on getting ready to make serious changes in your business. Yes, there are better and worse ways to do it. ¨ Immediately afterward, he convenes a seminar to look at three real-life cases illustrating the decisions you have to make for the right changes in today’s bowling market.
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¨ In a separate keynote presentation, three major names in the business take an actual traditional center and conduct an open discussion about changing your product mix by understanding your demographics. The three: BPAA past-presidents LaSpina and Wally Hall, and veteran industry marketer and consultant Fred Kaplowitz of The Kaploe Group. ¨ Finally, veteran proprietors Jim Doty and Jack Moran share their personal journeys along the road from traditional center to FEC. Other seminars at the show target youth development, financial planning, F&B pitfalls, marketing mistakes and Obamacare, among a dozen education topics. And of course receptions (three), networking, meals, and to close the convention, “The Comedy Show” starring Joe DeVito, Mike Gaffney and Rodney Laney. ECBCC is slated for Oct. 6-8 in Atlantic City, NJ. Appropriately (but only coincidentally) it’s being staged at the AAA Four Diamondawarded Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino. Concurrently and co-located with the convention, BPAA’s School for Bowling Center Management runs Oct. 5-8. Seven units of instruction include day-part management, F&B, revenue management, and operations metrics. The school together with ECBCC full registration is $299. For more information and updates, check out www.eastcoastbowl.com. For the 18th consecutive year, IBI is the proud official magazine of the show. ❖
Fred Groh is a regular contributor to IBI and former managing editor of the magazine.
MARKET WATCH
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Hotel Artus
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By Robert n 1885, a Sax bowling a lley was b public pa uilt in a p rk in Krak ow, one o opular Poland an f the olde d its cultu s t c it ra ies in l capital. D debut, po espite tha litical and t e e c arly onomic up two worl heaval inc d wars a disrupted lu n d d in g a Polish life Commun ist regim on both b decades. e ig and small For these scales for and other not becom re asons, bo e widely a wling did vailable in 21st centu Poland un ry. til the earl y There was significant growth fro as a free m 2002 to market ec onomy to 2010, increasin o k gly had ti hold and P m oles e activities. and mon ey for le “After a b is ri ure ef disrupti economic on by the crisis, the world business again,� sa is now gro ys Michal wing Swiercz o consultan f B owling Zo cy in the n e, a c ity of Kato Polish dis wice and tributor o th f Switch e e Polish bow quipment. ling entre p and energ reneurs are etic, and h creative ave develo of bowlin ped a vari g attracti ety ons that bustling range fro urban clu m bs to coz mountain y centers resorts. M in ost are s mall, with
MARKET WATCH
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Photos courtesy of Bowling Zone. IBI
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ko s e z r B Planeta
Park Wod ny
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two to six lanes, although there are a handful of larger urban centers. The smaller installations are in the upscale market, which seeks out stylish equipment with sophisticated European design. “Switch started playing a role in Poland not so much in large FECs but more so in high–end boutique hotels, resorts and clubs,” says Cynthia Winterhalter, marketing and PR director for Switch International. “Our equipment is valued as a quality and welldesigned product for VIP and high end clients.” Plac Nowy 1 is an upscale restaurant and bowling center on the public square in Kasimierz, the old Jewish section of Krakow that is known for its outdoor food market. It’s an area experiencing a renaissance, and the stylish menu includes such dishes as tenderloin steak with potato kebabs, and tagliatelle with zucchini and red wine sauce. There’s also a beer, wine and cocktail list that might be found at a trendy restaurant in New York or Los Angeles. For life in the fast lane, the bowling center and bar offers locally-brewed beers and open bowling on six lanes outfitted with stylish Ferrari-red Switch ball returns. The walls pick up the exotic red color, giving the impression that bowlers are rolling in a fast and furious Italian sports car. Those seeking a weekend away from the urban hustle and bustle of Krakow will enjoy the Hotel Artus, a beautifully restored 19th century building in the small mountain resort of Karpacz. In 2013 it opened a 1,200square-foot bowling center, which has four lanes with string pinsetters for a quieter environment. The highlight of the room is a whimsical graphic of four large faces positioned over the pindecks, as if the pins were the teeth in their wide smiles. In between the flash of Plac Nowy 1 and the calm of Hotel Artus is the bowling center in the Aquapark in the city of Kalisz. Opened in 2013, it has six lanes in just over 2,100 square feet, with video units over the lanes and glow-bowling lighting. It’s a familyfriendly center in a sports and recreational facility that draws customers of all ages. The capital city of Warsaw is the most populous in Poland and offers several large bowling centers. The Klub
MARKET WATCH
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Arco bowling and conference center is a comprehensive facility that would be at home in any American city. The main attraction is a 32-lane center with 16 lanes on each of two floors, outfitted with the latest AMF equipment. The first floor lanes are equipped for glow, with a complete light and sound system, and there is a pro shop. Arco has meeting rooms, a bar, a nightclub and an Italian restaurant. It also has several aquariums and a terrarium that is home to a 15-foot python—not something one finds in the average American bowling center! Competitive bowling is also enjoying growth in Poland. In 2012 QubicaAMF held its 48th Bowling World Cup at Sky Bowling in Wroclaw, one of the largest centers in the country, with 24 lanes. Sky Bowling did such a great job hosting bowling's largest annual international event that this year, just two years later, it will host the 50th anniversary of the competition. The tournament organizers are planning a spectacular finale to celebrate the occasion. Sky Bowling owner Marek Maciejewski is very enthusiastic about hosting the tournament for its golden jubilee. "It was a huge honor two years ago and is even more so now,” he says. “Many people said how much they had enjoyed their visit here and I can assure you it will be no different this time." Events like the World Cup are building awareness of bowling in Poland. With the proliferation of first-class centers and a strong national love of sport, bowling seems poised for continued success in Poland. ❖ 24
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HOTEL ARTUS
ART IN THE ALLEYS For more than 100 years, Polish artists have created some of the most striking and memorable poster art in the world. The Polish school of posters is known for its painterly style, strong design and vibrant colors, as well as a sense of individual personality, humor, and fantasy. Polish poster art is known worldwide and has significantly influenced the international development of graphic design. This renowned artistic style is put to good use in many Polish bowling centers, particularly the smaller two- to sixlane establishments. The interior design of many of these centers is simple, with clean contemporary lines in everything from layout to furniture to bowling equipment. This is in stark contrast to the more opulent style of many modern Russian centers or the futuristic, Googieinfluenced design of the classic American centers. In the Polish centers, the graphic design is what catches the eye and sets the personality of the place. On the masking units at the Hotel Artus resort center, four large black-and-white close-up portraits grin at the bowlers like giggling giants. At the Hotel Bukovina resort, powerful sports cars race across a city skyline at dusk. Adding to the sense of speed are the lane surfaces, which are decorated with a pattern inspired by the tread of high performance tires. Other visual elements observed in Polish centers include tropical fish exploring a coral reef, vast cityscapes, and even the Stonehenge monument. The variety, like the Polish visual imagination, seems unlimited. HOTEL BUKOVINA
Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.
COVER STORY
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COVER STORY By Paul Lane hile still a student at Leeds University in the UK, a young Matthew Jones worked five nights a week in a number of pubs to generate a little extra pocket money. By the time he graduated, with a degree in event management, his experience working in English pubs fueled his imagination and helped form an ambitious idea that led to the formation of the Jones Bar Group. Matthew, along with his brother Ben (they are, respectively, the managing director and the operations and finance director of the company), went into business in December of 2004 when they opened Bar 166 & Bistro in Horsforth, a town just six miles from Leeds. Today they have nine venues, eight of which are all in the vicinity of Leeds City Center, plus the one in Horsforth. The city of Leeds is situated 195 miles north of London. The goal of the Jones Bar Group was to build and operate bars and restaurants, each in a unique setting and more boutique than traditional in style, with each venue having its
Brothers Matthew (L) and Ben Jones
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COVER STORY
Interior of 51% Bourbon Lounge.
own identity. And all offering top-quality food and beverages in settings in total contrast to the traditional English pub. Two of the most recent additions to the group are the Roxy Ballroom (December 2013) and Roxy Lanes (May 2014) The two venues saw the introduction of a new concept to the company’s product offering by adding active leisure amenities to their food and beverage business. Roxy Ballroom, besides the main bar and restaurant, features ping-pong and American-style pool tables. And Roxy Lanes features four bowling lanes equipped with QubicaAMF TMS String Pinspotter machines. The idea of forming the Roxy brand came while Matthew and his bother Ben were playing pool at a venue called Elbow Rooms in Leeds. “We were discussing what we could do that The Roxy Ballroom.
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would be different and concluded that something that combined good food and drinks with leisure activities like pool, ping-pong and bowling would be a good fit in Leeds.” They knew that a couple of other operators were doing the same thing in Manchester and other cities in the UK, “but we knew we would be the first in Leeds.” Here’s what Nick Keppe, managing director of Bowltech UK, had to say about Matthew Jones and his Roxy business: “Matthew is a very busy young man, a reflection of his entrepreneurial flair. In the UK market we are finding more and more innovative proprietors adapting Dining area at Roxy Lanes.
Interior of The Shed
their skills in themed bar and food offerings by adding bowling to the attraction.” There is no question that retro concepts play a large part in the theming of Roxy locations, but there are no rules when it comes to the imagination of these new proprietors, as Matthew clearly shows. “We spotted a gap in the market with Roxy Lanes,” says Matthew, “by giving a quality lift to the old-style concept of bowling alleys, and linking it to good food and a cocktail bar in a comfortable, up-market setting designed to encourage people to stay as long as they wish and have fun.” Leeds is an ideal location for such innovative concepts. It is the third largest city in the UK, with an estimated population of 800,000, while the Leeds City Region and economic area, with Leeds at its core, has a population topping three million. The Shed
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And Leeds is served by five universities with one of the largest student populations in England—over 250,000—making It one of the UK’s hotspots for nightlife. In addition to four lanes and custom-made house balls that look like pool table balls, Roxy Lanes features a 90-seat restaurant providing American diner-style food, a buffet area for 30-40 people, and a cocktail bar with a total capacity of 180 people. Bowling runs about $50 an hour during off-peak times and $70 an hour (or $14 a game) during peak times (prices in US dollars). Matthew shared a view about who are the perfect customers, and who are his least favorite. His perfect customer books and checks in at 7 p.m. and spends an hour having a couple of beverages and nibbles with friends before moving to the lanes at 8 p.m. and returning to the restaurant at 9 p.m. for dinner and another beverage or two. His least favorite is the customer who walks in and only wants to bowl a game. With bowling representing but a third of his business, the customer who comes in just to bowl reduces the opportunity for customers (Matthew’s perfect customer) to spend three hours or more maximizing on all that the facility has to offer, including bowling. To help improve revenues from the customer who just wants to bowl, Roxy Lanes does offer a “drink and bowl” package for an extra $3.50 (total $17), which is a good deal considering a pint of beer is circa $7.50. It also offers an “eat, drink and bowl” package for $25 and a “bowl, drink and meal” deal for $35. But his staff always take advantage of the opportunity to talk with these customers and hand them discount vouchers and literature outlining
COVER STORY
Jones Bar Group's LAB restaurant
their full menu of offerings, and to suggest that next time they visit, they make a booking (online) for an evening out with friends. We asked Matthew about the competition and its pricing. He said Roxy Lanes compares favorably to a new form of cinemas in the UK which are proving to be popular: luxury, “big seat” (sofa) seating with table service for food and beverages during the movie. The average ticket price for a two-hour show is $17, not including food and beverage. The business at Roxy Lanes is largely driven by reservations (a mix of party and corporate bookings) and they always New York Burger
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encourage customers to book online. Online reservations are designed to automatically add customers to a database used to thank customers for their business and conduct “satisfaction surveys” following their visit. Other marketing tools include social media, blogging, local radio and magazines. Matthew is aggressively promoting a two-venue night out, combining a visit to Roxy Lanes with a visit to nearby Roxy Ballroom. There is constant promotion by the staff who hand out discount vouchers for cross-promotion between the two venues and in the few short months since Roxy Lanes opened, they have already had parties that booked bowling first, then booked later at the Roxy Ballroom. These cross-promotions have proven to be so popular that this aspect of the business is expected to grow hugely over the next few months. Roxy Ballroom is another unique boutique-style facility where gaming rooms feature seven ping-pong tables and four full-sized Americanstyle pool tables. And there’s a 25table, 120-seat restaurant and a cocktail bar, including a VIP room with a ping-pong table and a pool table, also equipped with its own private bar. While, like Roxy Lanes, the business is driven by bookings, they always leave one or two tables open for walk-ins. As the Jones Bar Group say on
COVER STORY their website, the food and beverage menus at Roxy Ballroom have been created with “all our friends and customers in mind.” “Try a pingstar martini,” they suggest, “or a teapot of gin garden tea along with some mixed olives and dough sticks. Or share a quattro stagioni [four-seasons pizza] topped with serrano ham & fresh rocket [an English leaf with a peppery flavor] or a pulled pork & mozzarella fresh from the oven.” As with all of their venues, the menu at Roxy Ballroom is extensive and imaginative, and always of the highest quality with something available to suit every taste. The same can be said of their selection of beers, wines and spirits and their offering of everyday and exotic cocktails. Definitely not the kind of fare offered in typical English pubs. The Jones Bar Group’s other venues include the Shed Bar, Brooklyn Bar, Hirsts Yard, 51% Bourbon Lounge, New York Burger Kitchen (located above the Brooklyn Bar), and the LAB ( Arena Bar) which had its grand opening on August 7, 2014. That’s nine venues in 10 years, and each with a unique theme and design, as indicated by the names of the facilities. In fact they opened three other venues, which they sold between 2005 and 2008. We asked Matthew how he found architects who understood his business and could apply his ideas for thematic retro boutique concepts.
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COVER STORY
Hirst’s Yard
As Nick Keppe said, Matthew is a very busy young man. Nine unique venues in 10 years, 12 if you count the three he built and sold. When we conducted this interview Matthew had just opened his newest facility, Leeds Arena Bar (LAB), and said he had just spent his first full day at his head office in months. A great feeling, he added, after building and opening three bars and restaurants in just 12 months. But that will be short-lived, as his plan is to continue to move forward and apply more of his innovative, creative talent for building one-of-a-kind thematic boutique style venues in the near future. Matthew says, “We went into the business in 2004 with the goal to design, build and operate bars and restaurants and leisure facilities that we (my brother Ben and I) would choose to frequent in the hope that others would enjoy our taste and offering. We are also proud that every offering we have is done using local suppliers and staff to achieve the highest-quality product in the vicinity. We aim to be better than the competition without being arrogant,” he added. There’s little doubt that they have achieved just that and, according to the local media, they have built up a fantastic reputation within the industry and have been tipped as a growing company to watch out for. ❖ Bar 166
“This was not an issue,” said Matthew. “I did all the design work myself, and all the architects needed to do was create the blueprints for the layout and the specifications for material, except for all the furnishings, fixtures and fittings, which I also did myself.” 36
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Paul Lane is former Director of Marketing and Marketing Services for AMF Bowling, Inc. He has been the director of 18 AMF World Cups, an officer in national and international trade associations, and a pro bowler during a career that spans more than 60 countries and 50 years.
CENTER STAGE
DRINK SLOWLY, EAT WELL, SPEAK WARMLY No need for perfect etiquette at Punch Bowl Social. It’s all about fun.
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CENTER STAGE
By Anna M. Littles
P
unch Bowl Social, the brainchild of founder and CEO Robert Thompson, evolved out of his 25 years experience in the restaurant business. Even though Robert has been a restaurant owner and operator since 1997, Punch Bowl Social (‘PBS,’ as he calls it for short) is the first restaurant-bar where he has merged bowling and gaming into the concept. As for the gaming component, it's strictly old-school video games from the 1980s. In the fall of 2012, Robert tested the waters when he launched his first Punch Bowl Social in a 24,000-square-foot facility in Denver. PBS has been so successful that he recently opened a second Punch Bowl Social in a 32,000square-foot location in Portland, OR. Robert explained that both facilities are "environmentally sustainable and locally-sourced concepts." He incorporated recyclable materials into the design; the result, "a lower carbon footprint."
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CENTER STAGE
Now Robert has his sight set on going national and using PBS as the template. Austin, Chicago and Detroit are the next expansions. Austin and Chicago are great cities for bowling centers and restaurants. Detroit may seem another story, but not to Robert, who sees "a lot of hope for the city, and I want to be a part of the revitalization that is going on in downtown Detroit." Robert's vision in launching Punch Bowl Social was to create a unique, warm and inviting center that fits the brand motto "Drink slowly, eat well, speak warmly." He believes that people need to kick back and enjoy life more. For equipment, Robert chose Steltronics for his scoring system, Quibica AMFlite II Pins, all on US Bowling lanes with large LG monitors; and to help guests play their best, Brunswick bowling balls. And true to its name, Punch Bowl Social has an array of punches on the menu, such as The Ole Uppercut, The Paper Tiger Club Punch, and The Soft Touch, to name a few. The drinks are a perfect complement to the Americana, gastropub/diner-style menu. The happy–hour selection offers PBS chicken wings, Northeast oyster nachos, deviled eggs, pickled eggs, street tacos, duck-fat fries, and fried pickles. The decor is unique in and of itself. When people walk in, they see a fascinating combination of Old World, industrial and modern design style in the finishes and furnishings. The Denver facility has eight bowling lanes graced with classic, bold wall paintings of British aristocrats preparing for a fox hunt. An elegant chandelier meets loft-style fixtures and contemporary lounge seating.
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CENTER STAGE
The Portland facility has 12 lanes and is more industrial in its design. It displays Victorian-style light fixtures featuring Edison bulbs that highlight an over-the-top ornate carpet set off by bright turquoise walls and 1950s chrome seating. Robert has dubbed this style "Dirty Victorian/Modern." Now that's thinking out of the box! Punch Bowl Social rates are reasonable and competitive: Monday through Thursday, $4 per person per hour until 5 p.m., then $6 an hour until closing. Friday and Saturday nights, it's $7 per person per hour until 10 p.m. Since they close at 2 a.m. on the weekends, they offer a great rate for night owls at $2 an hour from 10 p.m. until closing. Ultimately, Punch Bowl Social provides an excellent value to families, leagues, and private parties. It's also a perfect weekend destination for date night. Robert pointed out, "We are a great food and beverage venue with a lot of gaming options." The philosophy of fun is well stated on the website: "At PBS, if you can do it over a beer, we’ve got it." As Robert explains it, the goal of PBS is to be "an extension of your living room. You can feel right at home at Punch Bowl Social." �
Anna M. Littles, a screenplay and freelance writer and producer originally from the Bronx, NY, now resides in Santa Monica, CA. You can see her work on YouTube, IMDB, or on her website at www.alittleLA.com.
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Eliminate rental shoes, increase profits and enhance your customers bowling experience
• Bowl in your own shoes. •Great for parties & events. Your customers will enjoy bowling in their own street shoes. Our research revealed they would even bowl more often! Bowling Buddies Shoe Covers come in 3 sizes that will fit 97% of all shoe sizes. Visit our website to purchase a sample box and give them a try.
WWW.BOWLINGBUDDIESSHOECOVERS.COM
1-855-COVERS-0 Patent Pending: 61-642.067
SHOWCASE REPLACEMENT CHAIRS
Replace your existing chairs and keep your existing bases. Venue Furniture can help you update the look of your center for a surprisingly low price. With a complete line of highquality bowling furniture, a design package can be created specifically for your center. A full catalog can be downloaded at BowlingFurniture.com. Call 855-55VENUE or email sales@VenueFurniture.us.
LANE CONDITIONER
It used to be when choosing a lane conditioner, a center would have to decide what it wanted: a durable lane conditioner that could withstand aggressive high–tech balls or a lane conditioner that was pinsetter–and house–ball–riendly. With Kegel’s Fire and Ice there is no compromise. They have it all. For more information or to request a free sample, please visit www.kegel.net.
NOVELTY PRODUCTS
BALL RETURN SYSTEM
QubicaAMF’s new Harmony Ball return system is safe, compact, stylish and offers state-of-the-art technology and electronics. The motor stops if an object or hand is inserted into the ball exit area and starts only when a ball arrives, reducing electrical consumption by 70% on average. The drive motor is mounted above the lane for easy access. It is available in five colors to coordinate with Harmony Furniture and Masking and is designed to match center needs. Go to www.qubicaamf.com to learn more and watch the video.
BOWLING FILM
Sierra Products’ website, NoveltyBowlingStuff.com, is the perfect stop for birthday party packages, tournament sales, league prizes, glow bowling nights, and snack bar sales. Most products can be personalized with your center name or event name. Call 800-900-7695 for more information or visit www.NoveltyBowlingStuff.com.
We’ve Got Balls is the best bowling movie since Kingpin! This quirky 92-minute comedy feature film centers on a small town trying to save a bowling alley from a filthy-rich land developer who wants to build a casino on the land on which the alley sits. The fate of the bowling alley rests on the outcome of one whacked-out bowling showdown. Who do you think will win? Order your copy now at www.wevegotballs.com to witness the awardwinning adventure!
NEW LANE CLEANER
SCORING REPAIRS & UPGRADES
The Lind Shoe Company introduces LindsZERO™, an environmentally safe, new lane cleaner. LindsZERO™ is a solvent replacement with absolutely no volatile organic compounds. It can be used with any lane machine, is odorless, has no film, and is easily disposed of and non-hazardous. Most importantly, it works! Try it for free. Call 800-950-4568 to receive a free sample.
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GET IN SYNC
Sync™ is Brunswick’s revolutionary new scoring and management system, coming in 2015. Sync is all-new to its core. Built from the ground up with the fastest and smartest performance and featuring management tools, a sophisticated marketing feature and an enhanced bowler experience, Sync aligns what happens on the lanes with what goes on behind the front desk and in the back office. It is one streamlined, easy-to-use system. Make way for Sync. Info at www.brunswickbowling.com/the-one.
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New Center Consulting, Inc.’s Touch Desk III and Touch Score 3 received a big response and many new customers at Bowl Expo due to its increased capabilities, new features, affordable options, and expanded tech support. The goal is scoring repairs and upgrades in “piecemeal” fashion to save expense and offer additional support. The lowest-cost path to new scoring. The new Tech Support hotline is 239-244-9464; new Tech Support email is Help@TouchScoreSupport.com. Additional info can be found at 248-375-2751.
CLASSIFIEDS 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
www.tuckerbowling.com
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE REPAIR & EXCHANGE. Call for details (248) 375-2751. NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com. NEEDING A NEW VENUE? Nightclub entertainment bowling is HOT. COMPLETE 4, 6, 8, (+) bowling packages with install. Complete 10-lane package just removed and ready to reinstall. Affordable. See tenpinartisans.com for custom ideas or call (970) 946-9933. GOING OUT OF BUSINESS after 43 years! AMF autoscore packages + complete packages. CHEAP + shipping. Call Craig Doren (712) 253-8730. REDUCED FOR QUICK SALE. Powerlifts AMF/Brunswick, AMF-SPL head sections, A2 pinsetters complete or buy for parts, Brunswick 2000 hood/racks, Brunswick Swing and Swivel, AMF Excel scoring, Steltronic automatic scoring w/ flat screens, and reconditioned Gloss Boss. Installations available. (970) 946-9933 or Knotritellc@gmail.com. RETIRING! Selling all scoring parts & exchange units for Accu-Score Plus, XL & BOSS systems. Also, electronic test equipment for all components, plus installation equipment & full set of lane sanding equipment. NEEDS TO GO. Craig Doren (712) 253-8730.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN 50
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CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Get Redline Foul Lights at www.joystickscoring.com or call Werner @ (888) 569-7845. Sold exclusively in Canada by JD Bowling Services (800) 346-5781. Home of Bowlingtrader.com, your FREE buy & sell site.
EQUIPMENT WANTED LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Call (608) 764-1464.
MANAGER WANTED Don't miss your chance to grow with an Industry Leader! Looking for Experienced, Service-Oriented General Managers for our U.S. bowling retail center locations. Please check us out at www.brunswickcareers.apply2jobs.com for more details on our current openings. Act Now! Apply Today!
For Centers Throughout The Southeastern United States Call DAVID DRISCOLL & ASSOCIATES 352-735-8065 3800 Lake Center Loop, Suite B1, Mount Dora, FL 32757-2208 AN AFFILIATE OF SANDY HANSELL & ASSOCIATES
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
INTEGRATED SOLUTIONS FOR OPTIMIZING CASH FLOW
Expense Reduction Solutions • • • • •
Credit Card Processing Fees Lease/Rent Restructuring Telecom Rate Savings Business Insurance Premiums Payroll Processing Savings CONTACT:
Andrew Nadler, CEO
(240) 821 - 6900 anadler@summit-strategies.com www.summit-strategies.com Clients include:
MIKE BARRETT Call for Price List
Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576
Experienced, self-motivated manager needed for mid-sized center in So.California. Competitive salary & benefits. Respond to robertquinnbowl@gmail.com. NEEDED: GM for mid-sized Kansas City center. Proficiency with computer skills, business management & marketing skills. Aggressive promotion needed. Partnership available for right person. Email resume to upyouralley3257@yahoo.com.
SERVICES AVAILABLE Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com. AMF 5850 & 6525 CHASSIS. Exchange your tired or damaged chassis for an upgraded, rewired, cleaned, painted and ready-to-run chassis. Fast turnaround. Lifetime guarantee. References available. CHASSIS DOCTOR (330) 314-8951.
CENTERS FOR SALE NEBRASKA: 8-lane Brunswick center with bar, game room and restaurant. Active leagues. Call (402) 335-2095. GEORGIA: Busy 32-lane center, real estate included. Great location in one of fastest– growing counties in metro Atlanta. 5 years new with all the amenities. Excellent numbers. Call (770) 356-8751.
SELL YOUR CENTER
(818) 789-2695 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/ IBI
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CLASSIFIEDS 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
CENTERS FOR SALE EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA: 6-lane Brunswick center, bar & grill, drive-thru liquor store in small college town. Also, 3 apartment buildings with 40 units, good rental history. Call (701) 330-7757 or (701) 430-1490. NW KANSAS: 12-lane center, AS-80s, Lane Shield, snack bar, pro shop, game & pool rooms. See pics and info @ www.visitcolby.com or contact Charles (785) 443-3477. 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. OKLAHOMA: 16-lane center w/ large laser tag, only arcade in area and thriving lounge. Steltronics SuperElex w/ 42” flat screens and refurbished A2s. Completely upgraded and remodeled. Owner financing and option to purchase shopping center for viable buyers. Business for sale apart from real estate. (719) 251-1616.
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
LOCKER KEYS FAST! •Keys & Combo Locks for all Types of Lockers. •One week turnaround on most orders. •New locks All types •Used locks 1/2 price of new
All keys done by code #. No keys necessary.
E-mail: huff@inreach.com CALL TOLL FREE
1-800-700-4KEY Orange County Security Consultants
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NEW YORK, Lowville (home of QubicaAMF pin production): new, established 12-lane QubicaAMF center with all amenities including soft-serve window, state-of-the-art kitchen, bar & arcade. 16,640 s/f building with parking 150+. (315) 376-3611 or (315) 486-4325.
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE 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. LARRY DOBBS APPRAISALS. (214) 6748187. 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. 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. 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.
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CLASSIFIEDS
SELL YOUR CENTER OR EQUIPMENT
FAST! (818) 789-2695
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
3
EASY WAYS
to place your Classified Ad in International Bowling Industry Magazine
Call (818) 789-2695
Fax (818) 789-2812
your ad to:
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DATEBOOK
OCTOBER 1-16 Brunswick Training GS-Series Pinsetter Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800) 937-2695, Option 2 www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training IBI
6-8 East Coast Bowling Centers Convention Golden Nugget, Atlantic City www.eastcoastbowl.com
13 Alabama/Mississippi BPA Annual Meeting Robinsonville, MS Chris Gallas (817) 385-8471 chris@bpaa.com
13-17 Brunswick Training GS-Series Pinsetter Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800) 937-2695, Option 2 schools@brunbowl.com www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training IBI
19-21 West Coast Bowling Convention Silver Legacy Resort & Casino Reno Sandi Thompson (925) 484-1855 sandit@norcalbowling.com
20-24 Brunswick Training Vector Scoring Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800) 937-2695, Option 2 schools@brunbowl.com www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training IBI
24-Nov. 2 GEICO PBA World Series of Bowling South Point Bowling Center Las Vegas www.pba.com/Tournaments/ Worldseries
27-Nov. 7 A-2 Pinsetter Training Program Frank Miroballi (540) 325-7684 Frankm1441@aol.com
28 BPA of Pennsylvania Annual Meeting Holiday Inn Altoona, PA Chris Gallas (817) 385-8471 chris@bpaa.com
NOVEMBER
2-3 Illinois State BPA Fall Meeting Timber Creek Inn & Suites Convention Center Sandwich, IL Bill Duff (847) 982-1305 billduff@bowlillinois.com
17-21 IAAPA Attractions Expo 2014 Orange County Convention Center Orlando, FL Julie Sullivan (703) 836-4800, Ext. 754 jsullivan@IAAPA.org www.iaapa.org/iaapa-events
JANUARY 2015 11-15 BPAA Bowling Summit Hyatt Regency San Antonio San Antonio, TX (800) 343-1329 www.bpaa.com/bowlingsummit 12-16 Brunswick Training GS-Series Pinsetter Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800) 937-2695, Option 2 www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training 19-23 Brunswick Training Vector Scoring Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800) 937-2695, Option 2 www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training
FEBRUARY 11 Indiana Bowling Centers Annual Meeting Lafayette, IN www.indianagobowl.com
12-13 BCA of Ohio Seminars, General Meeting Crowne Plaza Dublin, OH Pat Marazzi (937) 433-8363
2-8 USBC Masters Tournament Ashwaubenon Bowl Green Bay, WI (800) 514-BOWL (2695) bowlinfo@bowl.com www.bowl.com/Masters
MARCH 9-13 Brunswick Training GS-Series Pinsetter Maintenance Muskegon, MI (800 937-2695, Option 2 www.brunswickbowling.com/ service-support/training
Official magazine of the convention IBI
October 2013
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REMEMBER WHEN
1966
BOWLING’S CLEAN SWEEP
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R
osie and Pat and friends are team players, who, it seems, are not afraid to get down and dirty. While bowling is far from rough and tumble, it appears that these bowlers struck a chord with Clorox marketers. You can be sure these ladies will be white and sparklely for next week’s league competition. This ad made the pages of Better Homes and Gardens in 1966, a year still big in league play. The ABC membership totaled 4,375,000 with 127,000 leagues, while WIBC touted 123,129 leagues and 2,896,693 members. No wonder Clorox spotlighted Rosie’s girls. ❖