ISSUE NO.1, MARCH 2010
COVER STORY
Niche is nice
Good for Customers, Too Daroll Frewing deems it “pretty rare” that fathers
and sons get along as well as he and David. “We can separate this from our personal life, although for the most part it’s pretty business-y,” insists the father. “We play off one another. If I have an idea and David thinks it’s bad, we will oppose each other as business people and he’ll tell me all the reasons it’s bad. I’ll tell him all the reasons it’s good. We can go 10 minutes doing that and then we’ll reverse the roles. The guy who had the ‘bad’ idea might come out the winner because we’ve discussed all the elements and facets of the idea.” That has been the pattern—strong personalities, fast thinking, creative ideas—behind their company, US Bowling, since it got off the ground in 1994. Says David, “Mom and Dad Proprietor were complaining, ‘We’re just making a living; we’re struggling.’ Maybe they had been in the business 30 or 40 years and they hadn’t upgraded the center since it was new. It was still orange and brown, a traditional, smoke-infested bowling alley. It wasn’t a place people were going to bring families.
“The answer was: these bowling centers need to become FECs—family entertainment centers. What a natural concept! Our eyes opened to the modernization business.” The timing was fortunate, says Daroll. “When Qubica and AMF joined forces, we could not come to a working arrangement for the Qubica scorer. We had to look at something else.” Across the pond, in Italy, the Frewings found what they story continues on page 3 needed. Steltronic Automatic Scoring
Daroll and David Frewing.
TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S
Cover Story.........................1, 3, 6 Product Info.......................2
Bowling Institute..............3 Center of the Month........4
Toll-free 877-858-2695 www.usbowling.com
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PRODUCTS
Spellbound. That’s your bowlers when they see
US Bowling’s Mega MEDIAMask at the ends of your lanes. Music, videos, sporting events, advertising promotions—all in breathtaking images 15.5 feet tall and 4 lanes wide.
· True HD picture quality with 16x9 aspect ratio. Mated with commercial-grade DLP projectors for top-flight, non-stop performance.
· Choose one sweeping image across the house or mix and match images the way your bowlers like best. Smart technology gives your front desk separate control of the screens easily.
· Want traditional masking units from time to time? Change between projection images and traditional or custom masking designs. They come to vibrant life with Enhanced Glow, an exclusive US Bowling graphics process.
· Add screens as you need them—no need to equip the entire house at one time. Only US Bowling MediaMasks give you this option.
· Choose your size. Five screen sizes from 72” to our new screen that’s 18 feet tall and 6 lanes wide!
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Toll-free 877-858-2695
www.usbowling.com
WORKSHOPS
COVER STORY continued from page 1 was a great product, they thought. While doing well in Europe, it was just getting traction in the U.S. In 2005, US Bowling and Steltronic SpA in Italy created a jointly owned subsidiary, US Steltronic. Losing no time, US Bowling was quickly adding one new line of capital equipment after another under its own name. From soft furniture to a small-ball bowling game called Rollerball, FastLane Synthetic Lanes, a waiting-list kiosk, Mega MediaMasks (video masking 15-1/2 feet tall and four lanes wide), and more—all of it branded US Bowling. The company continues to sell Brunswick and AMF pinsetters that it has purchased used, torn down and completely rebuilt to OEM specification. US Bowling also supplies inflatable jumpers, billiard tables, glow mini golf, climbing walls, go-karts, arcade machines, an interactive ball play system, and a pizza service from other manufacturers. Officially, Daroll is the CEO of US Bowling and US Steltronic. But as in many businesses where a veteran father and his son work together, he is really the eyes in the back of the head for the operation. After 27 years with Brunswick, rising to head of bowling installations worldwide, he knows how unlucky events or operational mistakes can catch up with a business. David has charge of day-to-day operations as president of US Bowling and co-president of US Steltronic.
1st Annual
Bowling Institute Presented by US Bowling / US Steltronic Want new insights, new strategies, and a fresh look at positioning your facility for surer success in volatile times? Join us for 2 days of free information-packed workshops. • You’ll learn how to upgrade your center for - better appearance - higher productivity - and higher profits. • You’ll find out how to discover and manage revenue opportunities at the front desk and in the back office at your facility. • You’ll tour nearby centers and hear the actual experience of proprietors who have made the changes. Workshops will be led by these top experts: Brent Dyer US Bowling Revenue explosion with birthday parties, corporate parties, group functions
Frank Price Birthday University Marketing strategies and social networking that pull in customers
US Bowling and US Steltronic headquarters, Chino, CA.
In Brent Dyer, director of operations, who came on board in 2008, the Frewings have a key man for both sides of the house. Mark Marchido, vice president of sales, and Glenn Keenan, vice president of sales for Eastern U.S., are pivotal men for US Bowling, while Gregg Pasdiora, formerly director of sales for Brunswick’s after-market unit, is vice president for North American sales for US Steltronic. “Together,” says Dyer, “we’re an unstoppable team.” In the old days, when the company was installing other manufacturer’s bowling products, “if there was any continues on page 6
www.usbowling.com
Alan Fluke AEA Management Group HR issues at the front desk, in the back office, and operations.
All seminars and meals are free.
April 27-28 The FunPlex 3320-24 Route 38, Mt. Laurel, NJ Questions? Want to make your reservation? Email Brent at US Bowling: 919-548-0644 • brent@usbowling.com
Toll-free 877-858-2695
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CENTER OF THE MONTH
Kilmarnock Entertainment Center Kilmarnock, VA
US Steltronic Automatic Scoring and completely remanufactured Brunswick A-2 Pinsetters are lynchpins of the Kilmarnock package.
16-lane Bowling Lounge Owner: Shawn Donahue • 289” Mega MediaMasks on all lanes • Celebrity Series furnishings • Completely remanufactured Brunswick A-2 Pinsetters • US Steltronic Vision and Focus Automatic Scoring, which includes qwerty keypads at every lane, 42” High-Definition LCDs, front desk system with touchscreens, and full back office system Project completion: February 2010 Mega MediaMasks dwarf the bowling pins below them. The colossal projection masking is 15.5 feet tall and spans four lanes, for a picture measuring 289 inches on the diagonal. Masks have a 16x9 aspect ratio for high-definition images. Now available for order are next-generation BAM MediaMasks—18 feet tall and six lanes wide.
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Celebrity Series sofas. The high-end-styled, loungelook furniture is available in virtually unlimited choice of premier vinyls, fabrics and wood veneers. All items can be sized to any settee area, with matching or contrasting appearance to suit any decor. Other items in the line: chairs, bar stools, table tops and ball racks.
Toll-free 877-858-2695
www.usbowling.com
www.usbowling.com
Toll-free 877-858-2695
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COVER STORY continued from page 3 problem—with the shipping, damage, you name it—we had zero liability,” David says. “Now,” adds Daroll, “we have the total warranty responsibility, the liability of making the product to ensure that it is a safe product, that we don’t have big warranty claims. That’s of course in addition to providing the best service the customer can get anywhere. “David and I use the 90% Rule,” his father says, summing up their business. “It is so easy to do 90%. It’s that last 10%. You better do that, because everybody does the first 90%.”
Historic day at California headquarters. David; an attorney representing Steltronic SpA; Daroll; and Roberto Simeone, president, Steltronic SpA (Italy) create US Steltronic.
Glow, fog and FastLane Synthetic Lanes in a corner of the product demo suite at headquarters.
FUTURE FRAMES
MARCH Fun Expo Las Vegas • March 10-12, booth #412
Birthday University Chicago • March 16-18
APRIL Birthday University Raleigh, NC • April 13-15
Bowling Institute Chicago, IL • April 21-22
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MAY SEPTEMBER Foundations University Foundations University Kansas City, MO • May 11-13
Dallas, TX • Sept. 21-23
JUNE Bowl Expo
NOVEMBER IAAPA
Las Vegas • June 30 - July 1
Orlando, FL • Nov. 16-19
JULY Foundations University Chicago • July 13-15
Toll-free 877-858-2695
www.usbowling.com