I have been to quite a few bowling alleys during my brief 21 years on Earth. All of them have been relatively the same, not too much makes one really stand out from the other. Maybe there is a food stand to get a slice of pizza and a drink, but that’s about it. Pretty generic stuff.
I came across an article from HouseBeautiful.com showcasing an interior designer by the name of Phillip Thomas, who took an old bowling alley in Bellport, New York, and has fully restored it.
Thomas grew up in the 1980’s and knew the bowling alley very well as he spent a good amount of time there. There came a time where the bowling alley fell on hard times and was forced to close its doors.
After nearly 40 years of being unattended, the bowling alley did not require much to bring it back to such a good condition. The design however is much better than the original.
After looking at this article, I started to think a little bit. Bowling is still a popular thing to do among communities. However, you tend to expect the same with every bowling center you walk in to. You get your shoes, grab a ball, and start bowling. Maybe along the way you grab a pizza for you and the people you brought along.
Looking at the Bellport Bowling Alley, I notice it is a small facility, almost like a recreational center. The few things that stand out to me, however, are there are pool tables and the décor is phenomenal.
Which made me think, what if other bowling alleys stepped their game up and did something a little different. What if bowling was not the only thing to do when going to a bowling alley? Especially as a family thing where kids more times than none get frustrated and do not want to bowl.
There could be an arcade section where kids could go play games and I think pool tables are a great idea to have in any bowling alley. Make it feel like a lounge and have multiple things for customers to engage with.
Photo by Flickr user: Everette Murrain
If there is one thing that we know people love to do, its drink. Beer, wine, hard liquor, people can’t get enough of alcohol (please drink responsibly). Everyone enjoys going out to bars and clubs to enjoy a drink, so why not enjoy it while bowling with close friends?
Being a Baltimore local, I can say that Mustang Alley is the place to be if you are in the area.
Something I always enjoyed at the bowling alley is what I grew up to know as “Rock n’ Bowl” at Forest Hill Lanes, now known as “Night Strike.” This is a great way to appeal to all crowds, especially younger crowds. Having the lights turned down and the music turned up, its what young people love to do anyway at parties. But instead of teens partaking in underaged drinking, they can be having a fun night of bowling instead.
As with everything, you are going to have people who are traditionalists and people that want to have the most updated modern things. Bowling is no exception, and luckily there is a perfect mix of both. There are the traditional lanes that offer bowling only, but there are plenty of modern facilities that have all the amenities that people want in the modern day experience.
What do you prefer? A bowling alley that only offers bowling? Or a bowling alley that has more to offer? Let me know in the comment section below!
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