CONTENTS
VOL 24.8
6 ISSUE AT HAND
29 BEYOND BOWLING
Get Me Out of Here!
• Escaping the Ordinary • Interesting Interview with Marc Weise • Showcase
By Scott Frager
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
8 SHORTS • THE VOID takes entertainment to a new level. • HeyDay receives top FEC award. • Pinboyz at Headpinz, Fort Myers, FL, captures 1908 with flare. •Creative Works, Pinnacle Entertainment and ZOT bring on new people.
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44 BOWL EXPO RECAP Putting the Pieces All Together By David Garber
46 IN MY OWN WORDS Out of Africa Proprietor Peppe Smith had a bucket list experience in South Africa, and promoted bowling while she was at it. By Peppe Smith 26
56 REMEMBER WHEN 1960
By Mark Miller
By Patty Heath
22 COVER STORY Reaching New Heights at Summit
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EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com
FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)
A leader’s vision brings high school bowling to Dixie.
By Paul Lane
fredgroh@bowlingindustry.com
www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424
Belonging to Something Bigger in Alabama
At Summit Company, the elevated FEC experience keeps guests coming back.
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Fred Groh
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks
By Patty Heath
16 FEATURE
David Garber Patty Heath Paul Lane George McAuliffe Mark Miller Peppe Smith
51 Classifieds
12655 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com
www.BowlingIndustry.com
HOTLINE: 818-789-2695 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:
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THE ISSUE AT HAND
Get Me Out of Here! Who hasn’t secretly wished to be James Bond being assigned a super-secret special mission from M or MacGyver using every bit of brainpower to render a time-bomb safe just before the clock ticks to zero? Well, our customers now all have the potential to immerse themselves into the story lines of endless scenarios, right from the comfort of their very own bowling center. There is a new phenomenon in the business of entertainment called escape rooms. This new genre of location-based entertainment can be free standing or an added amenity to existing business, like bowling. Via group play, a team of participants is guided through a storyline that requires the skills and efforts of the entire team to successfully complete the mission before they unlock their way out of the room and finish the game. This month our talented writer, Evan Henerson, writes about such an escape room inside Airway Fun Center in Portage, MI. The story describes the ins and outs of the escape room business much better than I can, and I feel it’s a must-read for everyone in the entertainment business. Escape rooms are a disrupter in the entertainment business and I’m confident that every bowling center will soon either be competing against an escape room, or will be considering adding one as an entertainment amenity. For those who wish to really understand what it’s
like to virtually participate in an escape room, I would like to suggest the following: Go to the app store that works with your tablet or your mobile device, search for a game called “The Room,” and download it. This game is the epitome of all the things that exemplify the fun and intrigue of escape rooms. It’s a beautifully crafted game with exciting visuals, sounds and a rich story that is both intriguing and compelling. Every game level teaches new skills and requires that players use their brains to, well, think differently. “The Room” is perfect for players of all ages and abilities. I’ve played and conquered all three editions of the game with my 10-year old. Interestingly, his creative mind finds solutions to the puzzles quicker than his old dad. When all of the challenges are complete and the game has concluded, players are pining for next chapter. This game, and concept, are never ending. With escape rooms, the missions, the puzzles and stories can be changed as often as required. Limited only by the imagination of the game creators. Now that’s an entertainment concept that should keep your guests coming back for more and never leave your guests bored.
HAVE YOU
PARTICIPATED
IN AN ESCAPE ROOM?
– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com
4Your Bowler of the Month Dorothy L. Rhyland, a greater Cleveland native, who bowls at North Olmstead’s Buckeye Lanes, officially joined IBI’s nonagenarians on August 26. An avid bowler who recently rolled a 239 game, Dorothy is a member of five leagues during the season, two of which are very competitive, and three leagues in the summer. In her ‘spare’ time, she is a voracious reader, goes dancing and exercises her mind with 1,000-piece puzzles. Did we mention, Dorothy has two children, five grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren and one great, great grandchild!? A very rich life indeed. Fellow bowler Bill DeCicco shared, “Dorothy is the sweetest, most polite person you would ever want to meet.” Dorothy, we would love to meet you! Happy 90th Birthday and keep bowling.
Dorothy L. Rhyland
Do you have a special bowler at your center we can highlight? Email Patty at heath@bowlingindustry.com. 6
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SHORTS
R&R ON THE LANES Sports teams work hard and one way to relax is to play other sports! That is why so many pro teams find recreational bonding and relaxation at the local bowling center. Sometimes, coaches will Quarterback Aaron Rodgers having fun surprise them with a bus on bowling day. trip to the nearest center and other times, they engage in charitable events centered around bowling. Team building was the goal for the Green Bay Packers in the annual impromptu bowling surprise. To announce the change in plans, the coaching staff rolled a clip from the Coen Brother’s cultclassic, The Big Lebowski, during the usual morning meeting. The clue was met with a roar of applause and off they went by bus to Gutter Bar & Bowl in Suamico, WI. It was an invaluable opportunity for veterans to get to know some of the new players on the roster. As quoted to Wes Hodkiewicz, Packers staff writer, defensive back
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Micah Hyde said, ”It’s fun to get out here with our teammates. Talk a little trash and get in our little groups, and bowl as best as possible. We’re all competitive. It’s good to do something else other than football and come out here and compete.” Whether for play or for work, they compete! ••• Houston Astros George Springer hosted his second annual All-Star Bowling Benefit at Lucky Strike Houston. Springer, along with fellow teammates and other celebrities, and over 200 fans, helped raise more than $100,000 for SAY, the Stuttering Association for the Young. SAY and Camp SAY, a summer camp for young people who stutter, is an organization close Houston Astros George Springer, to his heart, as he, holding his son Bryce, and the too, is a stutterer. Springer family.
SHORTS
PEOPLEWATCHING Creative Works, Inc., a designer and builder of venues, manufacturer and supplier of attractions, and creator of effects for amusement sites, has hired Danny Gruening as the new chief marketing officer. Danny Gruening Gruening will oversee all aspects of the marketing department and work alongside the sales team. He has more than a decade of experience in the entertainment industry, both as an operator and a vendor. His five years of marketing leadership will focus on the company’s online presence, product messaging, LaserTAG360 events, video technology, and overall content. Pinnacle Entertainment Group, a consulting company specializing in FECs and redemption game rooms, has announced the addition of Howard McAuliffe as partner in the firm. He brings twenty years’ experience as an operator and industry supplier, beginning in 1996 with the original Pinnacle Entertainment Group startup. Growing with the company, he assisted with the development and operations of its FECs and expanded his expertise to the integration of family attractions with bowling, ice skating and sports centers. “I’m excited about the future; the future of our clients, our company and the industry,” Howard and his family Howard commented. at another pinnacle. Steve Szabina has been appointed sales manager at ZOT Pinsetter Parts, Inc. He will be responsible for U.S. sales of ZOT’s parts and supplies and ColorSplash LED Lighting product lines. The 47-year-old Szabina Steve Szabina resides in Edmond, OK, with his wife and two sons, and comes with 14 years of experience as district sales manager with Ebonite International.
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ß BITS & PIECES ß ß ß ZOT’s VersaLamp gets DOE Approval
ZOT has announced that its VersaLamp LED Lighting System has been approved by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). P.J. Rosendahl, ZOT’s GM, said this “paves the way for proprietors to easily claim energy-saving rebates from their local energy provider against the purchase and installation of VersaLamp.”
ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß UK’s Rollerbowl taps QubicaAMF for Modernization
QubicaAMF announced a major modernization of Rollerbowl, one of the largest bowling centers in the UK. The Pavilion in Romford will have upgraded Pinspotters and the BES X system of scoring, plus Conqueror Pro management system.
ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Bay Tek Games Inks First Skee-Ball Licensing Deal
Within three months of its acquisition, Bay Tek partners, with Ocean Media, have brought the Skee-Ball brand to the 21st century through interactive platforms, including IOS, Android, PS, Mac, Linux and consoles. Skee-Ball has been in arcades for over a century. The original alley roller has been enjoyed by over a billion players. The updated Skee-Ball will incorporate wide variations and special game modes which are only possible in interactive outlets.
ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Register Now for IAAPA Attractions Expo 2016
The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA), which represents nearly 5,000 attractions, suppliers, and individual members from 99 countries, will gather Nov. 14-18 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL, for Attractions Expo 2016. In addition to nine miles of aisles packed with new ideas and industry solutions, this year’s expo will offer more than 80 educational experiences from behind-the-scenes EDUTours to professional development institutes and one-on-one consulting sessions. For information and registration, go to www.IAAPA.org/IAAPAAttractionsExpo or contact Jessica Gelsinon at jgelsinon@IAAPA.org.
ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß 2017 Edition of F2FEC – ‘Differentiate’
Chateau Elan in Braselton, GA, has been selected for the 2017 F2FEC educational gathering for family entertainment center operators. Conference dates are Feb. 21-23, 2017. Complete conference details and registration information will be forthcoming this summer. Changing and keeping things fresh and exciting keep these seminars vital and well received. Always sold out; don’t wait to reserve space. Go to amigos@f2conference.com and click 2017 Experience.
SHORTS
EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS
MATCH MY MONSTER CONTEST HAD A WINNER
Owners of Takk House (pronounced tock), the former Knights of Columbus building in Troy, NY, have been renovating the circa 1865 historic building in bits and pieces. The first floor parlor and ballroom are available for private events, particularly weddings. Now they are directing their attention to the original bowling lanes used since the 1920s. Paperwork has been filed to renovate the space into Franklin Alley Social Club, which will be open to the public. Decades of memorabilia were uncovered in the bowling alley’s basement, including a vintage soda machine, bowling league sponsor ads, and graffiti left behind from pinboys reading, “this job sucks.” Unfortunately, the lanes had deteriorated to such an extent that the wood couldn’t be reclaimed but will be used to make furniture for the space. There will be two duckpin bowling lanes and indoor bocce. Vintage arcade games, a bar, and concessions are planned. Opening is slated for early 2017.
During Bowl Expo, QubicaAMF allowed attendees to play BES X’s Monster Factory game for a chance to win $5,000. Each participant had one chance to play the five frame Mad Game, Monster Factory, in an attempt to match the monster generated from the BES X system. Luck and skill helped Alaina Crabtree of Murrieta, CA, win Match My Monster and $5,000. “I had never played the Monster Factory game before, but I had so much fun! And winning $5,000 was the best gift QubicaAMF could ever send me home with,” Alaina said. Emanuele Govoni, CEO of QubicaAMF, said, “We chose to host this contest so Bowl Expo attendees could have a hands-on opportunity to use the system and see how BES X is changing the bowler’s experience. The fact that the Match My Monster contest changed someone’s life is Alaina Crabtree with the Monster. that much better.”
On vacation with the family and stopping at a KOA campground? What would be better than bowling a few games with the family before turning in! That is exactly what the KOA campground in Wytheville, VA, thought. A six-lane center is complete and was launched on Memorial Day to the excitement of visitors and locals alike.
Poelking Woodman Lanes in Kettering, OH, has stepped up to a BEC designation with laser tag and Creative Works’ Lazer Frenzy. The laser tag can accommodate 26 players at a time, while Lazer Frenzy is a oneor two-person interactive game. Eight lanes were eliminated to create the two-story, 4,500-square-foot laser tag arena. There are still 40 lanes for league and open play, as well as the ever-popular Cosmic Bowling. “We are still a bowling business,” proprietor Joe Poelking said. “But we feel it’s necessary to change to be on the forefront of what’s going on in the industry.”
Bayside Bowl, Portland, ME, has broken ground on a multi-milliondollar expansion project that will add eight more lanes, a rooftop deck and a mezzanine level with event space. While successful at its downtown location for six years, the additional space will add 15 to 20 permanent jobs, plus 30 to 40 construction jobs all through the summer. Completion is expected by November. 12
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FRANK MIROBALLI EXTENDS HIS CENTER UMBRELLA Frank Mirabolli and FM3 Holdings LLC have purchased the Gnatovich family-owned, 48-lane Sam’s Highland Park Bowl in Moline, IL. He also owns the Quad City Family Entertainment Center, formerly a shuttered Moline furniture warehouse and now a thriving entertainment center. Miroballi has other centers in Virginia and Ohio, as well as running his Precision Pinsetter Service and A-2 Training Programs. The game plan now is to evaluate the facility’s need for improvements. Options include a restaurant, lounge, live music and updated party and meeting rooms. Daughters Sandra and Susan Gnatovich had run the center until mid-May after their father, Sam, passed away. Shortly after the center’s closing, Susan died. Rob Bowers, GM, Quad City Family Entertainment Center, shared, “We recognize the level of care and the contribution Sam, Sandra and Susan [Gnatovich] made over [the] years to the community and are very pleased and honored to carry this tradition forward for them.”
SHORTS
A HOLLYWOOD SET OR
THE
REAL THING?
In September 2015, IBI introduced Pat and Lisa Ciniello’s dream center, Headpinz in Fort Myers, FL. Capturing a little Hollywood magic, here are the “before” and “after” photos that transport those who choose to bowl on Pinboyz lanes, circa 1908. While up-to-date bowling is also available, who could resist the pull of this well-done time warp.
A shot of the beginning of the journey back in time for Pinboyz lanes in September 2015, complete with pinboys.
Here’s the final scene in 2016. 1908 couldn’t be more real.
HEYDAY NAMED TOP FEC HeyDay in Norman, OK, has been named the winner of the 2015 North American Top Family Entertainment Center of the World, North America. It received the award from IAAPA who sent secret shoppers to evaluate each location on the quality of the facility, attractions, food and beverage, website, and, most importantly, guest service. HeyDay scored an impressive 95 percent. HeyDay is kid-friendly, but it is especially a place for adults to play. The complex includes 24 lanes of bowling, eight of which are upstairs in a boutique high-end setting; multi-level laser tag; 18 holes of mini golf; an indoor ropes course, and a large variety of the latest and best arcade games. There is a diner, BreakPoint, featuring menu items from locally acclaimed Boomerang Grill and DoubleDave’s Pizzaworks. Upstairs there is an upscale sports bar, Revolutions, with the latest in audio visual for watching sports events, plus a scenic outdoor patio.
ALPHABETICAL WONDERLAND OF ENTERTAINMENT First came bowling centers, then FECs, BECs and now, get ready, VECs. THE VOID, LLC, developer of innovative, virtual reality technologies and collaborative content creation, will be opening its first cutting-edge virtual entertainment center (VEC), THE VOID, located in Pleasant Grove, UT, this summer. Ken Bretschneider, CEO/founder of THE VOID, said, “Until now, we have only seen experiences like THE VOID portrayed in science fiction films and novels. Our team is ecstatic to bring that dream to life. We truly believe it’s the future of entertainment.” VECs will be family friendly with experiences available for most ages. From exploring fantasy forests to doing battle on alien planets, the options are limitless. Multiplayer connectivity will allow family and friends to play and experience the virtual worlds together. Entertainment is truly stepping THE VOID’s rendering of into the future. Who knows? Soon, its flagship VR center in Pleasant Grove, UT. we could be bowling on Mars.
Media
WATCH SUPERSTAR COMPETITION The name Neymar Jr. is well-known to football, aka soccer, fans. He is the Brazilian superstar who plays for the Spanish club FC Barcelona. By his Instagram account, he is also BFFs with Justin Bieber. Neymar recently posted a video with Bieber and him playing Speed of Light, the hit game from LAI Games, at Dave and Buster’s Hollywood, CA, location. In the screen shot of the two battling it out, it appears that the soccer phenom came off second best against the popular singer. IBI
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FEATURE
ou. th and Marvin Ch Denise Ainswor
G N I H T E M O S O T G N I BELONG N ALABAMA Dixie. I to g n li R w o E b l o G cho
BIGA leader’s vision brings high s By Mark Miller
S
teve Savarese isn’t even a bowler, but his belief in what can be learned from education-based athletics is why Alabama is the latest state to recognize bowling as a high school varsity sport. Such vision by the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s (AHSAA) executive director was the ignitor for what proved to be a successful inaugural championship season in 2015-16. “He believes that what you can learn from athletics is what we need to offer to as many children as possible,” said Denise Ainsworth, director of special programs and primary liaison to the state bowling program. “He wanted to add sports and thought bowling would be an easy one to add, in that it would reach kids who would not otherwise be involved in athletics.” According to the National Federation of High Schools, there were 55,215 students participating in varsity bowling in the 2014-15 season. That’s up from 53,872 the previous year
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but likely below what it will be in 2015-16. While no official numbers are available for club bowling, estimates put the grand total of high school bowlers at more than 100,000. Alabama became the 21st state to recognize bowling as a varsity sport and the first since Kentucky made the switch from club status in 2012-13. Alabama designed bowling as an emerging sport in 2014-15, allowing schools, centers and state leaders time to develop teams, address and change format issues and draw interest. Last year was the first official championship season as bowling joined unified and paraambulatory sports as the latest additions in the AHSAA’s effort to involve more students in athletics. “He’s trying his best to get as many kids involved in athletics, because he believes there are tremendous benefits to being involved,” said Ainsworth, whom Savarese appointed to make bowling happen. Another non-bowler, Ainsworth started the process from scratch by first meeting with statewide bowling centers who initially were skeptical since previous attempts had failed, and they felt some of AHSAA’s rules might hurt their youth leagues. Plus, there were high school principals claiming
FEATURE they had no money to add another sport. So Ainsworth came up with an idea. She said, ‘Let’s try it this year as an emerging sport and see what interest we get, and we’ll see what we can do from there.’ ” About 40 schools took the plunge that year in both boys and girls divisions. The centers agreed to donate lane time for two weekly practices, plus shoes and house bowling balls for the first two years, to help launch the program. The only stipulation was the practice session had to be finished by 5:30 p.m. to accommodate evening leagues. With that agreement in hand, Ainsworth sent information to each of the 411 high schools in Alabama, including the estimate of $1,000 to start a program. She and assistant director and secondary bowling liaison, Marvin Chou, flew to Florida to observe that state’s championships, where they consulted with Boardwalk Bowl near Orlando on its 11 years of successful hosting. Armed with that information, AHSAA was ready for year two. And what a year it was with 80 boys’ and 60 girls’ teams participating. Ainsworth presented bid proposals to various convention and visitors bureaus in multiple cities state-wide. Because centers were concerned about losing revenue during tournament play, only three bid on the event Sparkman High School girls state champions. in 2015-16: Gulf Bowl in Foley for the south region; Leland Lanes in of Baker and traditional format games. Tuscaloosa for the north region; and Oak Mountain Lanes in Pelham for the state Local and regional formats were optional championship. Each center could rent time to teams the day before the championship the first two years with some standard for practice. formats expected in 2016-2017. Not only did the centers reap income from food and non-alcoholic beverage sales, The finals, won by the Sparkman girls they were able to sell out the practice time, as well as charge for parking and and Spain Park boys, attracted excellent admission, thus allaying proprietors fears of losing money. “Because those three centers news coverage, especially with the 120took a leap of faith with us, we asked all three if they’d be interested in hosting again average bowler who came off the bench next year and all three said yes,” Ainsworth said. “All three were packed, and if we to roll a 300 game. A number of other add teams next year as we anticipate, we’ll need to add another facility.” state proprietors, plus school athletic The two-day, mid-week regional events featured three traditional games on Day directors and administrators, attended 1 to seed for Baker on Day 2. The top eight from each region advanced to the state the events and were excited to participate, also held in January. Teams competing in the state championships rolled a combination according to Ainsworth. But these eager proprietors will have to wait to reap similar benefits, as the AHSAA extended the CLOVERLEAF LANES deals with the original three centers for INDEPENDENCE, OH (46 LANES) two more years due to their faith. “All three mayors of those cities said they absolutely want us back here because it gets heads in the beds,” We congratulate Bill Diamond on his purchase of Ainsworth said, referring to hotel room this fine center and thank Joan Spehar for trusting sales. “Plus, people spend gas money us to handle the sale. We wish Joan and grocery money and restaurant and Bill all the best. money in their cities. It’s more than just the bowling centers benefitting in those participating cities. That’s why we had to educate the bowling centers on that. Bowling’s Only Full-Service Brokers, We’re not asking you to do this. ‘We’re Appraisers & Financial Advisors asking your CVB (convention and visitors bureau) to help you do this.’ We asked the centers to bring in the bleachers, get Check out our current listings at www.SandyHansell.com people to handle the gate, parking
(800) 222-9131
28200 Southfield Rd., Southfield, MI 48076
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FEATURE attendants, and all that.” Members of the local USBC associations played a major role in those volunteer efforts, including keeping score and helping with hospitality. Ainsworth added “It was neat to see the special needs kids and other kids who had never worn their school’s uniform before. It was just great to see those kids get the recognition.” Such inclusiveness should only help bowling grow in Alabama in the coming years. “The first year was a true challenge, just overcoming and learning about lane conditions and oil patterns and all that stuff. We learned about Baker scoring,” said Chou. “We knew we wouldn’t be at the level Florida was, but we were very surprised at the level of excitement the kids enjoyed and the coaches and everything. We’re very pleased.” All it took was the cooperation and willingness of everyone to work together
Spain Park boys state champions.
for the benefit of youth across the state. “We can’t give enough credit to the centers because they were great to work with,” Ainsworth said. “They were willing to be patient with us. They were willing to educate us. They were willing to change their schedules for our rules. The centers have just been wonderful. The three that hosted the championship went above and beyond. They did whatever it took to make it great.” Chou added, “They understood that partnering with us will help the sport of bowling continue to grow. I think that’s one of the reasons they bought in. Some of them have even said their leagues have grown.” The AHSAA allows students to earn and retain all their bowling scholarships as long as they don’t use them until after their high school eligibility is completed. Plus it opened doors for more teachers to become involved. “I’m just thankful that our executive director had a vision to bring in a sport that brings in kids who weren’t going to be on the football team or the basketball team, and who wanted to give them more opportunities,” Chou said. “That’s what this association is all about, providing more opportunities to kids no matter what, so they can put on their school uniform and show their school pride and be part of something bigger.” ❖
Mark Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and public relations specialist from Flower Mound, TX. He's the author of Bowling: America's Greatest Indoor Pastime available at Amazon.com or directly from him at markmywordstexas@gmail.com.
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COVER STORY
Photo Credit: Sydney Schavietello, Dreamcatcher Media, LLC
REACHING NEW HEIGHTS AT SUMMIT At Summit, an elevated FEC experience keeps guests coming back. By Paul Lane
A 22
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ground breaking ceremony planned for the summer of 2016 will confirm the rumors that Centennial, CO, based Summit Companies, Inc. is starting construction on a two-level entertainment facility in Thornton, CO. All aspects of this project will be managed by
August 2016
Performance Entertainment, a recreational management company specializing in the development and operation of large, upscale entertainment facilities which include casual dining restaurants, bowling, VIP lounges, laser tag, video and redemption game arcades and a myriad
COVER STORY other amenities, all under one roof. Performance Entertainment falls under the umbrella of its parent company, Summit Companies, Inc. The Thornton facility, which is tentatively scheduled to have its grand opening in the spring of 2017, will be the third venue owned and operated in Colorado by the Summit Companies, Inc. with two other facilities: one in Colorado Springs and the other in Windsor. The first project, the Colorado Springs FEC, was the result of an alliance between Summit Companies, Inc. and Brunswick. Originally managed by the Brunswick team, it was intended to be the first of several locations under the alliance between the two independent companies. In spite of a highly successful opening and first year of business, Brunswick decided to refocus and not proceed with partnership agreements with developers like Summit Companies, Inc. This proved to be a challenge for Summit Companies, Inc. president and CEO Dennis Schavietello, as the next project in Windsor was already in the financing stages of development. Happily, during the development and construction of Summit Colorado Springs, Dennis Schavietello became acquainted with Don MacBrayne, a 35-plus year veteran in the bowling industry who, at that time, was the vice president of operations for the Brunswick Zone XL brand. Following several discussions, Schavietello and MacBrayne concluded that they saw the same FEC-inspired opportunities for Summit. After his retirement from Brunswick, MacBrayne accepted an equal partnership and became the COO of Performance Entertainment and today oversees the development and management of this hybrid model that has proven to be so successful. Additionally, MacBrayne’s history and reputation in the industry helped to open doors and establish credibility for Summit with vendors and other industry leaders to bring the new brand to the marketplace. Summit’s Windsor FEC features 24 high-tech regulation bowling lanes, with an additional 8 lanes in a private VIP room called the Eagles Nest. The upscale Eagles Nest also features two billiard tables, a private bar, fireplace, plush upholstered seating for up to 125 guests, and two 22-foot HD projection screens
Dennis Schavietello (L) and Don MacBrayne
above the lanes, with six more screens throughout the lounge. For casual and fine dining, the Crossroads Tavern and Grille is the place to go. For sports fans there are 14 big screen TVs and a giant 14-foot projection Supreme Screen. If there’s a pro-game on, it’s on at Crossroads. It is the ultimate sports bar, featuring multi-level seating with tables and a full service bar with more than 30 beers on tap. There’s not a bad seat in the house. For those who enjoy being outside, there’s a 110-seat patio where you can enjoy a fine meal, sip a beverage, sit with friends around an 11-seat fire pit table, all while enjoying spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. The Summit centers include two-story laser tag arenas that can accommodate up to 30 players battling it out on a foreign planet. Friends compete for their own championship, and there are plenty of places to hide in a spectacular alien landscape that creates a fantastic laser experience for all ages. The caveat, you must be at least 44 inches tall for safety reasons. Round all this off with the Player’s Peak Arcade, featuring 55 family-friendly, state-of-the-art arcade, video, redemption, and merchandiser and crane games to test your skills and win great prizes. A Summit Pass even keeps track of points earned. All a player needs to do is take the pass to the Gold Mine redemption store when they are ready to cash in their points, or they can
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COVER STORY redeem them for food, beverages, bowling, or any other purchase within the center. What could be easier? There is something for everyone: families, friends, young and old, corporate and affinity groups, and it’s all under one roof. Summit Thorton will be a carbon copy of the highly successful Windsor venue. It’s a case that when you have a successful business model and branding that’s proving to be successful, why mess with it? The Thornton center is located 35 miles south of Windsor, and 60 miles north of Colorado Springs, and is an ideal location because of growth and demographics in a catchment area within a 20-minute radius. According to MacBrayne, the Thornton demographics and the location will succeed without hurting other bowling and FEC facilities with bowling: an issue that MacBrayne and his partners take seriously. “There’s no future or benefit for us to steal or share customers with other bowling and/or bowling FEC-style venues,” said MacBrayne. ”Summit Thornton should stand alone and develop its customer base from within its own catchment area, which the demographics indicate will more than support the new Summit center. In fact, the demographics for Summit Thornton indicate that the business may even be more brisk than the highly successful Windsor facility,” stated MacBrayne. Like Windsor, the Thornton facility will house 32 lanes, 24 public and eight private,
Even though our focus is on today’s demand for family entertainment, we will always have a league program. Long term, we want to target a minimum of 500 league bowlers at each of our venues. – Don MacBrayne a two-story laser tag arena, restaurant/sports bar, an outdoor patio, an arcade and two large conference rooms for meetings and events. An interesting feature at Windsor, which will be replicated in Thornton, is back-to-back duplication of the kitchen. While this may seem extravagant, it’s all about service. An open front kitchen serves the Crossroads Tavern and Grille, the outdoor patio, the two bars and the concourse food and beverage. The second kitchen is dedicated to serving banquets and the Eagles Nest VIP lounge, which caters to private bookings and the over 21 crowd. This duplication ensures that general food and beverage service is not affected by banquets, corporate bookings or food sales in the Eagles Nest VIP room. To ensure top-notch service, the Summit FECs have a sales office located close to the entrance lobby. In addition to managing all sales-related activities, the sales staff also manages all incoming phone calls, thereby saving the receptionist at the front desk from having to take calls while handing out shoes, assigning lanes, and running credit cards, etc. The sales office is open seven days a week and is manned by one to three people, depending on the time of day and day of the week. “We don’t want to be one of the ‘ABC Lanes! Hold on a minute!’ type of centers,” said MacBrayne. Both the Windsor and Thornton facilities are designed by the Fort Collins, CO, based Vaught Frye Larson Architects (VFLA). Dohn Construction will once again be the general contractor. “Having worked with VFLA as our architectural firm, and Dohn Construction as our general contractor, we were well educated on many lessons when we built our facility in Windsor,” said MacBrayne. “Both firms are based in Fort Collins, CO, which is a neighboring town to Windsor. We enjoyed working with both firms and were able to 24
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COVER STORY deal with their principals and dedicated staff. They worked very hard to source subcontractors and suppliers from northern Colorado, too, which we appreciated. We are looking forward to working with them for our Thornton facility, having benefitted from our mutual learning experience in Windsor.” When it came to discussions on promotion, recruitment, selection and training of employees, we really hit on one of MacBrayne’s pet subjects and areas of expertise. It started when we asked MacBrayne for his view on entertainment versus league bowling. “Even though our focus is on today’s demand for family entertainment, we will always have a league program,” said MacBrayne. “Long term, we want to target a minimum of 500 league bowlers at each of our venues,” he added. “Presently, at our Windsor facility, we have 275 adult and 25 senior league bowlers. We are gunning for a total of 400–500 total league bowlers by September, including youth leagues which we plan to develop through Bowling 2.0 instruction classes and the Kid’s Bowl Free program throughout the summer.” MacBrayne is very excited about having signed up the Summit centers for the Kids
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Bowl Free (KBF) program. In fact, the Summit centers in Colorado Springs and Windsor started the program on April 11th and will continue through October 30th this year, well before and after the traditional summer holiday timeframe. “We’re excited to participate in a program that introduces so many youngsters to bowling,” said MacBrayne, “and the opportunity to enjoy the residual benefits of the added revenues (i.e. shoe rental, food and beverage, family passes, arcade revenue). KBF combines both short and long term objectives as any program that develops new customers to bowling will reap rewards, so long as you make the experience enjoyable and memorable.” MacBrayne says the same thing about Learn to Bowl (LTB) programs, which Summit runs in several series of four weekly lessons throughout the summer. Every participant that completes the fourweek program earns a discount if they sign up to join a Have-a-Ball Club league, where they will recieve their own custom bowling ball at the end of a short season. “The two challenges we face are developing new customers for bowling, and turning those new customers into bowlers (through education programs like LTB) which promote repeat business,” said Don MacBrayne. If customers learn to do something a little better, they will be encouraged to do it more often. The variety of promotion programs at
COVER STORY
Summit centers is extensive, ranging from a Monday Night Bowling Club and Golf Tournament, a 50+ Club, NOCO’s Restaurant and Hospitality Challenge (a special late night league where employees from local restaurants compete for the best taste in bowling) to PBA Experience competition, to name but a few. “But, none of this works without dynamite service from dynamite employees,” says MacBrayne, “and we take the recruitment and selection of employees very seriously. Training employees will always be an ongoing program.” It starts with a group of candidates, potentially up to thirty, who have been shortlisted for a specific position within a department. After an introduction explaining what the company is all about and details of the job opportunity, each candidate is asked to make a half-minute presentation to introduce themselves: talk a little about their background and experience, and why they may be the right person for a specific position, ie. bartender, game room attendant, receptionist or sales position, for example. This gives the management team an opportunity to assess an applicant’s personality, appearance, confidence level, speaking skills, general demeanor and attitude. The process continues with a smaller group that made the cut, approximately eight to ten people. This group is broken up into a number of smaller groups and given roleplaying situations. The candidates then role play how they would deal with the customer’s complaint. Those who do not make the final cut are thanked, given a voucher good for bowling and food or beverage, and are encouraged to reapply at a later date. “We all feel very blessed to have such a wonderful set of team members,” says MacBrayne, “both in the hourly and salaried ranks. They work very hard to bring memorable, elevated experiences to each guest on each visit. And every employee understands that we strive to promote from within whenever possible, which serves as incentive to perform well.” “We have had a significant learning curve building, opening and operating the Windsor model,” continues MacBrayne. 28
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“We look forward to taking that learning to the Thornton location, using the Windsor facility for training new employees for the Thornton center ahead of the opening, so they are equipped to hit the road running on the big day.” Wisely, the Summit Company operates with each department manager having their own P&L. This enables the department managers to closely monitor their own results, make comparisons to previous results, by month or year, and highlight areas for improvement. So, what happens after the Thornton facility? According to company president and CEO Dennis Schavietello, “We are presently looking at other locations in Colorado for two more FECs, locations where the demographics and growth potential fit our business model. And both of which are within a 1 1/2 hour drive from our other three facilities. After that, we may look at other states, but only at locations where there is the potential for a cluster of four or five FECs within a 200-mile radius, so we can maintain management
The Eagles Nest VIP area
and administrative control. We will not consider building oneoff facilities in a single or a remote location, with one in one state, and one in another.” It’s obvious that the Summit Company, Inc. has a winning formula with branding, facility design, business model, and level of expertise in site selection. All of these combined create a high profile, success-oriented performer in the FEC business. ❖
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.
INTRO
According to George n our Bowl Expo preview issue in the last Beyond Bowling, I recounted a little history: the first year I attended in 2006, there was not much representation of FEC suppliers at the show. There was, however, great potential and the process of bringing the two industries together had begun. Fast forward to this year. The Bowling Entertainment Center (BEC) model is well established. The graph below shows the Rogers Curve, a respected analysis of how innovation is established across many industries over time. The bowling industry took years to move from the innovator to the early adopter phase, and it is only recently that we entered the early majority phase. The buzz in the aisles and the exhibitor makeup at this year’s Bowl Expo bears that out as the industry moves up the curve. Much of the talk and excitement centered around games and family entertainment attractions. Exhibitors showcasing their products and services to BECs, e.g. game distributors, debit card system providers, redemption merchandise suppliers, laser tag, and many more, were well represented. All indications are that the BEC, as a business model, is a proven attraction. It is becoming part of the culture and accepted as a popular venue for out-of-home entertainment. One of the great innovators of the BEC was and continues to be Don Labrecque’s Airway Fun Center in Portage (Kalamazoo), MI. Evan Henerson covers Airway’s latest groundbreaking attraction, an escape room, inside this edition of Beyond Bowling. Airway may be the first in the country to add this increasingly popular attraction, and Evan’s article explains the how and why, including early returns. In our Interesting Interview, I talk to general manager Marc Wiese about his personal journey, as well as Airway’s history as a leader in the BEC sector. Enjoy this edition and the rest of your summer.
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George McAuliffe Principal, Pinnacle Entertainment Group
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From David’s Desk t is hard to believe the summer is almost over: kids are getting ready to go back to school; league bowlers will start flowing in; and your summer bowling center updates should almost be completed. It’s a great time to be in the bowling industry. This was the overall rallying cry at Bowl Expo this past June in Las Vegas. Excitement was generated by all the new concepts available to proprietors to help take on the next chapter of the industry’s entertainment morph. In this August issue of IBI, you will find articles on the Summit centers in Colorado plus Airway Fun Center in Portage, MI, which have embraced these changes and are on the cutting edge of great things. The Summit, traditionally designed as an FEC, with bowling as its anchor, actually seeks out league bowlers to help its business plan. They have set their goal at 500 league bowlers, a large number for the FEC market, and they are close to achieving it. Airway Fun Center has developed from a closed AMF center to an incredibly successful BEC. Bowling is once again the anchor in its mall of activities. The newest addition is Escapology’s escape room which will increase traffic by attracting Millennials. I’m a big fan of the escape room concept. It gives you time away from your cell and smart phone distractions. Participants get to work with friends and strangers to solve a real-life puzzle. It is mentally very intense, and, at the same time, allows one to step away from everyday stresses. Enjoy this issue of IBI and its quarterly Beyond Bowling segment, and I hope your center finishes off the summer with a big bang.
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David Garber Associate Publisher International Bowling Industry
FEATURE
Escaping the Ordinary At Airway Fun Center, a new, different attraction adds intrigue to family entertainment. By Evan Henerson owling may still top the drop down list of things to do at Airway Fun Center, but patrons of the Portage, MI, FEC have recently been given a new escape from the traditional array of entertainment offerings. Escape is the key word here, as Airway has become one of the country’s first FECs to install a room escape attraction. A relatively new gaming attraction that has become a craze in Europe and Japan, room escapes (also called escape games and escape rooms) invite groups of people to lock themselves in a large, speciallythemed room and spend the next 60 minutes figuring out the puzzle that will set them free. One hour may not seem like a lot of time to stave off an international attack, foil a hacker
B
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about to unleash a virus on a million or so banks, or solve a murder on board a luxury train, but the experience gets people simultaneously bonding and having a blast. “Moms like it because you have 60 minutes without a cellphone,” said Eric Wiggington, franchise development director of Escapology, who oversees the Airway rooms. “One of our games is exactly like an old Clue game, but it’s a live Clue game.” The Airway FEC had the advantage of already having nearly 5,000 square feet of unused space below their administrative offices that they were able to convert to Eric Wiggington room escapes at a cost of about $300,000. The rooms, which opened in mid May, join an already packed Airway lineup
of attractions that includes laser tag, mini golf, Time Freak [a free-standing game of speed and agility where up to six players compete, hitting the most lighted buttons on their side of the game] and go carts. “We were the second bowling center to have a laser maze,” said Airway general manager Marc Wiese. “If you’re not going forward, you’re going backwards, and we want to stay ahead of the game.” Airway opened with five of Escapology’s signature room escapes. Two rooms offer Cuban Crisis, which sends players into Fidel Castro’s palace with the aim of locating a hidden KGB officer and getting out in time to prevent the launch of certain missiles. With Antidote, players concoct a solution to prevent a deadly virus from wiping out the human race. Th3 C0d3 has you matching wits with a cyberhacker hell-bent on framing you for a massive financial crime, while Budapest Express is a race against time to identify a murderer before he leaves a train. The facility has space for two more rooms
Budapest Express escape room.
which will go in at a later date, and existing rooms can be reconfigured every four to six months to shake things up. The two Cuban Crisis rooms allow groups to compete against each other to see who escapes in the shortest amount of time. On the attraction’s opening day in mid-May, a group of attorneys and bankers squared off against each other, seeking to be the first to break the seal on the new attraction. Wiese reported that more than 200 people came through the room escapes during the first 10 days of opening, including a 9-year old girl who played all four rooms. “We have started to have repeat customers which I didn’t expect so quickly,” Wiese said. “We had more than 1,100 likes on our Facebook page in the first two weeks. It’s pretty awesome.” Prior to opening, Wiese deputized his daughter Elizabeth to sample the attraction. Elizabeth Wiese assembled a group of five, and, together, they puzzled their way out of the Antidote room. Elizabeth
says she’s good with numbers while some of her friends excelled at puzzles, sequencing and riddles. Together they cracked the code and found a group of employees waiting and applauding their escape. “We did need a couple of hints to escape,” said Elizabeth who works as a disability examiner. “I’ve recommended it to some of my co-workers and my cousin is in middle school, and he might do it with his volleyball team. It felt a lot more authentic than I thought it would.” As the room escape fad has grown, companies have created other grizzlier, more horrific scenarios involving zombies or psychopaths, but those experiences are not Escapology’s target audience, according to Wigginton. “You’re solving puzzles. You have to work as a team,” Wigginton says. “The mean audience is about 25 to 40, and it’s working extremely well for families, too.” Operators acknowledge that the cross over potential between Airways clientele who have come to bowl and room escapers may be limited. Escape room patrons enter a separate free-standing building that is separate from the other Airway attraction. Once their adventure is concluded, they may choose to debrief over a meal and/or sample another Airway offering, or they may depart. A room escape costs $25 to $28 per person, a fee which a league bowler might not be apt to take on, according to Wigginton who worked for and ran multiple bowling centers before joining Escapology. “Escapology is another upscale attraction,” said Wigginton. “You can’t put it in the middle of a 40-lane bowling center in Kansas that’s serving hamburgers and hot dogs. The bowling industry has to go after the other 99%, and that’s what Escapology will do. FECs are going in that direction.” ❖ Evan Henerson is a features and lifestyle journalist who lives in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in TV Guide, American Theatre, Orange Coast and the Los Angeles Daily News where he was a staff writer and critic for nine years.
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INTERESTING INTERVIEW
By George McAuliffe
Flying High With Marc Wiese A few minutes with the general manager of Airway Fun Center in Portage, MI.
1. How did you get your start in the business? I owned a convenience store and my father-in-law owned a bowling center, where I started part time. Bowling was a lot more fun than the c-store, so it evolved into full time. AMF bought the center, and I became a general manager for three of their centers. Airway was closed in an AMF consolidation, [the] lanes [were] removed and the space gutted. Don Labrecque purchased the center in 2003. 2. What’s kept you in the business through the years? I always knew I wanted to be in sports somehow and, as I’m very much a marketing guy, I just loved the ability of bowling to change. When I interviewed with Don, that all meshed with his vision. We’re on the same page when it comes to trying new things and being creative. 3. Airway Fun Center started as a traditional bowling center, I believe. What led you to add family entertainment attractions to the mix? We were watching league play going down every year. Kalamazoo was way, way overbuilt, population to lane bed, and we needed something to distinguish ourselves. We took 56 lanes down to 40, freeing up 16,000 square feet for other things. Don is a Brunswick guy and followed what was happening at the time with Brunswick Zone XLs. Thus, we started adding family entertainment attractions. 4. You seem to continually add attractions to the mix. Tell us about that and what are your favorites? We had an underperforming banquet room and first 34
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Marc Wiese
we added an arcade and laser tag in that space. The next year we added outdoor go karts, then mini golf. These two were significant, because it made us a twelve month business. In 2008-2009 came Lazer Maze and Balladium. Despite the recession, we knew it would end, and when it did we wanted to be ahead of the rest of the market. Adding boutique lanes in 2012 was huge for us. We attracted customers that would never step foot in a bowling center. Plus, it took us to a new level for corporate groups. We added a spectacular ropes course outdoors. Every time we added an attraction, everything else went up as well. Instead of people driving 5 to 10 miles we would have people driving 60 miles to get to us. We were probably two to three years late on expanding the game room and adding our own games, but we did that successfully several years ago, adding a redemption store. This year’s addition is Escapology, an escape room attraction that we believe will serve a different market and introduce new customers to our fun center and bowling.
5. What’s your favorite addition? It’s really hard to say. They’ve all been great for the whole business, all home runs. I’ll go with the ropes course with zip line. It has raised the whole center by 20%. June and July are now great months for us. 6. What do you see as the key to the success of the BEC model? Change thinking on staffing. You need people from the restaurant and other service industries. And management in general. You need to treat the game room like you treat shoe rental; it has to be managed. We have 100 employees in the summertime, sometimes 50 people on a shift. That requires a different management structure and resources, and it’s a commitment to change. The centers that add BEC just because everybody else is doing it aren't that successful. 7. How do you handle the adult vs family customer segments? Are there conflicts? There can be. Most people think we are family more than adult, which hurts us in the bar a bit.
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Next year, we are addressing this, designing and upscaling for the adult. We believe in designing for the adults, the kids are coming anyway. 8. What are the next phases for Airway? Your vision for the next five years? I mentioned the design changes. We’ll redo the bar and upgrade the kitchen. We’ve identified our food and beverage as an upside opportunity. Our project is never done. Once the bugs are out of the new attraction, we’re looking for the next thing. 9. Any other wisdom you care to share for our readers? You don’t have to do it all at once. Just get started. Once you get started, it’s easier to do the second thing than it was the first. ❖
George McAuliffe has operated family entertainment centers from 2,000 to 150,000 square feet as a corporate executive and entrepreneur. As a consultant he has helped hundreds of clients add or improve redemption game rooms and FEC attractions. He is currently the principal of Pinnacle Entertainment Group whose clients include Embed, Redemption Plus and Shaffer Distributing Company. He writes for RePlay and International Bowling Industry magazines and speaks at FEC industry conferences.
SHOWCASE
NEW CENTER CONSTRUCTION
Brunswick Build-to-Bowl, the single source solution for new center construction and re-imaging projects, provides a complete line of services from the earliest planning stages right through project completion. Brunswick has mastered the most effective and efficient methods of coordinating the efforts of planners, designers, architects, contractors, installers, and training professionals in order to bring a new center development, modernization, or remodeling project to life in a timely and cost-effective manner. Relying on the turnkey construction capabilities of Brunswick assures you of quality, efficiency, and cost-effective construction. Visit www.brunswickbowling.com/build-a-center/planning for more information.
RESERVATION KIOSK
Steltronic introduces its 6th generation Steltronic Reservation Kiosk. It is an excellent way to reduce the amount of time it takes at the front desk to open a bowling lane. Similar to airline check-in, customers can enter their information in advance, e.g. names, rental shoe sizes, and bumpers if needed. Once the information is entered, a reservation is automatically sent to the Focus front desk waiting list system. With all the information set up in advance, lanes are sold faster at the front desk, bowlers find their names ready at the console, and all of this helps turn lanes over, adding to a center’s bottom line. For more information, call (800) 942-5939 or email info@steltronicscoring.com.
REDEMPTION TICKET SYSTEM
Bay Tek Games’ Tower of Tickets Reload is fun for all ages. 100% skill-based, this 4-player game is simple to play and always set for 100% optimal revenue potential by looking the most attractive to players at all times. Tower of Tickets Reload has a fully self-contained rotary where no labor is involved, and it is equipped with NFC technology in the bottom of each ticket tower. When a player correctly times the swing arm to knock a ticket tower off the platter, it will fall into the Win Spot tray where the NFC technology reads the ticket chip and pays out the correct amount. Once the tickets have been distributed to the player, the spring-loaded tray automatically flips up and sends the ticket roll right back onto the game platter. For more information, contact Bay Tek Games at sales@baytekgames.com or find them at www.baytekgames.com.
WEBSITE AND DOWNLOADABLE CONTENT
Creative Works has launched its new company website at www.thewoweffect.com. This website will make it easier for operators in the entertainment and bowling industry to learn about the company; what it does; and how it can help operators succeed. As part of this new site, Creative Works will start rolling out free downloadable content on its blog. This content will help operators improve their operations, streamline their business, and be better prepared when expanding or adding new attractions. The mobile friendly design is much easier to navigate, and all the content is consolidated to a single domain, which improves the user experience. To request your free quote for a new attraction, visit www.thewoweffect.com.
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SHOWCASE
ON-LANE ORDERING
QubicaAMF’s BES X bowler entertainment system just keeps getting bigger and better. The BES X system now lets customers order food and beverages directly from the lane whenever they want. Stunning graphics and images make it easy to see and decide what they want, and a simple, friendly interface makes it easy to use. One touch will send the order straight to the kitchen and adds the order to their lane tab. No more lines, plus increased F&B opportunity—sit back and watch the revenue roll in! Change the experience and grow your business and revenue with BES X. To learn more, visit www.qubicaafm.com/ExperienceBESX.
REDEMPTION MERCHANDISE REPLENISHMENT
BMI Merchandise continues transforming the way redemption products are purchased, merchandised and tracked for replenishment. BMI’s Automated Merchandise Replenishment System, or AMRS™, has been embraced by bowling centers nationally, from the largest national chains such as Main Event, to regional players in every corner of the country. If locations have POS systems, BMI unlocks the hidden brain of this technology, allowing locations to receive replenishment orders in the present week that directly reflect the inventory redeemed in the week prior. BMI takes pride in always having the brands and items trending now, while constantly updating locations’ assortment with topical items at the same cost/point value as the prior items. Check out www.bmimerchandise.com or call (800) 272-6375.
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BOWL EXPO RECAP
PUTTING THE PIECES ALL TOGETHER Congratulations to BPAA for putting on another great Bowl Expo at the Mandalay Bay June 26-30th.The excitement at this year’s show was electric, with Peyton Manning, Johnny Cupcakes, and many other great speakers delivering spot on messages. On the trade show floor, the energy did not let up as the key players of the bowling industry were in attendance: Brunswick, QubicaAMF, and US Bowling to name a few. One of the impressive things was the large number of new exhibitors that want to be involved in bowling. Thank you to Mr. Hero Noda for taking thousands of pictures during Bowl Expo. Combing through those pictures here at IBI we came up with some of our favorites. We look forward to seeing everyone next year in Nashville.
Beth Standlee of TrainerTainment stages an impromptu seminar. Nancy Schenk and her family have another great holiday card in the can! Peyton Manning gives the keynote address.
The Dexter booth looks sleek and sophisticated. 44
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Lisa and Pat Ciniello enjoying themselves at Club Expo.
BOWL EXPO RECAP
Huey Lewis and The News rock Club Expo.
Jackie Wyckoff smiles for the camera.
Kegel shows off their latest and greatest. Phil Blouin of Azbar is ready for business.
Barb and Bill Chrisman accept the IBMA Alberta E. Crowe Meritorious Service Award. Juan Cabezas loves Club Expo.
Anthony Perrone, the Desocios, Charlene Martino, Tom Martino holding his granddaughter and Tom Jr. are all having a ball at Club Expo.
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IN MY OWN WORDS
Proprietor Peppe Smith from Youngstown, Ohio, had a bucket list experience in South Africa, and promoted bowling while she was at it.
know because I worked in physical therapy. This is an allinclusive sport. No one sits on the bench. We should consider including a bowling alley in our 30-year plan." We were delighted that we had such an enthusiastic supporter. Who knew? The adventure began when Juliann Borowski, a graduate student of education at Youngstown State University, called on
By Peppe Smith e were in the mayor's office in Knysna, South Africa with town dignitaries and our group from Ohio. Students from Youngstown State University (YSU) introduced themselves and their foundation Project Learning Around the World. And then I was introduced and had a few moments to explain why Bob (my husband) and I had brought one portable bowling lane and the Bowlers Ed curriculum. After my explanation, the councilwoman next to me flipped on her mic and offered an endorsement for bowling, saying, "It [bowling] is wonderful for hand eye coordination. I Camelot Lanes in Boardman seeking a donation for her fundraiser. I always try to meet with solicitors in order to gage if Camelot Lanes is a good fit for their fundraising goals. "I'm going to Africa with Project Learning Around The World," Juliann announced. "Africa’s on my bucket list," I answered, more than intrigued. Juliann explained her connection with the organization and I was sold. Project Learning Around the World was founded by Dr. Audrey Ellenwood of Toledo. She has been taking college students, books, and school supplies to Knysna for over ten years. Through her organization, Dr. Ellenwood has helped build 46
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IN MY OWN WORDS The misson of Project Learning Around the World is to deliver school supplies and enhance learning environments for children infected with AIDS in rural township schools in South Africa and other developing countries around the world. 80% of the children in the adopted schools have AIDS and/or TB, and many have lost one or both parents to AIDS. Many of the children are homeless. Food is limited and the villagers often cook one pot of porridge for the children, which might be their only meal of the day. School supplies are also very limited, for instance, five children sharing one pencil. Each year individuals associated with Project Learning Around the World gather and hand deliver school supplies, reading books, or small equipment to various South African township schools.
school libraries, installed playground equipment and purchased chairs for pre schools. In the days following Juliann’s visit, we made a donation to the basket raffle and hosted a bowling fundraiser. After the fundraiser, I contacted Dr. Ellenwood to connect and
Gerald Paluzzi and Bob Smith
tell her how honored we were to host the fundraising event. That was a fortuitous call; I learned that due to the Ebola outbreak, two students had backed out of the trip and there was room for two. I knew that big opportunities like this don’t always happen, so I took the leap. So... in May 2015, Bob and I found ourselves boarding a flight to Johannesburg, South Africa with six YSU students, the bowling carpet kit, the Bowlers Ed curriculum and luggage for three weeks. From Johannesburg, we traveled to the town of Knysna. Knysna is a beautiful seaside hamlet, with beach-front vacation homes, yacht clubs, successful 48
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business people and vacationers from Europe, contrasted against families living in abject poverty. The third day after we arrived in Kynsna, Dr. Ellenwood arranged for us to meet Jan Van Wageningen, the manager of Knysna Sports School, at the local mall. The minute we rolled out the bowling carpet, we were surrounded by children and their parents. Van Wageningen started a table tennis program with a previous donation from Project Learning Around the World, so we knew his organization had an excellent track record of honesty and successful execution. We felt strongly that we had delivered the gear to just the right place. Surprisingly, the Knysna Rotary Club had been invited to the impromptu bowling demonstration. Bob went to work telling them about our donation, with the hope that they would help with future funding for more bowling kits. In the following days, our exposure to Africa included fine dining on the bay, walking with the elephants, visiting severely impoverished schools, and taking pictures of residential territories, where the saddest of living conditions exist. Since there is no bowling center in Knysna, Dr. Ellenwood connected us with the proprietor of the closest bowling center, which is a one hour drive, in George, South Africa. Propietor Gerald Paluzzi gave us a full tour of his center in George and told us he has investigated building a center in Knysna, but the demographics were not right for construction. Paluzzi’s center, Let's Go Bowling, is a modern, well-appointed 12-lane FEC, with mini golf, game room, billiards, a bar, restaurant and chicken coup. Paluzzi and his children own an additional six Let’s Go Bowling centers in South Africa. I was not surprised to learn that Let's Go Bowling loans their Bowlers Ed equipment to the schools in their market area just like we do in Youngstown. After all, it’s good business. Looking forward, we hope that the kids who will learn to bowl on our donated carpet kit will some day have a center in their neighborhood. Who knows, maybe someone will be inspired like we were with Project Learning Around The World. ❖
Peppe Smith helped her team start high school bowling in Ohio and Texas. She and her husband, Bob, served on the BPAA board of directors in separate terms. Ms. Smith previously worked as Associate Publisher of IBI magazine. She has an MBA in marketing from Syracuse University.
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1-800-700-4539
Call for Price List
Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576
SELL YOUR CENTER
(818) 789-2695
WWW.TEXTBOWLING.COM
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CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Like new 24-lane Anvil pkg., foul line forward w/deck; installation. Approach sand/screen available. 16-lane Steltronic pkg. 24-lane AS90 or AMF Excel. 22-lane American Bowling Hood/Rack. Brunswick & AMF powerlifts. 16lane Brunswick bumper/gutter. 20 lanes Media Mask w/ speakers. Blacklight bulbs, $4 ea. Installation available. Email knotritellc@gmail.com.
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
For Sale: Complete AMF AccuScore Plus scoring system with monitors & 40 Frame Game for 12-lane center. $15,000 OBO. Must pick up. Call Ryan (574-583-7358. NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com. REPAIR & EXCHANGE. Call for details (248) 375-2751.
EQUIPMENT WANTED LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Call (608) 764-1464.
SERVICES AVAILABLE Bowlingtrader.com is YOUR FREE bowling buy and sell site. Sponsored by Redline Foul Lights. Tel: 1 (888) 569-7845. PROPRIETORS WITH AMF 82-70 S.S. & M.P. MACHINES! Chassis & P.C. boards. REPAIR AND EXCHANGE. Mike Barrett, phone (714) 871-7843 or fax (714) 522-0576. Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.
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CLASSIFIEDS
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CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES AVAILABLE 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.
EDUCATION & TRAINING PRO SHOP TRAINING. Classes always forming. Jayhawk Bowling Supply (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.
CENTERS FOR SALE
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 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. F132T 15" x 50" $130 ea. All plates include screws and instructions 800-445-1090 (F) 609-267-4669 festrikezone.com Resurfacing - Repairs - Supplies - Synthetics
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NEW YORK: Foothills of the Adirondacks: Multi-Channel Income Streams defines this opportunity! Thriving diner, tavern & recreation center, including bowling, sand volleyball and card leagues awaits. This turn key business is located on the main thoroughfare just minutes to Utica Nano, SUNY Polytech, Rome & Utica metro areas. On the snowmobile trail as well! John (315) 534-1925. Northern California (near Oregon border): Only family center in town with 16 lanes, 8270s, Brunswick scoring, wooden approaches & synthetic lanes. Includes 17,000 s/f bldg. w/ game room, snack bar/restaurant & banquet room. Growing party business. Call (209) 756-8827 for more info. CENTRAL IDAHO: 8-lane Brunswick center with Anvil lanes, 50-seat restaurant with Drive-Thru Window. All new appliances. Only bowling center within 60 miles. Call (775) 720-2726. APPRAISALS: LARRY DOBBS MAI, ASA. (214) 674-8187. Bowlingvaluations@yahoo.com.
HELP WANTED Center Management Opportunity. Are you an assistant manager, manager or assistant general manager looking for an opportunity to grow professionally, as well as financially? Do you have the motivation, drive and energy needed to grow our center’s business? If so, you will want to contact us today. We are a Los Angeles area bowling center seeking a bilingual (Spanish/ English) candidate who is eager to help our business grow. We offer salary (commensurate with experience) plus 401k and vacation. Relocation costs may be provided for the right candidate. To apply, please email your resume and salary history to info@bowlingindustry.com.
CLASSIFIEDS
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
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REMEMBER WHEN
Mrs. Robert M. Cushing
Carol Heiss Jenkins
Mrs. Samuel Auchincloss
1960
T
here have been three mystery women bowling for AMF’s 1960s ad campaign and its Magic Triangle. IBI ’s Remember When series “Everybody Bowls” started in 2011 with Mrs. Robert M. Cushing; in 2015, there were Carol Heiss Jenkins, figure skater, and Mrs. Samuel Auchincloss. We have now come upon another Mrs., Mrs. Anthony Drexel Duke. According to my research, there were four Mrs. Anthony Drexel Dukes. I have concluded,
based on dates, that #3, Diane Douglas, might be our bowler in 1960 at East Meadow Bowl, Long Island, NY. While most likely a lovely lady, it is the husband whose fame is highlighted here. Anthony Drexel Duke, descended from three American dynasties, the Biddles, Drexels and Dukes, started, at the age of nineteen, the Boys and Girls Harbor of New York. It is considered one of New York’s greatest charities, serving over 50,000 disadvantaged children until it closed in 2005. It appears that AMF, in this ad campaign, wanted to show the universality of bowling, the sport that everyone enjoyed. No longer was it a backroom get-a-way for cigar-smoking men; people of all walks of life went for the strikes. In 1960, bowling was coming into its zenith. ❖ - Patty Heath
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