Visit us at
Bowl Expo Booth #116
CONTENTS
VOL 23.5
6 ISSUE AT HAND A Magical Experience By Scott Frager
garber@bowlingindustry.com
OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath
20
31 BEYOND BOWLING • Bowl Expo preview • Big fun in Norman, OK • Viewpoint: Kurt Harz • Showcase
A Storm of a Match
16 BUSINESS Curb Your (Soda) Enthusiasm 26
At Jeanette Robinson’s 25th Annual Golden Ladies Classic Tournament, Paula Vidad proves that it’s how you finish that really matters. By Jim Goodwin
By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson
64 REMEMBER WHEN 1963 Equitable Life
20 FEATURE
By Patty Heath
Dynamic Duel Bowling league dukes it out for charities at Andy B’s in Springfield, MO.
58 Classifieds
By Jackie Wyckoff
63 Datebook
38
IBI
May 2015
heath@bowlingindustry.com
CONTRIBUTORS David Garber Jim Goodwin Patty Heath George McAuliffe Robert Sax Pamela Kleibrink Thompson Jackie Wyckoff
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Fred Groh fredgroh@bowlingindustry.com
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks
FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)
54 TOURNAMENT
4
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber
www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424
By Patty Heath
The national soda tax trend bubbles to the surface.
frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager
Inspiring Simple Acts of Kindness
By Robert Sax
• Washington Wizards bowl at the White House. • 85th Duckpin Tournament has legs. • Theresa Hart Kelone honored at 69th annual BVL tournament. • Safety protocols need highest priority.
PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager
26 COVER STORY The Incredible Birthday Party Project helps needy kids join the party.
8 SHORTS
THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING
12655 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com
www.BowlingIndustry.com
HOTLINE: 888-424-2695 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One copy of International Bowling Industry is sent free to every bowling center, independently owned pro shop and collegiate bowling center in the U.S., and every military bowling center and pro shop worldwide. Publisher reserves the right to provide free subscriptions to those individuals who meet publication qualifications. Additional subscriptions may be purchased for delivery in the U.S. for $50 per year. Subscriptions for Canada and Mexico are $65 per year, all other foreign subscriptions are $80 per year. All foreign subscriptions should be paid in U.S. funds using International Money Orders. POSTMASTER: Please send new as well as old address to International Bowling Industry, 12655 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604 USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label. Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2015, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.
MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:
THE ISSUE AT HAND
A Magical Experience This past winter, I had the pleasure of welcoming Magic Johnson Enterprises to our center for a holiday party. Now, I worked hard to earn this piece of business. Three straight years of calls, emails and visits, as a matter of fact, reaching out to everyone and anyone who’d lend me their ear at his company. When Mr. Johnson’s team reached out this past season confirming their interest in hosting their holiday event at Pinz, I was thrilled. Magic Johnson is as close to Los Angeles royalty as one can get. His legendary performance on the court, in business and philanthropy is truly magical. In addition to a significant portfolio in the F&B business, Mr. Johnson operates high-quality movie theaters. And you may have heard that he saved a little sports franchise called the L.A. Dodgers from a controversial ownership and bankruptcy. Imagine my surprise when Magic Johnson entered our center, made a beeline to me, stretched out his right hand, and said, “Hi, I’m Magic Johnson, pleased to meet you.” So floored was I, that the only thing I could do was to return the handshake and say, “Why, yes, you are Magic Johnson.” I kept marveling at what a classy move that was. Of course he knew that I knew who he was. He took the initiative to come to me, introduce himself and shake my hand as if I were a rock star! We get more than our fair share of Tinsel Town
elites at Pinz. I can’t think of another A-Lister who made me feel as important as I try to make them feel. Two other magical moments occurred that night which I’d love to share and which sealed the deal on what makes him a truly special man. The first occurred when Mr. Johnson’s staff member waived off my strong desire to wristband his guests for this closed-door event. It was the only way to ensure we could distinguish Mr. Johnson’s guests from the general public. Not to worry, the assistant explained. “When Mr. Johnson calls for a party at 8 p.m., everyone shows up at 8 p.m. By 8:10 p.m., there will not be any staff members coming through those doors.” Sure enough, she was right, not a late arrival in the bunch! Second, at the end of the event, Mr. Johnson thanked all 300 of his staff and their families for a wonderful year and wished everyone a merry Christmas. He then concluded with some words that stick with me to this day and probably always will. Mr. Johnson addressed his group and with total grace and humility reminded the attendees that no one would ever consider leaving their office, their desk or their home a mess. So it was expected that everyone would leave this bowling center just as clean and beautiful as they found it. And you know what? They did. As they say in basketball parlance, Mr. Magic Johnson you are a slam dunk! I am eager to hear your words as Bowl Expo keynoter this year because I know that you are the real deal.
– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com
4THIS MONTH AT www.BowlingIndustry.com Are you ready for Bowl Expo coming June 22-26 at Paris Las Vegas Hotel & Casino and the Las Vegas Convention Center? Besides your hotel reservations and travel plans, be sure you have touched base with long-distance friends and acquaintances and proprietors and suppliers. As a member of IBI Online, that ability is just a click away. Set up plans so that your trip is not only fun but productive. IBI Online is the most inclusive way to stay in touch with your industry. If not yet a member, become one now. It is easy and free. Go to www.bowlingindustry.com and reach out now.
6
IBI
May 2015
SHORTS
EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS Jon Perper, seasoned proprietor, basically born into the business when his father, Irvin, built Woodcrest Bowl in 1960, is retro re-building and rebranding Playdrome in Cherry Hill, PA. When completed this year, the $1.5 million project will be called The Big Event. The 36-lane center and arcade game room will continue operating while renovations are underway. There will be a restaurantpub and corporate meeting rooms. Photographs and other memorabilia will be exhibited. “The retro look is coming back,” Perper says, adding that eight of the 36 bowling lanes will be refurbished in ‘60s style.
After 50 years, Colonial Lanes in Ann Arbor, MI, is getting a high-end makeover. The first phase, now complete, is the Michigan Suite which has six private lanes surrounded by large leather chairs and booths. Audio/visual features allow for corporate presentations. While the entire suite can be rented out at once, the lanes and conference room can be rented separately. Other improvements include additional meeting rooms, an outdoor patio and a remodeled sports bar.
Bowling has returned to Sedalia, MO, with the opening of Strikerz and its Eleventh Frame Restaurant and Lounge. Co-owner and operator Bob Rouse describes his second location, which replaces the former Broadway Lanes, as a family entertainment center concept. He is including arcade and video games and a redemption system. With the food and beverage tied into the package, Rouse anticipates hosting corporate events. The first Strikerz is in Independence.
The anticipated boutique bowling center and sports bar in the old Woolworth building in downtown Reno is now open. The Shelter was so named because when owner Jamy Keshmiri first saw the empty basement, it looked like a bomb shelter. Actually, that wasn’t his first sight of the space. As a young child, his mother would take him shopping at Woolworth’s and he would hide between the racks of clothes. The new space has a dance floor with music to cater to an adult crowd, and, during the day, it is designed to appeal to families.
September will see a state-of-the-art bowling and entertainment center in Blasdell, NY. Great Lakes Bowling and Entertainment has purchased the former Jubilee grocery store and plans to spend nearly $4 million to renovate it. The plans include 20 lanes from Murrey International and a private two-lane suite that can be rented out for parties and corporate events. There will also be a full-scale restaurant, The Back Alley Bar and Grill. Other amenities will be a pro shop; a gaming room featuring billiards and dart boards; two Par-T-Golf full swing golf simulators; an outdoor patio with horseshoe courts and bocce ball; and a stage for live music.
Bowlmor AMF has renovated AMF White Plains Lanes, White Plains, NY, by turning it into a threefloor bowling and entertainment center. The 56 lanes are divided between two floors and a redesigned interior that caters to all levels of bowlers. In addition, there is an arcade on the main floor, three bars serving signature cocktails, a fireside lounge, a DJ booth and a full-kitchen with a menu created by Ed Porter, winner of Food Network’s Guy’s Grocery Games. 8
IBI
May 2015
MOVE IT AND THEY WILL FOLLOW Elitch Lanes, a 63-year-old institution in northwest Denver, will pack up and move to Arvada, CO. Not the easiest thing to do—bowling balls, shoes, monitors, bar stools and Big Lebowski paintings—but after May 17, owner Cal Eichinger said that Elitch Lanes will take over Western Bowl in Arvada. The building that was home for 63 years will become a Natural Grocers. Eichinger, along with one of his managers, will take over the day-to-day operations at the new place. However, he will not be an owner. The customer base, which Eichinger says is diverse, will follow Elitch Lanes to Arvada. “Life goes on, but at least we have a place not too far away to go,” Eichinger said. “And our customers are going to follow us.”
SAFETY PROTOCOL:
HIGH PRIORITY
In the December 2014 issue, IBI noted the tragic death of a maintenance man at Northwest Lanes in Fairfield, OH. While repairing a pinsetter machine, Dave Geiger’s clothes got caught in the machine, and he was pulled to his death. In an update, news outlet WCPO.com learned that federal investigators determined that the machine’s operating parts were improperly exposed, putting employees at risk. OSHA’s area office in Cincinnati identified issues with the 1970s equipment. Northwest Lanes has been fined $45,500. The center has been open since 1976 and has had no history of prior workplace violations. This past March, another center fatality occurred. Vidal Garcia, a U.S. Navy Reservist and a relatively new employee at Galaxy Bowling Center in Brownsville, TX, was caught in the pinsetter machinery behind the lanes and was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident happened when his shirt became tangled in the machinery. OSHA is looking into the incident. One fatal accident coming on the heels of another highlights the need to keep safety protocols a high priority.
SHORTS
GOODWILL CENTRAL
So many good deeds; so many centers involved. Kelly’s Bowl in St. Joseph, MI, was the site of LOGAN Autism Leaning Center’s Bowling for Autism. LOGAN serves individuals across the autism spectrum and their families in southwest Michigan. Abbigail Hickman, 11 years old, who created the Pins for Pets fundraiser, organized the third annual event at West Valley Family Bowl Center, Tracy, CA. Almost 400 people turned out to support and raise funds for the Tracy Animal Shelter. The donations help homeless animals and provide services to treat sick or injured animals. The inaugural Spotsylvania Education Foundation Scholar Bowl tournament was held at Liberty Lanes, Fredericksburg, VA. The event raised funds for programs such as IDEA grants that support Spotsylvania students, teachers, and schools. The Jarrett Payton Foundation hosted its first “Strike Against Bullying” celebrity bowling event at Kings Bowl in Rosemont, IL. Payton, a former NFL running back and the son of Walter Payton, running back for the Chicago Bears, was joined by celebrity guests. All proceeds will help fund the foundation’s anti-bullying programs. The 4th annual Bowling Extravaganza was held at AMF Pikesville Lanes in Baltimore, MD, sponsored by Conflict Resolution Center of Baltimore County. CRCBC, in the past year, has provided over 3200 people with access to important violence prevention programs. The second annual Bowling for the Blind event was held at Gateway Lanes in Helper, UT. The proceeds will go to Oakley Giraud Foundation, working on finding a cure for childhood blindness. The National Capital Area Alopecia Areata Support Group, raising awareness and funds for research and education, held Bowling for Baldness at AMF Alexandria Lanes in Alexandria, VA. Four Paws Rescue of Kansas sponsored Pins for Paws fundraiser. The event was held at Little Apple Lanes in Manhattan, KS. One more animal fundraiser took place at Trindle Bowl, Mechanicsburg, PA. Furry Friends Network, a local animal rescue, hosted its 12th annual “Strike for Strays” bowlathon. All proceeds were designated for veterinary care for all the animals in FFN’s foster care program which has helped more than 4,500 animals find homes. What is your center doing? Email Patty Heath at heath@bowlingindustry.com.
Kids-Meals Bowl-A-Thon a Big Success Thunderbird Lanes in Grants, NM, was the host center for second annual Rotary Bowl-AThon, supporting Grants Pantry’s Kid-Meals Program. This program, also known as “backpack meals,” provides 96 children from four area elementary schools with 10 nutritious food items that hopefully last them from Friday after school though the weekend. This year’s “fun” raiser earned nearly $30,000, extending the Kids-Meals program through mid2017. A good portion of that amount came from the generous contribution of one man, longtime area resident Howard Killough. Looking for a community effort to help children, Killough donated $10,000. “I wanted the money to go toward the children. I just wanted to do something good for the community.” Bowling becomes the vehicle, and the generosity of the community makes for doing good things for those in need. Howard Killough received a bowling pin award for his $10,000 to the Grants Pantry Kids-Meals Program.
INDIANA BOWLING TEAM BUS ACCIDENT A bus carrying members of the Indiana Tech bowling team overturned on an interstate in southern Indiana, injuring 21 on March 12. The team was on its way to a tournament in Tennessee. The cause of the crash has yet to be determined. Indiana State Police Cpt. Carey Huls said that 76-yearold bus drive, Rex Altenburg, and 68-year-old Jeannine Secrist were hospitalized at University of Louisville Hospital in Kentucky. Others injured were treated and released. IBI
May 2015
11
SHORTS
ß BITS & PIECES ß ß ß Centers Lost to Fire Despite the cold and snow, Rainbow Lanes in Jefferson City, MO, burned to the ground on March 2. A total of five different fire departments along with 50-60 firefighters responded to the blaze. It had been going for a while and within a few minutes of the firefighters entering the building, the wall started to fall. It was then necessary to fight the fire from outside and at a distance to ensure safety. Fortunately, no injuries were reported. An investigation as to the cause is Rainbow Lanes expected. A ‘flashover’ fire took down AMF Parkway Lanes in Huntsville, AL, March 7. The structure was a total loss. Flashovers happen when all of the combustible material in an area catches fire at the same time. Two Huntsville fire captains were burned evacuating their crews from the center. The owner had just invested in renovations and a new sign. The only other center in town, Plamor Lanes, was ready to close its doors. However, the new owner, Jerry Damson Automotive, decided to allow Plamor to stay open until a new bowling center can be built in Huntsville. Whether AMF Parkway Lanes decides to rebuild or another bowling center opens, Bobby Orebaugh, Plamor manager, said it will be at least a year until a new facility is up and running again. So, for the time being, Jerry Damson Automotive’s plans are on hold and Plamor will remain open.
ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Duckpin Tournament Marks 85 Years
A landmark duckpin event which took place at Lucky Strike Lanes in Connecticut at the end of February, marked its 85th consecutively-run tournament this year. The first tournament started in April of 1931 at Lucky Strike Lanes, then located in Willimantic, and moved in 1967 to its present location in Mansfield. The tournament hosts bowlers from all over the Eastern seaboard and beyond. Now called the Frank Barber Memorial Eastern Duckpin Classic after Frank Barber who, in the late ‘20s to early ‘30s, arranged competitive matches between top-notch duckpin bowlers, it was first known as the Eastern Classic. Later it became the Eastern Classic Frank Barber competing at Sweepstakes, and then the Blue the Eastern Classic, 1938. Ribbon Duckpin Classic. 12
IBI
May 2015
NBA WIZARDS BOWL AT THE WHITE HOUSE An invitation to bowl at the White House is pretty special. At least, the NBA Washington Wizards thought so. The White House staffers made sure that the event was fun and competitive. They set up a March Madness-style bowling tournament between themselves and the players. However, before hitting the lanes at the Harry S. Truman bowling lanes, the team took a tour of the Dwight D. Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where many of the staff hosts work. The team strolled the halls and took pictures of the architecture and historical artifacts. Then it got down to business with a double elimination, bracket-style competition. At the end of the day, Wizard Paul Pierce won the champion title. To top off the experience, the team members were invited into the Roosevelt Room, where the President meets with his top officials and which is located very close to the Oval Office. It was a day that not only served the purpose of team bonding but also was a memorable experience. Washington Wizards getting ready to bowl. Oops, don’t stand on the lanes!
EXPLOSIVE UKRAINIAN BOWLING According to an independent.co.uk article released March 13, “It was an explosive round of bowling—literally.” In a restaurant serving fried pastries and offering duckpin bowling, emergency services official Sergei Ivanushkin reported that an individual rolled a grenade, rather than a ball, down a lane in rebel-controlled eastern Ukraine. Mr. Ivanushkin said that a man and a woman had been hospitalized as a result of the explosion, but neither are believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries.
SHORTS
69th Annual BVL Bowling Tournament Continuing a great BVL tradition, hundreds of veterans in care at VA hospitals across the country participated in the 69th annual BVL/VA Veterans Bowling tournament this past March. Teams were organized and supervised through the VA recreation and therapy departments. Separate divisions, based on hospital size, as well as participant age and physical limitations, helped level the playing field. “The BVL tournament provides us an opportunity to get our veterans engaged and keep them motivated,” said recreation therapist Jessica D’Alessio from Bay Pines VA Hospital, St. Petersburg, FL. She pointed out that the goals of these programs include community involvement with peers, improved self-esteem and self-worth, increased awareness of community leisure resources, and practicing healthy communication skills in a community setting. This year, the tournament highlighted the contributions of one of BVL’s “First Ladies,” Theresa Hart Kelone. During WWII, Theresa served in WIBC’s “Wings of Mercy” campaign to raise funds for ambulance planes to ferry the wounded back from the battlefields of Europe. She devoted her life to the growth of bowling and supporting our nation’s veterans, thus the beginnings of BVL—Bowlers Victory Legion. Theresa established the Little Rock WBA, currently known as the Central Arkansas USBC WBA, as well as 44 other associations in the state. She served 29 years on her local board and 18 years on the WIBC board. “We are delighted to be able to recognize Theresa’s significant impact on BVL and the sport of bowling,” stated Debbie Kent, a current director, Central Arkansas USBC WBA BVL Board Chair John LaSpina shared, “Thanks to Theresa and her fellow Wings of Mercy project leaders, BVL is here today, standing up for our nation’s veterans who have given so much.” 14
IBI
May 2015
Media
WATCH
HEADED TO CANNES Ann Kwiatkowski and Ben Allen created a documentary, Rolling Underground, as an entry into Filmapalooza, a national contest challenging filmmakers to shoot, write and edit their nonfiction films over the course of a weekend. Their film takes a look at Milwaukee’s Rory Zahn takes aim in rich history as a bowling city and introduces documentary winner, two semi-professional bowlers, Jack Fugger and Rolling Underground. Rory Zahn, as they make their rounds at a few of Milwaukee’s iconic alleys and alley bars. Kwiatkowski and Allen will receive a check for $5,000, plus the film will be screened at the Cannes Film Festival in May. To view the documentary, go to www.bowlingindustry.com and click on videos.
NEW FOX TV SERIES On March 1, Fox television network debuted Last Man on Earth, a postapocalyptic comedy created by actor Will Forte and based on a series concept written by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller. The pilot was written by Forte, who is also the last man, and directed by Lord and Miller. The Phil Miller, the last man standing, premise is that a virus has wiped out finds a way to amuse himself the entire population in 2019. The by…bowling? show begins in November-ish 2021. In an effort to amuse himself in one segment, Phil finds ways to bowl using just about everything possible as pins. Phil Lord shared, “That was our big thought, here’s a guy who maybe wasn’t the best guy in the regular world, but if you took the regular world away, could he eventually get back to being the person that all of us hope that we can be.”
PRINCE CHARLES BOWLS Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, visited Washington DC this past March. One of their stops was the Armed Forces Retirement Home, situated on the grounds of the cottage once lived in by Abraham Lincoln. While there, he gamely agreed to try his hand at tenpin bowling. “I haven’t done this for a long time,” he confessed. While not achieving a strike, the Prince did manage to knock over three or four pins. The royal couple were in the States to promote a number of causes, including literacy, the arts and the environment.
BUSINESS
By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson
L
ast November, 75% of voters in Berkeley, CA, supported a soda tax. This new law imposes a penny-per-ounce tax on sugary soft drinks. Proponents of the tax believe the tax will help curb consumption of sodas, energy drinks and sweetened iced teas. They believe these beverages contribute to the nation’s obesity epidemic. The beverage industry fought hard, sowing doubt about the benefits of this kind of tax and spending more than $1.6 million fighting the proposal in Berkeley. What implications does the new Berkeley tax have for bowling center operators? Some perspective and history may furnish an answer. The beverage industry was not alone in opposing the tax. A letter to Berkeley’s mayor and city council dated June 27 from the California Restaurant Association’s Director, Government Affairs and Public Policy, Javier M. Gonzalez, stated, “Placing the burden on small businesses for collecting the fees, calculating the money collected, and remitting the new tax to the local jurisdiction, while maintaining records make it administratively challenging and increase the cost of doing business. “Some businesses are understaffed and do not have additional resources to focus on administering this new fee. Many operators also question how the fee is going to be implemented and enforced. There may also be customer service issues with charging and collecting the fee from patrons. “Some store operators are worried that this could lead to potentially hostile situations between the store employee and patrons who refuse to pay this new fee whatever their reason may be. This may be especially true for restaurants that provide free refills to their customers.” Gonzelez notes, “At the end of the day, the issue of childhood obesity should have a comprehensive approach that incorporates nutritional education and awareness, exercise and diet...we urge the city council to oppose adding a new tax.”
The Record So Far Berkeley is not the first community to pop a special tax on pop. Arkansas has had a soda tax for nearly two decades. Jim Guy Tucker, who served as Arkansas governor from 1992-96, oversaw the passage of the soft drink tax shortly after he took office. The recession had created a need for extra revenue—Arkansas did not have sufficient money to provide the state’s share of matching funds for Medicaid. 16
IBI
May 2015
After examining numerous options, legislative leaders [including current governor Asa Hutchinson] finally agreed on a tax of about two cents per can on soft drinks as the source for the needed funds. A “Medicaid Trust Fund” was created which amassed $10 million in its first year and over $267 million by the start of FY 2013. Tucker points out that the beverage industry has tried to get the soda tax repealed throughout the years, but Arkansans have voted to keep the tax in place. In Talkbusiness.net, Tucker writes, “I am happy this trust fund is available to serve our poorest citizens who are in need, and I am grateful and proud that our citizens voted to provide for these health care needs. “Hopefully, we have done so with a relatively light burden on those who savor their soft drinks and those good and legitimate businesses that profit from the sale of their product—and helped our poorest citizens in the process.” Even earlier than Arkansas, in 1951 West Virginia instituted a tax of 1 cent per 16.9 ounces on bottled soft drinks. This tax was levied “for the purpose of providing revenue for the construction, maintenance and operation of a four-year school of medicine, dentistry and nursing [at] West Virginia University.” West Virginia University School of Medicine has benefitted from the revenue raised by the soda tax—in 2011, $16.2 million. The Council of State Governments Knowledge Center indicates that most states have levied taxes on soda purchases. The tax may be part of the general sales tax or a separate tax specifically for soda. Some states impose additional taxes. Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia tax distributors. Alabama, Arkansas, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia tax wholesalers, and Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia tax retailers and manufacturers. Two states—Arkansas and West Virginia—impose taxes at all four levels of production.
BUSINESS Another Target Arkansas and West Virginia instituted soda taxes to raise revenue. But in other states, the objective is to curb soda consumption. A bill to create a 2-cents-per-ounce excise tax on sugary beverages is being proposed in Vermont. Revenue from the tax would support initiatives to bring down health care costs associated with obesity. Scientific findings link sugary drink consumption to obesity (especially among children), heart disease, diabetes and cancer. Sugary drinks include soda, energy drinks, sports drinks, sweetened waters and teas, and fruit drinks. The American Beverage Association and the Vermont Grocers and Retailers Association adamantly oppose the tax. A New York Post article by Carl Campanile in November stated that Brooklyn lawmaker Karim Camara is proposing a state law requiring sugary soft drinks to carry labels warning that consumption contributes to “obesity, diabetes and tooth decay’’—much like packs of cigarettes carry warnings about the dangers of smoking. If approved, New York would become the first state to require soda warning labels. The Camara bill would require sugary-beverage containers to include the following statement: “Safety warning: Drinking beverages with added sugar contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay.” “We can’t sit back and pretend that sugary drinks aren’t harmful to people. The research is clear: too much sugar leads to health problems such as obesity and diabetes,” said Camara. According to the Health Department, more than half of New York City’s adults are either obese (22%) or overweight (34%). Obesity begins early in life—20% of kindergarten students are considered obese. The soft-drink industry beat back other New York initiatives to tackle obesity.
Big Deal On September 23rd, six weeks before the vote in Berkeley, The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, founded by the American Heart Association and the Clinton Foundation, announced a new landmark agreement with representatives from the American Beverage Association, the Coca-Cola Company, Dr Pepper Snapple Group, and PepsiCo to decrease beverage calories in the American diet. 18
IBI
May 2015
Susan K. Neely, president and CEO of the American Beverage Association, stated, “This initiative will help transform the beverage landscape in America. It takes our efforts to provide consumers with more choices, smaller portions and fewer calories to an ambitious new level.” The beverage companies will educate consumers to increase awareness of the wide array of no- and lower-calorie beverages and smaller portion sizes available. Calorie counts will be provided by each beverage company. Calorie awareness will be promoted on all beverage company-controlled point-of-sale equipment nationwide, including more than 3 million vending machines, self-serve fountain dispensers, and retail coolers in convenience stores, restaurants and other locations. Sales of water and other lower-calorie beverages are expected to grow significantly. PepsiCo’s CEO Indra K. Nooyi has been paying attention to the impact the company’s food and beverages have on consumer health since taking the helm. Her vision of PepsiCo is a company that sells nutritional products. Nooyi’s tenure as CEO has been marked by her efforts to improve the nutritional quality of the food and drinks the company sells and her conviction that the company’s long-term future is tied to that strategy. She foresaw the declines of soda consumption and has been promoting the development of other products and hired Derek Yach, a former World Health Organization official, as senior vice president of global health and agricultural policy, a new position.
In the Wind Bowling center operators who offer alternatives to sugary beverages may take advantage of a developing trend. Eight months before the Berkeley vote to tax sodas, on March 31, Phil Wahba, a writer for Reuters reported, “Americans cut back on drinking carbonated soft drinks again last year with soda sales reaching their lowest levels in nearly two decades, according to a leading beverage industry newsletter. Total sales volume fell 3% in 2013 to 8.9 billion cases, the ninth straight year of decline and the lowest since 1995, according to Beverage Digest.” There are numerous alternatives to sugary soft drinks and there has been a nationwide increase in demand for beverages such as non-carbonated waters, teas, and juices. These are the next area of growth to increase sales. Coke reports sales have leaped 37%. Sales of bottled water brands like Pepsi’s Aquafina and Coke’s Dasani are expected to outpace sales of carbonated beverages by the end of this decade, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation. Bowling center operators and managers who recognize the trend toward healthier drinks might consider adjusting their beverage purchases to meet the requests of their health-conscious customers, whether there is a soda tax or not. Providing healthier choices can improve customers’ waist lines and operators’ bottom lines. v Pamela Kleibrink Thompson lives in Idaho. In addition to writing, she is a career coach and scenario role player for peace officer training. Pamela worked as a production manager on the Emmy Award-winning animated series The Simpsons, where she bowled regularly with members of the crew. She speaks on career issues at conferences all over the world. You can reach Pamela at PamRecruit@q.com.
FEATURE
DYNAMIC DUEL Bowling league dukes it out for charities at Andy B's in Springfield, MO.
By Jackie Wyckoff hen J.R. Huyck, a lifelong bowler, came to manage Andy B’s (formerly Battlefield Lanes) in Springfield, MO, in 2013, he felt a need to give to the community and create an opportunity to increase profits at the center. He developed the Charity Bowling League, which has done all that and more. The idea came to Huyck after a successful charity fundraiser led by Springfield bowling professional Sean Swanson earned $10,000 for the CoxHealth Foundation in Springfield. “If bowling and charity could be a successful combo during a two-day event, how about over the course of an entire season?” thought Huyck. The league concept is simple and according to Huyck, easy to replicate. Bowlers team up with a local business, jointly choose a charity, then bowl for their charity as well as a traditional prize fund. Teams bowl three individual games a week plus two Baker matches. Every six or seven weeks (depending on the length of the league season schedule) the top five teams meet in the finals round and compete in Baker-style stepladder competition to determine the round winner. Huyck says the Baker matches make the league more fun
W
20
IBI
May 2015
and keep the teams close in the standings, often seeing 10 or 12 teams in the running for the stepladder finals going into the last week of the round. But the fun doesn’t stop there and neither
Fans get crazy for their charity heroes.
FEATURE do the profits. “We've created a league that generates lots of outside interest from people other than bowlers, and also [gives] to the community,” said Huyck. “Each team has a sponsor. It creates a networking opportunity for that sponsor and the charities to get to know each other and maybe do more business. The bowlers will be playing for significant prize money, for themselves and their charity, depending on where their team finishes in the standings.” “I love the charity angle,” said Buddy Hughes, who bowled the first season in the league. “Bowlers have always gotten sponsors and utilized that money to build our
22
IBI
May 2015
league prize fund. The charity angle is an opportunity for us to give back to the community and show a different side of bowling.” There are several tiers of sponsorship in the league to suit each business type, from the title sponsor, Bass Pro Shops whose corporate office is in Springfield, to the local real estate guy. Tiered sponsorships include the title sponsor at $6,000; round sponsors at $1,000; team sponsors at $500; and Fame Club sponsors at $200. The league even has an official beer sponsor, Budweiser, who contributed $1,500. Sponsor fees are split evenly between the league prize fund and the charity donation. The local television station, KOLR 10, came on board the first season and partnering with Nextstar Broadcasting, Inc., tapes each of the five stepladder round finals, which air on their sister station, KOZL. “After a couple of shows, I was thrilled to hear from the station that ratings were solid despite the non-regular schedule of every seven weeks,” said Huyck. ”During the telecast, we also talk about the sponsors, the charities and what they actually do, and feature a short interview with a spokesperson from each.” Huyck hoped to floor 10 or 12 teams that first season and ended up with 18. The league is so popular they now have 20 teams—a full-house at Andy B’s— with a waiting list for bowlers, sponsors and charities. Nine of the top 10 average bowlers in the local USBC association bowl in the league, including local icon and PBA regional player Sean Swanson, who started the ball rolling with his CoxHealth Foundation fundraiser. Huyck bowls for Big Brothers Big Sisters and Andy Bartholomy, owner of the 10 Andy B’s Entertainment Centers, bowls for CoxHealth Foundation. The league is handicapped based on a “par system,” computed from a base of 860. The team average is the sum of all four bowlers’ averages competing that night. If the team average is below
FEATURE higher seed. The first two matches, #6 vs #5 seed then the winner vs. #4 seed will be single game Baker matches to determine the team that advances. After two teams are eliminated, the remaining matches up the stepladder will be Baker best of three matches to determine the Andy B’s Charity League Champion. The league is no small potatoes in the cash department. The estimated prize and charity payout this season is nearly $50,000. Players as well as their charities have a big stake in the outcome. Whatever prize money is won by the team is split between the players and the charity. The first place team this season stands to win over $5,000 with their charity getting around $2,500. Even if your team finishes in last place, the players and charity all win, getting to split over $1,100. Dan Lucy and J.R. Huyck warm up the commentator's During the taping of the round finals the business sponsors booth for the TV show. get a plug, resulting in exposure that is often outside the budget for a typical mom-and-pop operation. The average 30second television commercial on a local channel would cost around $1,500 the base, the handicap will be 90% of the with production costs upwards of $2,500. Business sponsors also receive difference. If the team average is equal to or free advertising in-center as well as on flyers and all league materials. This makes above the base of 860, the team will receive it attractive for businesses to pay the meager $500 sponsor fee as they get 100% negative handicap of the difference. For the a great bang for their buck. Baker matches, the base will be 215, and then The charities are also featured in the round finals shows. The spokesperson handicap figured the same way using the team for each of the charities is invited to talk briefly about the charity and what average divided by four. Huyck created the they do. This has often resulted in a spike in donations following when the handicapping system and believes it is working show has aired. perfectly, keeping all teams close in the standings. As a bonus, and to add to the charity and prize funds, Andy B’s hosts The league championships and final television several other fundraisers during the league season. The Andy B’s Charity tapings will be conducted on Monday, May 18 League Golf Tournament held at Millwood Golf and Country Club in Ozark at 6 p.m., following the final round roll-offs and garnered over $10,000 for the league last season. Bass Pro Shops helped taping. They are open to the public. The six underwrite the event and offered a hole-in-one prize of a $25,000 Bass fishing finals teams will be seeded into a stepladder boat. They set the boat up on the 15th tee. No one managed the ace but based on total wins during season by round the participants are looking forward to trying again this year. winners and total wins during season by wild-card A “Sipping Soirée” premiered this season to present a tasting of beer, teams. If teams are tied, the team with more wine and spirits with hors d’oeuvres. Participants paid a flat fee for the event wins in Baker during the season will be the and a portion of the proceeds went to the league. Huyck, a long-time friend of Andy B’s chain owner Andy Bartholomy, came from a background in sales and food before coming to Battlefield Lanes as general manager. His last decade in sales was for food giant Sysco. Naturally, he was focused on increasing profits in the F&B sectors of the center. During the round finals and taping of the TV shows, the food and beverage sales in the center are around $1,500 more than on regular league nights. With this year’s results in hand, Huyck and Bartholomy are hoping to take the league concept to other Andy B’s centers in the future. To say that they and the chain are “all in” with this concept is an understatement. v Jackie Wyckoff, who started bowling in 1968, is a San Francisco Bay Area native, avid Giants fan and gourmet chef. She was president of the Bowling Writers Association of America, 2009-2011. Wyckoff has worked and volunteered in the bowling industry since 1972 with jobs including center manager, WIBC president, and writer and promoter for all things bowling. She was a PWBA regional player, with several state and local titles to her credit.
24
IBI
May 2015
COVER STORY
INSPIRING SIMPLE ACTS OF KINDNESS
26
IBI
May 2015
COVER STORY
The Incredible Birthday Party Project helps needy kids join the party. By Robert Sax
Ron Hill (left) with Chris and Sandra Mohrhardt celebrate The Incredible Birthday Party Project.
C
hildren’s birthday parties are one of the most cherished childhood celebrations and a staple of the bowling business. “Bowling parties are the number-one destination choice for children 10 and under,” says Bart Burger, director of membership and educational services for the BPAA. “There are over 10 million bowling parties held annually around the country.” Despite that impressive number, too many children don’t get to have a birthday party, bowling or otherwise, due to difficult financial or family circumstances. Now, thanks to The Incredible Birthday Party Project (TIBPP), more of these children will get to enjoy their own parties with friends and family. The project is the brainchild of Chris Mohrhardt, owner of Incredible Mo’s FEC in Grawn, MI. He grew up in a bowling family in nearby Traverse City, where his father ran an FEC called Timber Lanes. Chris had planned to become an attorney, but he realized the legal profession wasn’t for him. Upon graduation from the University of Michigan, Chris taught English in South Korea. When Chris came home, he worked for James Hardie Building Products for five years in product management and marketing in Connecticut and California. After a successful tenure at James Hardie Building Products, he worked for McGraw-Hill Companies for two years in business development and sales management. While working in the corporate world and gaining invaluable experience, Chris says, “All roads led back to where it all started – working every Sunday with my dad. Some people thought I was crazy for leaving a very successful corporate career, but it’s stuff like TIBPP that confirms I made the right decision.” In late July of 2012, Chris seized an opportunity to start his own business and purchased Wilderness Crossing, an existing 35,000-squarefoot center in the area. He renamed it Incredible Mo’s, opening in February of 2013, and built it into a popular place for family entertainment. Chris and his wife, Sandra, believe in giving to their community. For several years they have hosted Bowl for Kids’ Sake, an annual event that draws nearly 500 individuals and companies to raise money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Michigan. Through this relationship Chris learned that there are little brothers and sisters who don’t get to have birthday parties, and he determined to IBI
May 2015
27
COVER STORY
An aerial view of Incredible Mo's.
find a way to change that. Chris figured that the people he knew at Big Brothers Big Sisters and Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan could match him up with children who needed a birthday party. Then Chris would sponsor the birthday parties at Incredible Mo’s. It was a good start, but Chris thought there was something more he could do.
Gift Shoes Spark an Idea The missing piece fell into place when Sandra gave Chris a birthday gift of a pair of shoes from Toms, a company that donates one pair of its shoes to a needy child for every pair it sells. Toms has donated more than 35 million pairs of shoes to children around the world. Toms’ “One for One” slogan inspired Chris to think big. “I read what was written inside the shoe and I had one of those ‘aha!’ moments,” he says. “I thought, ‘How can we do something similar in our industry and at Incredible Mo’s?’ and the idea just came up. What if when somebody booked a birthday party, it helped provide a birthday party for someone in need?” The Incredible Birthday Party Project was born. As with Toms, Chris has a simple concept. He donates one party for every five booked at his center. There is no extra cost to the customer, and when someone books a party, he lets them know that they will be helping to give a party for a child in need. He promotes the project through signage at Incredible Mo’s Sandra and Chris Mohrhardt having fun at a TIBPP celebration.
28
IBI
May 2015
and on the center’s Facebook page. The first party was held in July 2014 for a client of Child and Family Services (CFS). Jennifer (not her real name), an 18year-old girl who had been in foster care, had never had a birthday party. “It was awesome and very emotional,” recalls Chris. “Jennifer had so many people show up that we tripled the size of the party.” “When [a birthday party] was suggested, [Jennifer] was delighted but also stunned. She had this look of wonder on her face,” says Gina Aranki, the marketing director of CFS. Aranki says TIBPP is a great program for “any kid who needs to be reminded that he’s a kid and who needs an opportunity to laugh out loud and have fun and to not feel the weight of abuse and neglect or trauma, the kind of stuff that we see on a daily basis.” Cecilia Chesney, executive director of Big Brothers Big Sisters, concurs. “It’s kind of a life-changer for these kids because so many of them don’t ever have birthday parties. They aren’t used to being celebrated,” says Chesney. “It’s a day that makes them really feel special. It’s all about them.” Chesney recalled a nine-year-old girl who sent her a thankyou note after her birthday party that read, “Thank you so much for letting us participate in the birthday party plan. When I walked in the door it made me cry. Mr. Mohrhardt is so special and we had such a good time.” Between CFS and Big Brothers Big Sisters, the referrals keep coming. The kids are thrilled and so are their families. “We were getting these notes from parents saying heartwarming things like ‘We never could have done this on our own’,” says Chris. “We knew we were on to a good thing.” The response from Chris’ customers has been overwhelmingly positive. “Lots of people when they book ask, ‘So this helps get somebody else a party, right?’,” he says. They have also donated items for the project. “One [customer] recently brought in a whole bucket of toys to give away to recipients of the The Incredible Birthday Party Project. It was really cool.” The community at large is also responding generously. The local media have done stories about the project, and corporate sponsors are signing on. Recognition has also come from the Traverse City State Bank, which gave The Incredible Birthday Party Project one of its “Caught Thriving” awards that recognize the accomplishments of local businesses and their leaders.
COVER STORY
The TIBPP team.
Playing It Forward The project took another big step forward at the IAAPA Expo in November 2014, when FEC consultant George McAuliffe introduced Chris to his colleague Ron Hill, Chief Enrichment Officer of industry supplier Redemption Plus. Ron knew Chris was a customer but hadn’t met him in person. They ended up talking for an hour about The Incredible Birthday Party Project. “I thought it was absolutely the coolest thing I have ever heard,” recalls Hill. He had been developing his own project, Play It 4 Wards, to develop customer interest and loyalty in new ways including social and charitable initiatives. “The whole point for Redemption Plus is doing something that’s really big and really important,” says Hill. “As a company, enriching lives through insights that empower is why we do what we do.” It was soon after that initial meeting that Chris and Ron decided to partner on TIBPP and make it the first initiative of Play It 4 Wards. In February 2015 they launched a pilot program to develop and test The Incredible Birthday Party Project at FECs across the country. They are currently working with the Redemption Plus marketing team as well as Fun Advisors to develop a “tool kit” of marketing materials and program tips that will make Chris’ idea replicable at any center. So far five centers are participating in the pilot program; Airway Fun Center, Bam! and Stardust Lanes in Michigan, Paradise Park in Missouri and Alley Cats/Alley Cats Putt-Putt in Texas. Amy Richards of Stardust Lanes is working with two local charities to find
birthday recipients and hopes to hold her first party in April 2015. “Chris has done all the leg work to be able to repeat it,” says Richards, “So I don’t see it as a tough gig to do. I know where I have inventory, and if I can be using my inventory to do something like this, I’ll do it all day long.” Jon Ellis of Paradise Park sees the project as an innovative way to promote the entertainment business as a “quality partner” in the community. Ellis regularly gives away rounds of golf and other small items for fundraisers and has a person on staff who handles 20 to 30 requests a week from charities and community groups. He sees
TIBPP as an exciting new way to augment his community work. “We have never done anything that’s focused on our birthday party,” says Ellis. “This one is different because we are actually bringing them in to the facility. [We say] we want you to come in and let’s make it a special memory.” Once the test programs are underway, Ron Hill says, “The next thing we’ll do is start to collect data on what’s working and what’s not working.” He and Chris will continue to refine the model, spread the word and recruit more centers to the project. Their goal is nothing less than making The Incredible Birthday Party Project a nationwide phenomenon, one joyous child at a time. v
Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.
30
IBI
May 2015
INTRO
According to George t’s almost that time of year again. I hope to see you in Las Vegas next month. I’m expecting that the trade show will continue to evolve and to feature more suppliers with solutions for bowling entertainment centers. I first attended Bowl Expo about 12 years ago, and there were very few exhibitors from my world of traditional family entertainment centers. We began exhibiting nine years ago, and it has become an increasingly important show to us each year as the worlds of FECs and bowling continue to merge. Check out our preview of Bowl Expo inside this Beyond Bowling to help you navigate the show and its seminars. Also inside you’ll get a tour of a recent success story in Brad Little and Trey Bates’ HeyDay Entertainment Center in Norman, OK, and we interview Kurt Harz, who recently retired after 40 years with Brunswick, for his views on the state of the BEC. You’ll also see what the result of 40 years of hard work and straight shooting can look like. Back to Bowl Expo. One of my themes for the show is to develop my thinking and best practices on guest experience. We all talk about it, most often in the context of a checklist: “get the food out,” “deliver the bowling shoes,” “make sure the games work.” Owners are often willing to write multiple $10,000 checks for new games but don’t even think about investing—really investing—in the guest experience. I recently attended a conference with a speaker who advocated more investment in payroll, more in training, and generally more on the staff, as the area with potentially the highest return on investment. The payoff comes in lower cost of turnover and better delivery of guest experience. And the payoff is real. If your FEC depends on people in your community for the strength of your sales, then repeat visitation is the name of the game. More on this in future issues.
I
George McAuliffe
President, Pinnacle Entertainment Advisors
32
IBI
May 2015
From David’s Desk he International Bowl Expo is upon us once again and certainly will fulfill all expectations. This year’s theme, “Unlock Your Potential,” is truer than ever in today’s market of constant change. As more traditional bowling centers transform into bowling entertainment centers, and some into complete family entertainment centers the business model is morphing to become more complex. Today’s market is about being relevant and giving your customers what they want, which is exactly what you will find at Bowl Expo 2015. Plan your schedule to take in the wide variety of seminars that will help you in your everyday business plan. There are enough seminar choices to make even veteran proprietors take note. Make sure not to miss Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who will be giving the keynote speech. Everything points to the fact that it will be a very engaging and inspirational two hours. Also, check out Shawn Achor, who is an expert on the connection between happiness and success. Get out there and do some networking. Talk to your fellow proprietors and managers about the different challenges in the bowling world, and find ways to deal with them in a constructive manner. The REO Speedwagon concert will be a great place to unwind, have a beer and talk bowling. Lastly, come ready to see some of the newest and best products in the marketplace on the trade show floor. There will be tons of products that will help make you money, but also save you money. The show will once again deliver education through seminars, roundtable discussions, and networking events. Come with an open mind and fill it with great ideas from professionals and other proprietors to try at your home center.
T
David Garber
Associate Publisher International Bowling Industry
PREVIEW
“A Little Magic Can Take You A Long Way” A few of the must-sees at Bowl Expo 2015.
By George McAuliffe ith apologies to regular readers who’ve heard it from me before, the marriage of family entertainment attractions and bowling continues to grow and strengthen. Bowling entertainment center owners, senior management, and suppliers were well represented at F2FEC, the groundbreaking FEC conference held in Phoenix in February, and again at Amusement Expo in March. Now Bowl Expo is ready to advance the trend significantly. For the first time, fully 25% of Expo seminars are BEC-related. Go to bowlexpo.com for a seminar list and schedule. The trade show floor, of course, will be well populated by suppliers ready to support both newly developed BECs and conversions of traditional centers. As always the BPAA team has put together a worldclass keynoter, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, and great entertainment, REO Speedwagon. As a basketball fan I’m looking forward to hearing Magic speak. As a business guy, even more so. After Magic became one of the best basketball players in the history of the game, he took his winning ways to the business world, forming Magic Johnson Enterprises with holdings in a variety of industries. Unguarded with the He’s also chairman and founder of champion keynote speaker Earvin “Magic” Johnson. the Magic Johnson Foundation,
W
34
IBI
May 2015
which he has built into one of the most recognizable philanthropic organizations in the world. This year’s “Thought Leader,” Shawn Achor, will “blow people away with his research,” BPAA’s Bart Burger tells me, as he focuses on creating and delivering the customer experience. Bart also reminds me that this year’s registration includes the entertainment and a $50 voucher to use on the trade show floor. A few “don’t miss” stops on the trade show floor include:
BAYTEK GAMES FEC manufacturing powerhouse Baytek will be showing in booth 151 and, as usual, has some creative pieces with high attraction power to show. Grand Piano Keys, first shown at IAAPA, is a really sharp-looking videmption game with a wide HD screen and seats. Players use the piano keys to score points in a high-speed hand-to-eye coordination challenge. Two players can compete, which generates a lot of fun for the players I’ve watched. Baytek will also be showing its Prize Hub automated redemption center, which allows for redemption in smaller or lower-volume redemption game rooms. This self-contained prize center introduces a sleek, modern approach to the redemption market. Baytek has innovated with their entry into this category including 22” touchscreen video display and user-friendly menus. They will also show Flappy Birds, based on the app game that drew 50 million downloads.
EMBED Embed will be exhibiting in booth 655 as it continues as a leader in BEC debit card systems and in support of the ever-changing segment of out-of-home entertainment. They are showing off a few new tools for entertainment operators, one of which is their latest kiosk “up sell” software. Developed in a team effort with some of their best bowling operator clients, Embed believes potential buyers of their system will be excited as they see this and the rest of their depth-of-tool offering. Embed is now part of Helix Leisure and is well into its second decade of developing and deploying out-of-home entertainment software and card systems. Helix owns LAI games, another leader in amusement game manufacturing, and is one of the largest game operators worldwide through their Time Zone chain. These three branches create tremendous synergy and help Embed to know and understand their customers in a deep way.
LIVE OAK BANK Live Oak Bank zeroed in on the family entertainment industry as a lending specialist several years ago, and quickly understood that the bowling industry was an equal opportunity. They offer lending programs that are custom-tailored for bowling centers and BECs, reportedly with loan amounts from $35,000 to $5 million. You’ll find the folks from Live Oak Bank in booth 550.
QUBICAAMF A major Expo sponsor, QubicaAMF will present Suite Spot, an elegant collection
of mini bowling and furniture to match, all wrapped up in choice of themes, creating an attraction that would make any FEC proud. If you are looking for software, the BES-X system is one of the hottesttrending products on the market. In fact, QubicaAMF just sold their BES-X package to the 300th center. This program includes games, extended social reach to bowling customers, and ready-made marketing kits. Stop by booth 137 for a demo of the BES-X system and see how it can work for any center.
REDEMPTION PLUS I’ll be in our Redemption Plus booth, number 101, throughout the show, so please stop by and say hello. Our team will be promoting The Incredible Birthday Party Project conceived by BEC proprietor Chris Mohrhardt of Incredible Mo’s. The concept originated in a bowling center and four of the five pilot locations are bowling centers. We are partnering with Chris on the program as we work together to introduce it to the industry and create an experience around it in our booth (and accepting applications to join the program). And, oh yes, we’re there to serve your redemption and FEC business development needs as well. v George McAuliffe is a 35-year family entertainment center operator and president of Pinnacle Entertainment Advisors by Redemption Plus, an industry consulting firm (www.grouppinnacle.com). George has operated entertainment centers from 2,000 to 150,000 square feet, including redemption and merchandise games, since 1983 and has assisted numerous bowling center owners to develop their FEC side. He is a regular speaker at industry conventions worldwide, and writes for RePlay magazine. He can be reached at 913-563-4370 or email gmcauliffe@ redemptionplus.com.
36
IBI
May 2015
FEATURE
Big Fun in Oklahoma In Norman, the newly renovated and expanded HeyDay hits its zenith of success.
By Jim Goodwin ave you ever seen a bubble wall in a bowling center? Every day, customers of the all-new HeyDay Entertainment complex in Norman, OK, walk past the huge logoed plexiglas wall containing rising liquid bubbles with ever-changing colors. It has become a very popular photo spot, but this beautiful wall in the lobby of HeyDay is only one of the attractions. The lobby itself resembles a five-star hotel, and around every corner is a new “wow” moment. HeyDay owners Brad Little, 52, and Trey Bates, 50, spared no expense and took no shortcuts when they decided to turn their small entertainment center, built in 2007, into a giant bowling-
H
38
IBI
May 2015
based entertainment complex in late 2014. The building went from its original simple design and 13,560-square-foot building to become an elaborate two-story 41,246-squarefoot showcase, not including the beautifully landscaped outdoor miniature golf course, built by Harris Golf. The new 24-lane bowling operation installed on two levels was handled by Brunswick’s Jay Saladino, and it includes all new GSX pinsetters, Vector Plus Scoring, and Anvilane synthetic lanes including eight with the new oiled cherry surface in the VIP area. “Brad and Trey at HeyDay are leaders of a growing
trend in entertainment facilities,” said Saladino. “Bowling is the perfect complement to an existing family entertainment center because it provides an anchor attraction with mass appeal. Adding bowling positions the center as an ideal locale for special events such as group events, corporate outings, community events and of course birthday parties.” Little and Bates are two very energetic entertainment center entrepreneurs who took the path less traveled by adding bowling seven years after building the original HeyDay Entertainment, which was mostly aimed at kids. They did their due diligence to discover that this was the best way to take their already successful family entertainment business to the next level. HeyDay Entertainment was doing well. The new HeyDay, with its expanded customer base, is taking off like a rocket to the moon.
and wanted to build a business that was family-oriented and that would also serve their entire community. Soon after they met and became friends, a business partnership started, and that partnership has evolved to create one of the most exciting and dynamic family entertainment businesses in the Southwest. When Little and Bates built the original HeyDay it was Proprietors Brad and Keri Little (left) and Trey and Tracy Bates worked together to design the unique spaces at HeyDay.
Two HeyDays In 2007, the two University of Oklahoma graduates had been living their lives and enjoying their careers on similar parallel paths without knowing each other. What they had in common is that they both had big families IBI
May 2015
39
instantly successful due to their enthusiasm, commitment, hard work, dedicated families and key employees, and a very prime location on Interstate 35 on the border that separates the cities of Norman and Moore, OK. Trey’s wife, Tracy, and Brad’s wife, Keri, were also involved every step of the way, along with key managers from every department. Entertainment manager Kurt Crooks was involved in the planning, along with food and beverage manager Mike Lawrence, and several assistant managers. Two more key people in bringing in new business are outside sales managers Helen Green and Steven Turner. “When it came down to how the place would feel and look to be inviting to families, Keri and Tracy were all over it,” said Bates. “There are very few ideas that they didn’t either start or make better. We get a lot of credit and are upfront, but they are as much a part of it as we are.” ”They may not be here full-time, but they are fully invested and engaged,” said Little. “We needed that female touch and perspective. The whole team worked together. It just would not work without them.” The original HeyDay had laser tag, mini golf, an arcade with a ropes course, and a nice little restaurant serving mostly pizza and burgers. Today it is a bowling-anchored two-level megaentertainment complex where every area that is not completely new was upgraded. 24 Brunswick state-of-the-art lanes were added, as well as Revolutions, a 21-and-over upstairs upscale lounge featuring food and full beverage service, billiards, eight cherrywood bowling lanes with custom furniture, a cozy fireplace, and 15 large-screen televisions for watching the big game or special events. All of the bowling lanes have huge video screens supplied by a local multi-media vendor. The arcade features an over-the-top ropes course, more than 50 new games, a 7,000square-foot Lasertron arena, laser maze, and prizes provided by Redemption Plus. Aside from Brunswick, another key vendor for the project was Intercard. A totally new credit and debit card system was installed to make the new business run smoothly. Intercard’s North American sales manager Jason Mitchell handled the internal banking system installation. “It is always a pleasure to work with forward thinkers,” said Revolutions is the 8-lane private/semi-private bowling lounge with full-service food and drink.
40
IBI
May 2015
Mitchell. “Brad and Trey realized the need for change and did what was necessary to make it happen. Intercard is proud to be a part of such an improved facility. It is immediately obvious the amount of hard work their team invested in this project. The results of this hard work are clear to every guest that visits.”
Bowling Finds a Home The new HeyDay may not have a new location, but it is without question a total re-build and a totally new business. The remodel took about nine months to complete, and the business had to close down for nine weeks from August to October 2014 to complete the entire project. “I will say the idea of closing down at the end was certainly not much fun, but it was amazing how much we got done in a short time, and it was definitely worth it,” said Little. One thing that made it a little more comfortable was the fact that they had local financing, a local architect, and local contractors. The architect chosen was Shane Labeth, one of the leading builders of bowling-based entertainment centers in the world with projects like the International Bowling Campus Training Center and the Asia-based Round One Centers under his belt. He has built or worked on more than 60 bowling and entertainment projects. Labeth’s Cornerstone Architecture office is in Moore, only a few minutes drive from HeyDay. He got involved when he started attending weekly business networking events at HeyDay. The partners did a nationwide search, and found that the best man for the job was in their own backyard. “I told Trey and Brad that they needed to add bowling and upgrade for an older customer base, and they did their homework. They came to me one day, and said, ‘We are ready to add bowling’ and that got everything started. I can honestly say this was a difficult project, but one I am extremely proud of,” said Labeth. “We started doing our research, attended trade shows, and traveled around looking at similar businesses and found that in the ones that had really good growth, the common denominator was bowling. We had done well, but we
wanted to do more parties, especially corporate events, and we did not have bowling or alcohol, so we made plans to add a 12-lane boutique center in early 2013. Then we asked ourselves, ‘How can we make this 10 times better?’ “
Mother Nature Re-Defines Project With plans almost complete, something happened that changed everything. A devastating tornado ripped through Moore, OK, on May 20, 2013, its path just five miles north of HeyDay. Oklahomans are no strangers to cyclones, but this one was especially devastating, killing 25 people and affecting virtually every citizen of the entire state, especially the residents of Moore and Norman. Only 11 days later, another twister blew through the Oklahoma City corridor, leading to more destruction and claiming 13 more fatalities. OKC is only 17 miles north of Norman.
One of the businesses completely destroyed by the storms was Moore’s 32-lane bowling center. BowlmorAMF announced a few months after the storm that they had sold the land and the center would not be re-built. “The storm did not completely change our plan, but it made us re-examine it,” said Bates. “Norman had also had one of its two centers close a few years earlier, and studies showed that the area could use at least 40 more lanes. Quite frankly, we knew that after the storm, that people would need a place like HeyDay to come together to relax, socialize and have fun, and it has filled that need. There was a real need to just spend time with neighbors and friends. We are very proud that we have been able to give 42
IBI
May 2015
something like this to our community.” The social aspect of bowling was a major factor even before the disaster. “We learned some things about bowling that we did not know before because neither of us had bowling business backgrounds, but in some ways, that has been a good thing because we are open to all new ideas,” said Bates. “We saw that in laser tag, or going to the movies, or other things, you can’t really interconnect while you are playing. In bowling, you can, and that is what we wanted.” At the same time, the ordinary bowling experience was just not enough. The partners signed on with Labeth, and their team wanted to create an “over the top” bowling experience with music, special lighting, dynamic furniture and fixtures. They even opted to install a new cherrywood synthetic lane surface on some of the lanes to upgrade from the norm. And when you don’t have a bowling background, the smartest thing to do is to find an advisor who does; enter Rick Heim. In his role as a key consultant on the project, Heim advised the partners on bowling operations, pricing, packages, equipment, organizational structure, training and staffing. “We saw opportunity both before and after the tornado,” says Bates. “We are so lost today in the social media world where everybody is texting and tweeting, but in bowling, you have to be next to someone. It’s not something you can get through an app. It is the perfect marriage for everything we have here, and it is for all generations.” With the new expanded plan and financing coming together, the partners went looking for an architect that could bring to life the vision and dreams that Bates, Little, their wives Tracy and Keri, Labeth, Heim and the entire HeyDay team talked about. All financing was handled with their local bank, giving them a close personal connection to the project.
Going Big Requires Big Long-Term Commitment Roughly $3 million was spent on the original land and HeyDay building in 2007. It took another $8 million to complete the 2014 re-build. Needless to say, every expense has substantially increased—payroll, taxes, utilities, food and beverage and the rest. The good news is that in the months since the grand re-opening in October, gross income has nearly quadrupled over the same period in previous years. “We are pretty much blown away by the amount of new business so far,” said Little. “We are very pleased that things are going even better than expected.” When the partners considered the culinary side of what would become the new HeyDay, they did not hold back. With the populations of Norman and Moore approaching 200,000 and Norman being the home of the University of Oklahoma, there is no shortage of bars and restaurants. Little and Bates
knew they would have to create something special to compete. What they did was take a small restaurant that served pretty good pizza and burgers and turned it into a place where every customer of any generation can find virtually anything that they could find outside the building. Pizza is still a popular offering, but now it is a very special Double Dave’s Pizzaworks with extensive Italian-style offerings from simple pizza pies to “make your own pizza” to specialty pizzas, to stromboli, veggie offerings, appetizers and even a weekday buffet. Double Dave’s is now a part of HeyDay’s Break Point Restaurant along with the Boomerang Grill, where patrons can find offerings from World Famous Homemade BoomerangStyle Hand-Breaded Onion Rings to steak platters, to wraps, Southwest-style quesadillas and fajitas, to sandwiches and burgers. Speciality burgers include the double-meat Bad Boy and a local favorite called the Theta Burger with secret “boom” sauce. “When we started the original HeyDay with laser tag, mini golf and arcade, we thought pizza fit perfectly, so we did pizza,” said Bates. “But when we expanded, we did not want to do the pre-made stuff that you just run through an oven, so we went out and found one of the premier pizzas, Double Dave’s. We did the same thing with all of the other food. We added signature hamburgers. We found the guy who started the local favorite Theta Burger and made that a part of the menu. The point is you can’t have an $11 million dollar place and not have great food. Food and beverage was definitely not an afterthought.” More attention to detail: all food is made fresh every day and is served not only in the restaurant but in the new upstairs Revolutions Lounge, on the outdoor patio overlooking the golf course, and across the house in the bowling areas. Beverage service is also extensive, with 24 different beers served on tap. Their new Revolutions Sports Bar, Lounge, and VIP Bowling area has ample and elegant seating for adult diners. It also features a cozy fireplace, an outdoor patio overlooking the golf course, and a very cool indoor balcony seating overlooking some of the downstairs bowling lanes.
Oklahoma’s New Party Central HeyDay’s corporate, youth, and group events can accommodate 10-460 people, and every event includes party captains to guide groups through the experience. Kids’ birthday party packages range from a simple party for 10 at $169, to the Ultimate HeyDay party at $300. They also offer special pricing on lock-ins and special all-day passes for school groups. HeyDay corporate parties have become very popular since the new opening. They have packages that range from a two-hour experience to a five-hour outing, and then there is the ultimate corporate party where companies can go all the way by renting the entire building for a full-facility blowout. All corporate parties are custom-priced according to the number of guests and activities chosen. Because of their ties and strong community connections, the University of Oklahoma is one of their most frequent corporate clients. Bates shared that many of the sports and other departments 44
IBI
May 2015
at the school have come to HeyDay to entertain their guests. There is also some student date business, mostly on weekends. Perhaps the single most important part of HeyDay is the training program developed to teach their 160 employees the extremely high standards of customer service. “We call our training program the HeyDay Way because we train all of our employees to go the extra mile for customers,” said Little. “We also have HeyDay University, a 10-week leadership program for all of our managers.” Rick Heim was instrumental in helping Little and Bates develop HeyDay’s training. With his background with Brunswick and other bowling and entertainment centers, he knew that training was the key to long-term success. “Brad and Trey were committed to complete training on the nuances and details of bowling,” said Heim. “I was more than impressed that they attended my bowling operations training sessions at my Texas center themselves along with their key staff members. No shortcuts were taken at HeyDay, and the business results bear testimony to the positive impact of that approach to managing a major business expansion.” Little practiced corporate law for 25 years before building HeyDay, and Bates earned accounting and finance degrees before he entered the real estate and construction business. He spent 14 years with a large construction company in Dallas. When that business was sold, he left his position as CFO to return to his family’s real estate business in Norman. Neither has any regrets about changing careers. “We would rather sell family fun than land and litigation any day,” they said. v
Jim Goodwin is the founder and president of the Bowling News Network and a former president and life member of the International Bowling Media Association.
VIEWPOINT
A Few Minutes with... Kurt Harz, retired Vice President – Sales, Brunswick Bowling & Billiards, chatting with George McAuliffe
Kurt Harz
Editor’s note: Kurt Harz recently retired from Brunswick after 39 years with the company, having held every sales position at Brunswick. In recent years, he was a leader in the evolution of bowling centers into bowling entertainment centers (BECs). How did you get your start in the business? 1975—went through a very extensive and exhaustive interview process with Brunswick. Well, maybe not. My mother worked as the executive administrator for the president of BBB [Brunswick Bowling & Billiards]. I quickly learned one of life’s lessons: “It is not what you know but who you know.” What kept you in the business through the years? Three ingredients to making this industry one of the loves of my life. First, the bowling business was built on selling fun. Simply a great business. Secondly, the bowling proprietors, our customers. Just wonderful people that have become lifelong friends. Third, I was employed by the best bowling company in the industry. What made it so great were Brunswick’s people. You’ve led the evolution into BECs. What is the key to the success of the model? As a foundation for successful business venues, you must first have good locations. It’s been said, location, location, location. Never more true than what we are seeing today. The product offering then becomes key: those BECs that offer a strong complementary mix of entertainment venues will rise to the top. And then lastly and probably most importantly, you need to execute with great customer service offering memorable entertainment experiences. 46
IBI
May 2015
Give them great reasons to make a return visit. Sorry for making for such a long response. Creating fun is a serious business requiring a complex of skill sets. Can you boil it down to the top three factors for today’s success? Great location, great product offering, great people and execution. Sounds simple. Think twice! I have learned one thing over the years as you develop these kinds of business models: deal with those individuals and companies that have a passion for the business and will bring you value up and above the goods and services they offer. What are the next phases for the BEC? Your vision for the next five years? I believe today’s BECs are just scratching the surface on the hospitality side of food and beverage. As dining out becomes an everyday occurrence and with families still facing timecrunched schedules, a quality food offering will become an even bigger driver to selecting casual entertainment. In addition, as BECs grow their event business, quality F&B along with execution and presentation will become an absolute requirement. I truly believe that this is the area that will separate the world-class BEC venues from those that are great. Any comments on the adults- versus families-design debate? These two models are the future of the bowling industry, with both having their place. Two different business models that employ different plans and strategies. I do believe there are great takeaways from both models that everyone can
benefit and learn from. Sorry for the short response in that this topic is quite complex and deserving of a discussion by itself. One thought: If I was planning a project, I would visit the very best of what both models have to offer. Any other wisdom you care to share with our readers? Retirement has afforded me the time to just sit and think about life. Those things that are really important in my life, like my family and spending time with our grandson JJ—these are special times. I also now have time to read, and it has made me realize how much I don’t know and have yet to learn. What are your future plans? I do keep in touch with all my friends from Brunswick. I have been watching closely the sale of the bowling division and believe you will see new ownership in the very near future. I do know one thing. I believe there is a bright future for the company, and there will be some great opportunities for the new ownership. In addition, Brunswick is absolutely committed to new technologies and they have some
exciting product offering coming into the pipeline. Sorry. The salesman in me is still not retired. But there are exciting times ahead for the company. In addition, I have been spending some time with some old and dear customers working on a few projects. I have also been retained by Live Oak Bank, Wilmington, NC, as a consultant for the bowling industry. Great people. They have become very aggressive in developing an entertainment portfolio, and I will help guide them with all the great opportunities and customers in the bowling business. I will be attending Bowl Expo this summer, so it will give me an opportunity to see a lot of old friends and catch up on life! George, I would add one last thing before finishing our conversation. I am really enjoying my time these days with one exception. I miss all the great people I have come to know and consider close personal friends over the years. All of my great customers, my great business alliances, and all of my friends at Brunswick. Again, I know it is the people that make this such a great industry. To all my friends, please drop me a note and say hello: kurt.harz@gmail.com.
TRIBUTES TO KURT HARZ Beyond Bowling asked customers, colleagues, and business partners to answer a simple question:
What do you think of Kurt Harz? I think that Kurt Harz is the very best person that I’ve met in the industry at building, maintaining and enhancing relationships with clients and customers. He never thought of sales in terms of transactions, but rather as opportunities to build together solid long-term results. He remained passionately positive about the bowling industry when many others at similar levels became jaded or skeptical about the future. I personally experienced his care and concern for customers long after the sale was complete by his requests for operational/marketing support to specific centers that were not performing to expectations. He literally puts his money where his mouth is. His ongoing dedication to improving clients’ business results is also displayed in his creation of the Brunswick Customer Forum. That group of bowling entertainment center operators meets twice annually to discuss new business opportunities and best practices. I’m going to miss Kurt a lot, but not as much as this industry will. Rick Heim Owner Cornerstone Consulting
I can’t recall the details leading up to the first time I met Kurt, because I had no desire [for] being in the bowling business or purchasing lanes! Well, that all changed after that meeting, and needless to say he is the best salesman I’ve ever met. Kurt possesses all of the best attributes that you want in a business alliance and always kept the interest of his client’s business ahead of his own. His willingness to think outside of the box helped pioneer the new bowling business model that is successful today. The bowling industry has lost one of its best, but we have many world-class concepts to remember him by. Michael Auger Managing Partner Trifecta Management Group
I have to answer on two different levels. On a personal level, Kurt is just a great friend. He is always fun to be around, and is an extremely trustworthy and loyal friend. On a business level, Kurt would always come through for Stars and Strikes IBI
May 2015
47
to assist with our needs. Kurt helped us get started in the business, sharing significant knowledge and history of our industry that has help shape our company. He always fought for us within Brunswick and inevitably delivered. He truly cares about his customers, both on a personal and on a business level. It is hard to find many Kurt Harz’s in the world of business. Chris Albano Managing Partner Stars and Strikes Family Entertainment Center I've had the pleasure of working for Kurt the better part of my 20-year career with Brunswick. Kurt has a love and passion for everything he does whether it [is] work-related or planning a fishing trip. He always [strove] to make the people around him better, the consummate “coach.” Kurt always valued the relationships he had with our customers and alliances and treated them as friends and, many times family. John Roush Vice President – New Center Sales, U.S. and Canada Brunswick Bowling There once was a sales guy named Kurt Who could sell you until it just hurt. He sold on full margin, Then told you he’s losin’. You’re lucky to keep your own shirt! And he’d be grinning the whole time! Ha! Kurt, it has been my real and sincere pleasure to work with you. You are a real professional, a true gentleman and a wonderful mentor. I learn more about this industry just hanging with you. Thanks for the memories! Don MacBrayne Chief Operating Officer Performance Entertainment, LLC The Summit Kurt was able to take decades of a great business culture and pass it along to everyone he associated with over the years. With that, he also is a visionary and helped evolve our industry utilizing the best resources to help grow bowling. His reach not only includes the people of Brunswick, but our customers as well. He is the best salesperson, sales leader, and mentor I have ever been involved with. When you travel with Kurt, as many who are reading this have, your schedule can sometimes get a little goofy. I have been with him eating a bagel and having coffee at O'Hare at 6:30 in the morning, only to have lunch at 4:30 and then dinner at 6:30... Dan Borgie Brunswick Bowling Products Vice President – Modernization Sales 48
IBI
May 2015
I have known Kurt for over 25 years. Sure, it was his job to sell Brunswick products. Everybody knows that. What separated Kurt from everybody else was very simple. He truly believed with his heart and soul that if he helped us out here in the field with our businesses, we would support him and his products. In addition to that, Kurt never presented a strings-attached approach to us with his presentations. So many times he would put groups of proprietors together to discuss the most innovative operating trends in the industry. I truly appreciate all of your help, Kurt! Thank you, sir! A more recent story: Even after his retirement, Kurt calls me out of the blue to enlighten me about an acquisition opportunity in another state. He certainly did not have to call me to make me aware, but he did anyway. He was simply helping a proprietor. Andy Bartholomy Principal Bartholomy Bowling and Entertainment In 36 years of business, you work with certain associates who become friends. Kurt is one of those people. I’ve watched as he, as much as anyone I know, led the industry in the evolving marriage of bowling and entertainment. I’ve been at the table to see him confront challenges, never with a “what can this do for me?” attitude, but always with a win-win approach. His approach to business and friendship is “how can I help you?” Kurt, I’m glad you’ll be sticking around through your work with Live Oak, and I look forward to hanging out with you in the coming years. George McAuliffe Chief FEC Strategist Redemption Plus
George McAuliffe is a 35-year family entertainment center operator and president of Pinnacle Entertainment Advisors by Redemption Plus, an industry consulting firm (www.grouppinnacle.com). George has operated entertainment centers from 2,000 to 150,000 square feet, including redemption and merchandise games, since 1983 and has assisted numerous bowling center owners to develop their FEC side. He is a regular speaker at industry conventions worldwide, and writes for RePlay magazine. He can be reached at 913-5634370 or email gmcauliffe@redemptionplus.com.
SHOWCASE
LANE CONDITIONER
Defy is Brunswick’s latest and most advanced conditioner, defying breakdown and movement to provide longlasting performance. With a unique blend of top-grade oils and additives, Defy features Flo-Back technology which reduces the impact of ball tracks through the heads while minimizing the movement of the conditioner downlane. Defy lasts 30% longer than other conditioners and conquers one of the biggest challenges bowlers face, their shot breaking down too soon. It is an excellent solution for high-lineage centers and is compatible with all lane machines and lane surfaces. To get additional info and see why bowlers and center operators are raving about Defy, go to www.brunswickbowling.com/products/ lane-maintenance/lane-supplies/detail/defy.
VIRTUAL MARKETING
Need professional marketing help, but can’t afford it? The Virtual Marketing Manager Program from QubicaAMF provides a customized marketing solution based on the individual needs of your center. You will get a tailored Marketing Plan focusing on your unique business needs. QubicaAMF will work with you to help execute both your strategic and tactical plans. And, someone will always be available to answer questions along the way. Go to www.QubicaAMF.com/VMM to get your free Marketing Assessment. Hurry, space is limited!
REDEMPTION CATALOG
Redemption Plus does more than provide quality prizes; they provide impactful insights that help you win. Whether it’s searching the globe for the best prizes, offering tips and strategies to better your business or helping you create a prize display that drives game play, Redemption Plus is committed to bringing you the best. “We enrich lives through insights that empower—oh, yeah, we sell toys too.” Their 2015 Reward Series catalog is now available. It is filled with industry insights, business evaluations and products worth investment. Sections include: “The Four Types of Players,” “Winners Make Players,” “How to Build a Better Counter.” Request your copy at RedemptionPlus.com/catalog, call 888-564-7587 or stop by their booth #101 at Bowl Expo. 50
IBI
May 2015
BOWLING & LASERTAG ARE SUCCESSFUL PARTNERS
Lasertron announced its successful partnership of bowling and laser tag with 50 bowling entertainment center (BEC) operators and more scheduled for installation. Stars and Strikes, a growing and successful company based in Georgia, has been working with Lasertron since 2011 and recently opened its 6th location using Lasertron equipment and arenas. Chris Albano and Jack Canouse at the HeyDay, located in Norman, opening of Stars and Strikes Sandy OK, has been a partner with Springs. Lasertron since 2007, and recently invested in an impressive renovation. Among other improvements, HeyDey co-owners Brad Little and Trey Bates upgraded the laser tag experience from Lasertron LT-11 game system to the new LT-12 game system. The HeyDay renovation offers 24 lanes of bowling, Lasertron LT-12 Game System, a larger arcade and more dining options. For more information on how your center can become a Lasertron partner by adding laser tag attractions, visit www.laser-tron.com or contact Ann Kessler at 305-257-3930 or akessler@lasertron.us.
SOCIAL MEDIA MONITORING
People are talking... about your business. Do you know what they are saying? With the new Social Media Monitoring for Bowling service from eBowl.biz, reviews made about your center on a dozen different social media sites will be traced, including Facebook, Yelp, Trip Advisor and Google+. You won’t have to wonder what is being said online about your center—you will know! Go to www.eBowl.biz or call 541-549-0999.
GLOW SOCKS
Expert Hosiery’s Funtime Footwear offers centers an opportunity to turn socks into profits! The new glow design for midnight bowling includes knee-highs for both guys and girls. Funtime Footware is the athletic footwear supplier for bowling, skating and FECs. Mix and match athletic and Bowlopolis socks by the dozen. For more information or to order, call 919-799-7707 or check out the website www.funtimefootwear.com.
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
POINT OF SALE
Helix Leisure’s Embed, worldwide supplier of revenue management systems, continually strives to improve its emPOS—the Embed Point of Sale. With improved coupon functionality, greater flexibility in tabs and split payments, real time extensive sales reporting, and optional deferred revenue reporting, emPOS becomes a very powerful tool for an operator when coupled with the Embed Cashless swiper system. A new feature is a hand-held device using a downloadable app. The depth of features in point of sale, redemption counter management and access control, Embed’s emPOS offers a complete solution for FECs and centers. For more information email Allison Timberlake at allison.timberlake@helixleisure.com.
VIDEO REDEMPTION
Bay Tek Games, Inc.’s Grand Piano Keys is worthy of a standing ovation! Its beautifully lit, attention-grabbing cabinet and marquee, along with the fun, simple game pay will have aspiring musicians flocking back time and again to beat their high scores. With the option of a 1-player or a 2-player duet, the competitive nature and player-paced play of Grand Piano Keys appeal to all ages. Simply hit the oversized novelty key that matches the colored square on the 60” monitor to play a variety of well-known tunes, accumulating tickets as you go. The faster and more accurately you play, the more tickets you win. For more information, go to www.baytekgames.com.
MODERNIZATION
Next Level Entertainment Advisors offers a full range of advisory services from early-stage feasibility to grand opening. They assist in the design, branding, financing and development of modern, multi-attraction entertainment venues and family entertainment centers. For a market feasibility study for a new entertainment center or assistance with the re-development of an existing center, please call 402-880-5503 for a free consultation and business plan review or go to www.nleadvisiors.com for additional information. 52
IBI
May 2015
LASER TAG
Creative Works, Inc. has once again done its magic for Bowlmor. With its location in Union Square, NYC, another unique laser tag arena has been created with a one-of-a-kind urban design. The theme is loosely based on a post-apocalyptic city. The local iconic landmarks, the Statue of Liberty and Central Park, were used to create an environment appealing to adults. A Central Park mural sets the stage in the vesting room before guests embark on the game. Creative Works finds solutions for each center, which are unique to the area and clientele. For more info, email marketing@thewoweffect.com.
MODULAR FURNITURE
Brunswick’s new Center Stage modular furniture is created to complement the customer experience. Its sections can be arranged in countless ways and finished in any of dozens of fabrics and laminates to fit each center specifically, while also increasing F&B sales. Call 800YES-BOWL, Option 1, 5, for no-obligation, in-center consultation, or visit www.brunswickbowling.com/center-stage.
PHOTO BOOTH
LAI Games introduces the AMOA Innovator Award-winning Snapshot 2 photo booth as the next generation in entertainment. Players interact with the booth via a free mobile app. They can take new photos in the booth, decorate them, and upload them to their mobile phones for sharing on an unlimited number of social networks. Photos previously captured can be downloaded to the booth. On return visits, players can log in via QR code and access their photos. Snapshot 2 is integrated with Google Maps and also features Instagram-style filters, trendy stamps and accessories and stylish backgrounds, plus dual cameras for classic and “selfie” photo angles. For more info, email Allison Timberlake at allisont@laigames.com.
TOURNAMENT
2015 Golden Ladies champion Paula Vidad (center), Jeanette Robinson (right) with Tony Taeubel (left), senior vice president of operations for Boyd Gaming.
A Storm of a Match
At Jeanette Robinson’s 25th Annual Golden Ladies Classic Tournament, Paula Vidad proves that it’s how you finish that really matters. By Jim Goodwin
L
as Vegas, Nevada: After a wonderful week of reunions, relaxation, a little gambling, and some intense competition, the final match of Jeanette Robinson’s 25th Annual Golden Ladies Classic Tournament, sponsored by Storm, was a testament to the quality of talent and character that this event has brought to bowling for the past quarter-century. In the end, two of the top players in women’s senior bowling went toeto-toe for the title, and two-time Senior Women’s U.S. Open Champion Paula Vidad, Sun City, CA, defeated Hall of Famer Tish Johnson, Colorado Springs, CO, 237-225 in a hardfought final match. Johnson was intimidating starting the match, rolling four booming strikes, while Vidad began her game with a 4-9 split and an open frame. Proving again that it is how you finish that really matters, Vidad reeled off a five-bagger in frames 3 through 7. Johnson’s light hit in the fifth frame left a 10 pin. After a double in frames 6 and 7, with adrenaline flowing, the southpaw Johnson seemed to increase her speed in frames 8 and 9; both shots resulted in 7 pin leaves. When she missed the ninth frame spare, Vidad jumped through the open door with a double in the ninth and tenth to seal the victory.
54
IBI
May 2015
Vidad now has two big senior titles against Johnson in two years. She won the 2014 Women’s Senior U.S. Open in 2014 by a score of 234-210. “It is very special to win this year not only because of Jeanette and the history of this event, but it is my very favorite tournament to bowl every year,” said Vidad. “What’s different about 2015 top 19 finalists.
TOURNAMENT
Bill Boyd, executive chairman of Boyd Gaming, and Jeanette Robinson, founder of the Golden Ladies Classic.
this event is that everybody smiles. It is a competition, but a very friendly competition. I made the finals my first year here in 2010, and now to win it and join the great list of champions is just awesome.” Johnson, who won the event in 2013 and has now finished second three times, was disappointed, yet gracious in settling for second place. “As you know, I don’t like to lose,” she said. “I’m starting to feel like the Earl Anthony of women’s bowling, or maybe the Cal Ripkin of bowling. I threw some good shots, and they just didn’t go down. I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. Sometimes we carry, sometimes we don’t—that’s the way it works.” Vidad earned $2,500 for the victory. Johnson took home $1,300. In prior matches, Terri Ward, Loveland, CO, looked like she was destined to be the spoiler. She defeated Lucy Sandelin, Tampa, FL, in the opening match, 202199, and Lomita, CA’s Pam Pancoast, 215-194, before losing to Vidad in match three, 216-246. In the Super Senior side of the event, for players age 60 or better, the winner was Judy Gurney, Mesa, AZ. Gurney dominated the event to become the third player to win both sides of the event. She won the regular division championship in 2011. Pam Lawrence, Pflugerville, TX, made the Super Senior finals very interesting and entertaining at the end. Charging from eighth place at the beginning of the final round, and rolling a 288 game to capture second in the final position round game. Storm Bowling’s Jimmy Callahan was present throughout the event, and co-owner Barb Chrisman came in for the welcome reception held for all players and guests following the qualifying rounds. “This tournament is very close to Barbara and Bill’s heart,” said Callahan. “It is a ‘must’ for our company, and it is something that will be a staple for us for many years to come.” 56
IBI
May 2015
The Orleans bowling center staff—director Mike Kaufman, manager Bob McVey, tournament director Darryl Smith, and tournament coordinator Char Hammel—were also very pleased with the event. “What needs to be acknowledged is that the staff here—Darryl and Bob and Fawn—they do all the stats and put everything together to make it run smoothly, and that is not easy for a once-a-year event,” said Kaufman. “It was made even more special when Bill Boyd came for the opening. He is an icon in our industry, and it was great everyone had a chance to meet him.” Tournament founder Jeanette Robinson could not have been more proud of everyone and the way the event continues to build its reputation as one of the crown jewels of bowling. “I’m very, very pleased with the event, because as I’ve told you before, you delegate this labor of love to people you trust, and there is none better than Char, Bobby, Mike and the whole staff here at the Orleans,” said Robinson. “We also have to thank Storm for their loyal support for many years, and
2015 top 13 finalists in the Super Senior division.
members of the media who keep writing great things about us. It was a wonderful week, and we can hardly wait for next year.” The 26th Annual Golden Ladies Classic will be held at The Orleans in March of 2016. v
Jim Goodwin is the founder and president of the Bowling News Network and a former president and life member of the International Bowling Media Association.
CLASSIFIEDS
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
Felix Erickson Co., Inc. Strike Zone © Family of Lane Products Strike Zone Next Generation LC 5 gal case $105 Envi-Cide II Disinfectant Shoe sparay 12/15 oz $87.95 Solve-It © Orange Foam Cleaner 12/18 oz $69.95 FESI Solve-IT © Ball Wheel Liner 22’ $90 NEW RM 107 Rubber/Cork Wheel Liner $29.95/Roll 070-006-757S Smooth Dist. Belt w/ lacing $35 ea. 000-024-604 Gray Ball Lift Belt $195 ea. ©
Exclusive Phenolic Kickback Plates Front F128D 16” x 33” $88 ea. Rear F129 19” x 23 3/4” $88 ea. NEW F131T 16” x 40” $125 ea. All plates include screws and instructions 800-445-1090 (F) 609-267-4669 festrikezone.com Resurfacing - Repairs - Supplies - Synthetics
WWW.TEXTBOWLING.COM 58
IBI
May 2015
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE FOR SALE: 40 lanes of Frameworx Touch Screen system. System can be split up. Competitive pricing. Available mid-July. Call 586-293-0880 or email david@shorelanesbowling.com. REPAIR & EXCHANGE. Call for details (248) 375-2751. NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com. www.redline-products.com. For Joystick Scoring Ltd. FOUL LIGHTS & BALL SPEED DISPLAYS. In the USA 1-888-569-7845 or JD Bowling Services in Canada at 1-800-3465781. Home of www.bowlingtrader.com, your free buy & sell site. FOR SALE: 28 lanes HPL, full lane; Route 66 Small Ball coin-operated; Brunswick & AMF power lifts; ball returns; factory A2 pinsetters; A2 machines for parts; vent–free fryer; Impenger Conveyor Oven; Bakers Pride Pizza Oven; 16’ vent hood stainless steel; bowling lane lumber for foundation or used wood bowling lanes; A2 cushions & moving decks; pinwheels; 27” monitors for Steltronic scoring; 42” Steltronic flatscreens; AMF Excel Automatic Scoring System; Swing-n-Swivel seating. Complete lane packages. INSTALLATIONS AVAILABLE. (719) 251-1616. For sale: 24 DuraDecks by DBA Products for $250 each; 12 pair Wizard plus foul units from Zot which include all covers, foul units & reflectors, $125 each. 23 Qubica monitor boards, for 34” Sharp monitors, $100 each. FOB Panama City Beach, FL. Call Wayne @ Rock It Lanes, (850) 249-2695 or email rockitlanes@knology.net.
CLASSIFIEDS
ARE YOU A FAN OF BOWLING?
www.Facebook.com/BowlingFan
Visit us at Bowl Expo Booth #116 IBI
May 2015
59
CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT WANTED LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Call (608) 764-1464.
NEW ITEM AMF Chassis Plug Access Door. Easy access to work on chassis plugs. $9.99 ea. Nationwide AMF service. Visit TheBowlDoctor.com or call (608) 3819276.
MINIATURE GOLF COURSES Indoor/Outdoor. Portable/Pre-Fab. Black Light/Traditional/Pro Putter.
WWW.TEXTBOWLING.COM PROPRIETORS WITH AMF 82-70 S.S. & M.P. MACHINES Save $$ on Chassis & P.C. Board Exchange & Repair! A reasonable alternative for Chassis and P.C. Board Exchanges MIKE BARRETT Call for Price List
Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576
60
IBI
May 2015
202 Bridge Street Jessup, PA 18434 570-489-8623 www.minigolfinc.com
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/
POSITION WANTED Certified Brunswick mechanic well-versed on all serial machines both American & Japanese. Seeking 20-24 hours per week employment in Denver, CO, area. 45 years experience. Has own tools. Excellent references. Call Steven @ (303) 870-5860 or email cstaylor1993@gmail.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 CENTRAL OHIO: 16-lane profitable Brunswick center with nightly leagues, lounge and snack bar. In fastest-growing and highest-income county in Ohio. Call Debra (740) 369-3451.
CLASSIFIEDS
Merchant Coupon RESULTS "One of the best promotions we have ever had." - Bryan Senker, Flamingo Bowl (TX) "I should have re-ordered your coupon program sooner…you can quote me on that.” - Max Cook, North Bowl Lanes (WA) "BMA goes above and beyond any other marketing service.” - Patrick Kline, Shelby Lanes (MI) "Top notch from start to finish. I love the results!" - Doug Cottom, Ross Cottom Lanes (IL) "A glowing recommendation. I took a chance, it paid off. ROI was over 800%. Been using it ever since!" - Chuck Linn, Daffodil Bowl (WA)
Try a free Market Test... Call Chris at 888-930-4039 or visit ibi.BMAmkt.com
LOCKER KEYS FAST! All Keys done by code # Locks and Master Keys E-mail: huff@inreach.com TOLL FREE
1-800-700-4539 IBI
May 2015
61
CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS: 8-lane center, full-service kitchen & bar with large Beer Garden plus 3-bdrm/2-bath apartment. Business & real estate. Reasonably priced. Contact Curtis for pics and more information. (316) 806-7744. 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.
CENTERS FOR SALE OHIO, Archbold: 12-lane Brunswick center on 1.81 acres w/ 13,440 s/f commercial bldg. Plus QubicaAMF scoring system, pro shop with eqpt. & restaurant/bar area with eqpt. & fixtures. Asking 189,900.00. Contact lshirkey@fmbank.com or (800) 451-7843 x 15290. NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: 32-LANE CENTER. Owner retiring. Priced to sell. $1.8 mil annual revenues. Broker: Harry Sidhu, cell (510) 490-9705 or office (510) 366-6130.
CENTERS FOR SALE 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. OKLAHOMA: Lease to Own or Owner Carry for Viable Investor. 16 lanes—fully remodeled with so much potential, A2s, Steltronic w/42” flatscreens, synthetic panels, 11th Frame Grill, laser tag, largest game room in the area & thriving lounge w/ room to expand. (719) 251-1616. LARRY DOBBS APPRAISALS. (214) 6748187. Bowlingvaluations@yahoo.com. 16-lane center in Southern Colorado mountains. Great condition. 18,000 s/f building w/ restaurant & lounge. Paved parking 100+ vehicles. Established leagues & tournaments. $950,000 or make offer. Kipp (719) 852-0155. NE MINNESOTA: Food, Liquor & Bowling. Established 8 lanes between Mpls & Duluth w/ large bar, dining room, banquet area. Two large State employment facilities nearby. High six-figure gross. Call Bryan (218) 380-8089. www.majesticpine.com. CENTRAL ILLINOIS: PRICED TO SELL!! 8-lane center with AMF 82-70s, full-service restaurant, pro shop. Plus pool tables, karaoke machine & DJ system. Asking $125,000.00 with RE. (217) 351-5152 or toms-uvl@sbcglobal.net. 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. 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.
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
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.
Bowling Parts, Inc. P.O. Box 801 Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-3635 Email - daryl@tuckerbowling.com
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.
BUY
Danny & Daryl Tucker Tucker Bowling Equipment Co. 609 N.E. 3rd St. Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-4018 Fax (806) 995-4767
www.tuckerbowling.com 62
IBI
May 2015
DATEBOOK
MAY 20-22 BCAO Convention & Tradeshow Doubletree Hotel, Worthington, OH Pat Marazzi (937) 433-8363
JUNE 8-9 BCA Wisconsin Board of Directors/Membership Meeting Waupaca Ale House Scholarship Golf Tournament Foxfire Golf Club Waupaca, WI Yvonne C. Bennett (262) 783-4292
8-10 BPAA Management School Holiday Inn Lincoln, NE Chris Gallas (800) 343-1329 ext. 8471 www.bowlnebraska.net 11 NSBPA Annual Meeting Holiday Inn Lincoln, NE Chris Gallas (800) 343-1349 ext. 8471 www.bowlnebraska.net 10-11 Birthday University Raleigh, NC Frank Price (919) 387-1966 fprice@birthdayuniversity.com 15-19 Brunswick GS-Series Pinsetter Maintenance School Muskegon, MI www.brunswickbowling.com/servicesupport/training
16-19 Asian Attractions Expo Hong Kong Convention & Exhibit Center Hong Kong (703) 836-4801 www.iaapa.org/expos 22-26 International Bowl Expo Paris Hotel Las Vegas, NV www.bpaa.com
JULY 11-17 Junior Gold Championships Dupage, IL (800) 514-2695, ext. 8426 USBCjuniorgold@bowl.com 14-16 BPAA Management School Jack McCarthy (502) 558-3450 www.kentuckybpa.com
21-23 Foundations Entertainment University Chicago, IL Randy White (816) 931-1040 23 Classic Products Regional Trade Show Fort Wayne, IN (800) 444-0123 23-25 BPA of the Carolinas/Georgia Summer Convention Sea Trail Resort Sunset Beach, NC (910) 484-5178 29-30 Ace Mitchell Bowling Regional Trade Show Akron, OH (800) 262-2695
AUGUST 15 BCAF Board of Directors Pink Shell Beach Resort Fort Myers Beach, FL Chris Gallas (800) 343-1349 ext. 8471 www.bcaf.us 20-21 BCA–Michigan Convention & Tradeshow Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort Mount Pleasant, MI Ken Prokopec (630) 235-7794 20-22 IBECA SHOW Park Place Hotel Traverse City, MI Scott Bennett 888-484-2322 scott@bowlmail.com
4 Ace Mitchell Bowling Regional Trade Show Syracuse, NY (800) 262-2695 6-7 Bowler’s Supply, Inc. Regional Trade Show York, PA 800-632-1830 7 Classic Products Regional Trade Show Dallas, TX 800-444-0123 11 Ace Mitchell Bowling Regional Trade Show New Jersey 900-262-2695 IBI
May 2015
63
REMEMBER WHEN
The Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States
1963 his Equitable Life Assurance ad ran in Sports Illustrated in February of 1963. Its message, physical fitness, still resonates today. And, what better activity to promote the message than bowling. In 1963, Buzz Fazio, “The Buzzer,” was an accessible hero, especially for youth. Through fierce competitiveness and a knack for theatrics, he became a three-time ABC champion, an ABC and PBA Hall-of-Famer, and one of 33 bowlers who helped launch the PBA. Youth leagues were increasing and YABA’s enrollment had climbed to 451,200. Kids are determined dreamers, as we can see in this young bowler from 1963. Today, when the involvement of youth is paramount in growing bowling, we should be just as determined to make heroes of top bowlers for the sake of the future as Equitable was a half-century ago ❖
T
– Patty Heath
64
IBI
May 2015