IBI August 2018 Randy Thompson Cover Story

COVER STORY

Sheri and Randy Thompson.

DESTINED TO BE PRESIDENT With bowling in his DNA, BPAA’s president Randy Thompson is a natural.

By Jim Goodwin

R

andy Thompson may be the most qualified person ever chosen to be president of the Bowling Proprietors Association of America. He was born into the business and worked in his parents’ center, Plaza Lanes, in Des Moines, IA, while he was still in grade

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school. After high school and college, he worked for Leo McGee’s Bowlerama Lanes across town.

“I knew I wanted to be in the bowling business from the time I was in junior high,” said Randy. “I wanted to go to college and then return to the business. I have always loved the

COVER STORY aspect. My dad put live bands in our bar in the ‘60s, and we still do.

That led to other things like volleyball, laser tag, fitness centers, and all the rest.”

Randy has attended Brunswick, AMF, and BPAA management schools.

In 1993, when he felt like he was ready to be the boss but his mom was not quite ready to retire, he moved to Texas and then to Kansas where he operated centers before returning home in 1999 to buy the center built by his dad in 1957.

In 2013, Randy bought 24-lane Premiere Lanes in nearby Pleasant Hills, IA, and after expansion and remodel, relaunched it as Great Escape Family Entertainment Center. Randy and his wife Sheri’s son Brandon Thompson was named general manager and remains there today as their managing partner.

In 2017, about the time he was being named president of the organization he worked so hard for during all those years, his beloved Plaza Lanes burned to the ground. Many key employees, including Randy’s sister Melody Gray, who is another partner and was Plaza’s GM, are working at Great Escape until Plaza can be rebuilt.

Randy brings all of these experiences to share with his fellow proprietors, and as BPAA president, he hopes to help them make their centers, BPAA, and the industry better than it has ever been before.

SECOND GENERATION LEADERSHIP, LESSONS FROM A VISIONARY FATHER Randy has something in common with outgoing BPAA president Nancy Schenk: he learned most of what he knows about the business at an early age from his parents.

“Randy is a great proprietor who has a true passion for our industry,” said Schenk. “While a purist at heart, with a true love for league bowling, he has also embraced the newer FEC model of today’s bowling center. His experience in both a traditional and FEC center will make him a well-rounded president who can understand all of our member centers. I look forward to the ideas he brings to BPAA over the next two years as the president of our great association.”

DARRELL THOMPSON, THE ICON The patriarch of the family, Darrell, came up in hard times during the Great Depression and Dust Bowl that ravaged American farms and families. At age 12, he and his 11-year old brother were sent to Idaho and Washington to work on farms picking potatoes and apples. Iowa and several other Midwestern states had been devastated by these disasters, and families did desperate things simply to survive. It was a time now hard to imagine. Darrell was an

extremely hard working man who made the most of his limited opportunities during very tough times. With only an 8th grade education, he went from dirt poor to becoming a very respected commercial builder, a community leader, and a wealthy man when very few achieved that status.

Darrell and his wife Barbara built 32-lane Plaza Lanes in bowling’s heyday after the introduction of automatic

Randy Thompson ‘greets’ the Bowling Man, the well-known sign that was on the roof of Plaza Lanes.

pinsetters. Instead of just going anywhere to build an ordinary building, he commissioned a demographics and traffic study from Drake University. In those days, it was an unusual and innovative move and not as simple as today, but the result paid off. The study said the Douglas Avenue corridor in Des Moines was the place to be, and Darrell started buying land there, and what he couldn’t buy, he acquired on long term leases.

He built a shopping mall, a grocery store, a gas station, all to support the new bowling center at 2701 Douglas.

And his center was no ordinary size – 32 lanes in the days when most alleys were in the 6 to 12 lane range. The building itself was also spectacular for the time, with 160 foot long solid maple trusses holding up the roof to provide a column free interior with a wide concourse.

“He built it like a bridge,” said Randy. “He did not want any posts, and steel in those days was not made for the stress of that length, so he used his bridge building skills to make it work.” The center became a landmark in Des Moines very quickly with its domed roof and a unique outdoor neon sign showing a bowler rolling a ball along the roofline toward the pins. Locals always smile when they talk about the Plaza Lanes bowler never getting a strike in more than 60 years; he always left a couple of pins standing.

In 1980, the Thompson family lost Darrell in a tragic jeep accident at the age of 63. It was a huge loss for the entire family, and for the community and customers he loved so IBI

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COVER STORY dearly. The city of Des Moines put up an official plaque to honor him and thank him for his love and service to the community.

MAKING DAD PROUD When a family suddenly loses a strong leader, it has a lasting effect. For Randy and the rest of the Thompsons, it was motivation to carry on as Darrell would have and to continue his vision and establish his legacy.

From 1980 through 1996, Barbara led the family and the business, and she had plenty of support from her family, the community, and Plaza’s loyal customers. With the business running well, Randy and his wife Sheri made a big decision.

They decided to leave Iowa for Texas.

“It was really hard moving away from our family and it was tough for Randy because he had a vision to become a very successful bowling proprietor,” said Sheri. “He thought he needed more exposure and new ideas on how to build the business. That was really the best decision we made. We could never have learned the things we know today had we not taken the chance we did by moving.”

The Thompsons spent three years in Texas, and three more in Kansas before returning to Des Moines to buy Plaza. They returned home in 1999 and completed the deal that allowed mom to retire in 2000.

In Texas, Randy made a deal with well-known proprietor Phil Kinzer to take over one of his centers. It was sold to Neil Hupfauer in 1996, and later to AMF. “I learned a lot from Phil and Neil and many others in DFW [Dallas/Fort Worth]

Randy prepared the next generation of Thompsons for the bowling biz: Brandon (now age 30) is in the middle: and Jordan (now age 26) is on the right

and Texas,” said Randy. “They are a great group.”

The Thompsons then headed for Overland Park, KS, to run AMF College Bowl, and they managed to add enough bowlers for it to compete with Danny Jackson’s IncrediBowl that had just opened in the same market.

Randy was well known for his innovative marketing skills and as a trailblazer in trying old and new ideas. “We increased business in Dallas and Kansas City the old fashioned way,” said Randy, “by knocking on doors. We ran merchant programs, and I learned the corporate way to operate with the AMF corporate system of dealing with numbers and analyzing profit and loss statements. It was great experience all around, and I learned a lot during those years, with Sheri by my side every day.”

A LIFELONG DREAM REALIZED

A successful boxer in high school, Randy never lost a bout.

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The day Randy became the official owner of Plaza Lanes in 2000 was one of the proudest days of his life. Finally, it would be his vision and his leadership skills that would make the business work, and he was determined to make it better than ever. He was driven by the memory of his dad; his love and respect for his mom who worked so hard before and after losing her husband; his love for his brothers and sisters; his love for Sheri and their boys Brandon and Jordan; and his love for the community and the many generations of customers who had been so loyal to his family over the years.

In the past 18 years of Randy’s leadership, Plaza Lanes thrived and became even more of an iconic Des Moines destination than it was before. In 2003, Randy totally remodeled the lounge and re-branded it Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill. They installed 30 TV sets before flat screens — the heavy box sets have all been upgraded to flat screens.

Randy re-tooled the kitchen and created a whole new menu. And, he created an outdoor bar called Volley’s to support the sand

COVER STORY

RANDY’S SAFETY SUGGESTIONS Take photos of every room in the building and the contents In order to rebuild now and in the immediate future, it is necessary to be insured for $200 per square foot. This includes building and contents. Proprietors and their insurance agents should decide what should be considered building and what should be considered contents.

Make sure your insurance agent and carrier know and have documented to you the exact square footage of your property. If you have more than one address, be sure all are listed on the policy.

Always purchase replacement cost as opposed to ACV (Actual Cash Value) if you plan on rebuilding after a loss.

Understand your policy limits and co-insurance listed on your policy. Be covered for a minimum of what your policy states.”

Larry Linder, CEO of Test Fire Prevention and Maintenance Company, has three more suggestions for proprietors: Have a certified Level II or higher thermographer conduct a thermographic test and inspection of your center’s electrical systems. This is not something the average electrician is qualified to do and it’s best entrusted to a thermographer who is familiar with the unique risks of a bowling center.

Be OCD about keeping your kitchen clean and have a hood and flew cleaning contractor clean your Ansul system at least twice a year, if not quarterly.

Make sure.

Be OCD about the care and keeping of clean up rags. Rags used in the kitchen, the pro-shop, and by the mechanic should be collected in a metal container with an automatically shutting lid which is emptied regularly and clean the rags regularly. Spontaneous combustion of greasy rags happens far more often than you might suspect. Do not permit kitchen staff or your mechanic to toss greasy rags into a corner or a closet to be dealt with at a later time.

Staff should be positively devout about tossing rags into a non-combustible container with a lid.

Randy will stand up and salute reason number three – oily rags left under a stove were ruled the official cause of the Plaza fire. The pilot light got them started.

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volleyball courts that are so popular in the warm months. With strong promotions and sales, Randy had 235 six-person volleyball teams the first season, and it remains strong today. Cross promotions with the volleyball players have resulted in new bowling business.

By 2013, things were going so well the Thompsons decided to expand their operation, and they acquired a second center in nearby Pleasant Hills, IA – 24-lane Premiere Lanes. In 2015 they expanded, remodeled, and re-branded the center, calling it Great Escape Entertainment Center. The center has a few leagues, but it leans toward the FEC model for adults.

Aside from the leagues, Great Escape also has a very good youth program, with over 200 kids participating on Saturday mornings and a few evenings. Randy’s sister, Melody Gray, runs the program. “Youth bowling has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember,” said Gray, who has been working with kids at Plaza and Great Escape for almost four decades. Her secret? “I believe you must be young at heart yourself, and it is extremely important to keep the kids of all ages engaged and having fun. You have to give them an experience they will always remember.”

Buying Great Escape also gave Randy and Sheri’s son Brandon a chance to test his management skills. He was 28 when they made him the managing partner and general manager, and it has gone very well.

“What I’ve learned from my parents and grandparents is that things can always be made better,” said Brandon. “With the proper work ethic, mindset, and goals, success can always be achieved and things can always be made better than they ever were before, financially and aesthetically.”

A MAJOR SETBACK AND LESSONS LEARNED The morning of December 18, 2017, will never be forgotten by the Thompson family nor by thousands of people in Des Moines. It was the day that Plaza Lanes burned to the ground. It was an ordinary Monday morning, one week before Christmas, and phones started ringing in the Thompson houses. Randy’s sisters Dawn and Darla went to Melody’s house and then to Randy’s house because no one was answering their phone at 5:00 a.m. They had not turned on their televisions to see the breaking news on all three local channels. Plaza Lanes was on fire. They all dressed hurriedly for the frigid weather and rushed to the scene.

Melody recalls, “When I arrived, Randy was standing in the middle of Douglas Avenue, staring at the horrific, all-consuming fire. There were tears streaming down his face, yet he was not crying. The first thing he said to me as we embraced was, ‘What about our employees?’ He knew no one was inside, but he was worried about their jobs the week before Christmas. The second thing he said, to no one in particular, was, ‘Sorry, Dad, this happened on my watch.’”

“All I could say was, ‘Oh my God!’” said Sheri. “It was paralyzing. I had never seen a fire of that magnitude. All we could do was watch it burn. Honestly, to describe what we felt that day is nothing short of devastation. There really are no words when you are in shock. You

COVER STORY don’t know what to think or what to do because it is so overwhelming. Other family members started arriving and we were all crying and comforting each other. Employees, friends, and customers were coming up to us and they were all as speechless as we were. The next couple of days were a blur. The ATF, fire fighters and first responders and our insurance agents were all there asking questions and interviewing employees.“ In the aftermath, Randy knew immediately that they would rebuild Plaza Lanes, and he remains determined to make it better than before, to share his experience to help fellow proprietors and other business owners prevent such a tragedy, and to be prepared if it does happen. Randy has learned some valuable lessons in the months after the fire.

MOVING FORWARD – BETTER TIMES AHEAD FOR EVERYONE Given the circumstances, some business owners might have turned down or delayed the chance to serve as BPAA president while trying to rebuild a building and business.

Not Randy Thompson.

According to his family, he has been preparing for this role his whole career. He was a wrestler and a boxer in high school and college, and played a little football as a defensive end and linebacker. Perhaps his competitive nature and drive comes from his boxing skills – he says he had 35 bouts and never got knocked down.

Barbara, young Randy, and Darrell Thompson.

“Randy had the dream of becoming BPAA president at an early age,” said his sister Melody. “I knew he would achieve his goal. He is a very progressive businessman, and his determination and involvement with local, state, and national associations led him to the top.”

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BUILDINGS CAN BE REPLACED – BUT BOWLING IS A PEOPLE BUSINESS By all accounts, the Thompson family are super stars in the bowling business, but their supporting cast is one of the things that make the business hum. At Great Escape, Randy singles out a number of key employees, some of them from Plaza Lanes.

“Clint Papin, our food and beverage manager has been on the job over eight years,” said Randy. “He started at Plaza in Trophy’s Sports Bar & Grill. Brandon, our general manager, Whitney, our marketing and sales manager (and managing partner), work closely with Clint and assist him, due to the nature of the FEC business with coordinating events, such as group outings and full facility rentals.

“Tom Foster has been with us for over 11 years, and was our night manager at Plaza Lanes up until the fire. He came to Great Escape after the fire. Tom, along with Romeo Basconcillo, who has been with us for over 5 years (plus some years past at Plaza Lanes), are the key employees during the evening/night shifts and are our go-to guys in the facility.

“Tim Davis is the league development coordinator and outside sales person. He keeps in contact with league bowlers and encourages new clientele to join one of the organized programs.

“Jody Schillinger is the youth director in charge of birthday and after-prom parties, along with promoting child care and other youth outings, organized leagues, and events. She and Melody Gray work side-by-side promoting and growing youth leagues as well.

“Laura Berkley is the assistant sales manager, working closely with Whitney to promote and sell group and corporate outings. She also handles much of the social media and creates promotional pieces throughout the facility.

“Another key employee who deserves the utmost appreciation is Denise Hennick, who has been extremely loyal to our business as a multi-trained staff member. She not only keeps our facility beautiful, but also bartends, serves, and does whatever is asked of her,” said Randy.

“I always knew he would succeed,” said Sheri. “He is so passionate about the bowling industry and wants other proprietors to succeed as well. Although he will be traveling more, I am ok with it. I know he has goals for his term as president. One in particular is to keep growing the youth membership. He has already accomplished [so] much in the state of Iowa with high school bowling, so I’m sure he will succeed in getting the younger population more exposed to the sport of bowling.”

“Dad always had a special appreciation for past presidents,” said son Jordan. “He never really spoke about it, but I could always tell he looked up to all of those men and women who had come before him. It was always a dream of his to be president one day. “ “I am beyond proud of him,” said other son Brandon. “It’s a true testament to the saying ‘hard work pays off.’ Through all his trials and tribulations, successes and failures, he kept his head up and remembered that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. His goal for years was to be BPAA president because his top of mind has forever been to The iconic Bowling Man sign that sat atop Plaza Lanes make the bowling industry better.” lays in the charred ruins of the building after the fire.

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Randy is already on the job, and his enthusiasm is contagious. “This business is all about giving people a good experience,” said Randy. “We have to keep training our staffs, go after more youth business from daycare to college, and improve our social media outreach. We have to convince more centers that youth programs are vital for our future.”

“And we must find more and better ways to talk about our scholarship opportunities – no other youth sport can match this effort. It should be a big statement about bowling in America.”

“I know we can do it. It just takes hard work and focus, and I think I’m pretty good at that.” ❖

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.