IBI December 2010

CONTENTS

VOL 18.12

THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager

6 THE ISSUE AT HAND

26 COVER STORY

He gets it

Johnson to the core

By Scott Frager

8 SHORTS Borden clarification...new prexy at Kegel...peoplewatching.

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groh@bowlingindustry.com

EDITORIAL CONSULTANT Gregory Keer keer@bowlingindustry.com

OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com

CONTRIBUTORS Lydia Rypcinski SPECIAL PROJECTS Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com

32 NEW DEVELOPMENTS

11 CENTER STAGE

Bowling on the Riviera Good bowling and the good life came together there in October.

A Dubai stunner launches Switch-branded centers.

46 REMEMBER WHEN

14 OPERATIONS

1960

Singing the blues But it’s no sad song for a group of Detroit proprietors.

Five “core values” guide the E.D.’s strategic plan for BPAA’s role in the industry.

The same values are working inside the organization, a year-plus into Steve Johnson’s tenure.

MANAGING EDITOR Fred Groh

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18 OPERATIONS

Chic shopping for Christmas at an AMF accessories store.

36 Showcase 38 Datebook 38 Classifieds

The sauce for the gander Coaching has changed. The idea is to remain exactly the same.

By Lydia Rypcinski

ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTION Designworks www.dzynwrx.com (818) 735-9424

FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)

13245 Riverside Dr., Suite 501 Sherman Oaks, CA 91423 (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.

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Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2010, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.

MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:

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December 2010

THE ISSUE AT HAND

He gets it I met Steve Johnson in 2009 when he made his first official appearance as BPAA executive director at the West Coast Bowling Centers Convention. The show was at Lake Tahoe that year, high in the cold air and pines. It struck me as an appropriate setting for this tall tree of a man.

Understandably, Johnson seemed a little unsure about the people and the industry he was just beginning to know but there was something about the way he carried himself that said to me: This guy knows how to get things done.

I introduced myself as the IBI publisher and executive director of the Bowling Centers of Southern California, and there was instant rapport. Steve responded by asking me questions that had not been put to me by a BPAA E.D. in years.

The most memorable one was also the first one: “How can we work better together?”

That was all it took for me to decide that Steve Johnson was a very good candidate for an IBI cover story. But I also thought it was too soon. Better to wait until he had shaken off his first impressions of the industry and spent, oh say a year on the job – time enough for him to put his values into practice at BPAA and to post a track record for a few early laps anyway. We would talk then.

Since Tahoe, I have talked with Steve at a number of major

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conventions. I have seen how proprietors and state associations respond to him and how he works with them. I couldn’t be more pleased with his openness, the focus he always has on the task at hand, and his style as a leader.

Occasionally IBI has been critical of BPAA when we thought its policies or activities were wide of the mark, but Steve has illustrated how right-on his organization can be. When Fred Borden’s glow patent looked like it was going to spell trouble for BPAA members, Johnson took the problem to the BPAA general counsel, which investigated, took action, and cleared the skies for proprietors. It was the kind of thing a great trade association should do for a great industry, and it was at the initiative of Steve Johnson.

More recently, he perceived that BPAA national needed to get closer to state presidents and E.D.s. Based simply on his perception of that need, he moved fast and convened an in-person conference at IBC. I was among those who left after the three days with the feeling that a new and more productive era in state-national relations was dawning. Again, Johnson’s initiative.

Steve also shows how really small the world is. It turns out that he and I grew up in the same Kansas town and went to the same high school.

Modesty forbids me from saying who graduated first.

– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHER AND EDITOR frager@bowlingindustry.com

THIS MONTH AT www.BowlingIndustry.com

Industry newbie or vet, share the fun, the laughs, the challenge and triumphs of the bowling biz. Comment on a discussion or, like newcomer Stacey Davis, start your own blog. And make new friends in the process.

SHORTS

BORDEN CLARIFICATION On Oct. 29, IBI received a copy of a letter from BPAA to its members that may have caused some confusion. Commenting on our October cover story on Fred Borden and his glow bowling patent, BPAA general counsel Thor Lundgren is quoted in the letter as saying, “That story implied that, due to a backlog at the re-examination office of the USPTO, ‘it could be a while coming’ before the USPTO invalidated all of the Borden patents concerning ‘Glow Bowling.’ That is not the case.”

But it was the case when Mr. Lundgren and co-counsel Kathy Schill were both interviewed in a conference call on Aug. 26 for the October issue, which went to the printer on Sept. 16.

Mr. Lundgren told IBI in October that he had received on Oct. 1 the notice from USPTO announcing its disposition of the case. Our story was updated with that information in the first available issue of the magazine, November.

Also, our cover story does not imply that it could be a while before Borden’s claims are invalidated. It says that it might be a while, because of backlogged cases, before USPTO would issue a notice of abandonment on the patent, should that be its ground for nullification. That possibility was specifically broached by Miss Schill in the interview.

Kegel Signs with

Women’s Open Kegel will be exclusive supplier of lane maintenance for next year’s Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open under a pact with BPAA signed in October.

The company will also develop the unique lane oil pattern to be used throughout the tournament.

Also under the arrangement, Kegel will provide lane maintenance for the final qualifying rounds in Euless, TX and, in partnership with Ebonite, for selected local qualifiers around the nation.

PEOPLEWATCHING

Bart Burger

Kevin Terry is new Managing Director of Marketing and Membership at USBC. He will oversee marketing and sales; association, membership and youth development; and the customer service call center.

Most recently Terry was president of Winston-Salem (NC) Dash, a minor league affiliate of the Chicago White Sox. He held prior vice-presidential sales or marketing positions with two NBA teams and MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays.

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Kevin Terry

Kelli Briscoe is new curator of the International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame at IBC. She has been archivist for several museums and an editor or writer for several publications.

Kelli Briscoe

Mike Cannington, who joined Bowling Management Associates of Southwest Florida last year as director of marketing, will add ‘director of operations’ to his title. The company owns and operates five Bowland-branded centers in the area.

Cannington replaces Bill Hanson, who left after 10 years with the company and the purchase of a center it owned.

Mike Cannington

Former Celebrity Bowling producer Don Gregory is back, with the pilot for a new show, Stars and Strikes, in the can. The show will pair entertainers such as NFL star Terrell Jones, actress Shannon Elizabeth and comedian Tim Conway with audience members. The competition is based on how well the celebrities do. A network for the show has not been announced. The pilot was shot at Lucky Strike in downtown L.A.

Roger Staubach 10

Bart Burger is new BPAA Vice President of Business Development. Executive Director Steve Johnson describes the new position as intended to enhance the BPAA infrastructure. Among other responsibilities, Burger will assist Johnson in marketing, education and web services. Burger was with Brunswick for more than 25 years, most recently as VP for marketing for the company’s 100+ centers.

Next year’s Bowl Expo in Grapevine, TX will nod twice to the Dallas Cowboys. In addition to the finals of Bowling’s U.S. Women’s Open being played in the Cowboys stadium in Arlington, Expo will be keynoted by NFL Hall of Famer and former Cowboys star Roger Staubach. BPAA E.D. Steve Johnson made the announcement of Staubach’s appearance at the East Coast Bowling Centers Convention.

SHORTS

CHARTRAND NAMED CHARTRAND NAMED

KEGEL PREXY Chris Chartrand, who joined Kegel in 1999 when it launched its branded line of lane machines, was named president of the company in October.

John Davis, Kegel founder, will continue as CEO, helping to set the vision and overall direction of the company. As president, Chartrand said, he will helm “day-to-day operational decisions in making the vision a reality.”

The new president was instrumental in developing Kegel’s network of 43 distributors worldwide, mostly in the first few years of the Kegel brand. He formally created Kegel’s marketing and sales division, and as company vice president for the division launched leading Kegel products including Kustodian lane machines, Prodigy lane oil, and Fizzion all-purpose cleaner.

“The public can expect that Kegel will continue its commitment to researching the problems in the sport of bowling and from that research, to develop solutions and products and services to meet our customers’ needs,” said Chartrand.

He added, speaking of Davis, “It’s my full intent to carry forward in the way I know he would want. He has a saying that I try to practice in my thinking: ‘What if you had a company where the customers and the employees mattered?’ That’s how we approach it – all our customers matter, our employees matter.

If you keep that in mind, it helps makes decisions pretty easy.”

Chartrand’s promotion was announced on Oct. 22, his fifth wedding anniversary. He and his wife, Nicole, live in Winter Haven, about 15 minutes from Kegel headquarters in Lake Wales, FL.

Garrett Hartshorn Honored for True Grit

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Bowling Writer Matt Fiorito Dies Matt Fiorito, one of the better-known bowling journalists for his coverage of the sport in the Detroit Free Press since 1985, died last month after developing acute leukemia. He was 74.

He began his career in July 1957 with the Sault Ste. Marie (Ontario) Star, then worked at his hometown paper in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada, before heading west. He moved from the Saskatoon (Saskatchewan) Star-Phoenix to Milwaukee in 1968 and became sports editor in Waukegan, IL, in 1978. He joined the Free Press in 1984.

Fiorito also wrote food columns for the Free Press and off the clock, his hobbies were reading, playing pool and cooking.

When we landed him to write a history of bowling in his home-base town, Detroit, he told us, writing in the third person, “He is still searching for the meaning to life, which he thinks might be found in the lyrics to ‘MacArthur Park,’ but he has never left a cake out in the rain.” His story ran in the October 2010 IBI. Fiorito won multiple national writing awards among other honors, including the media excellence award from BPAA. An inductee of the PBA, Bowling Writers Association of America, Detroit, and Michigan Majors Bowling Association halls of fame, he was an inaugural member of the Michigan High School Bowling Coaches Hall of Fame.

Garrett Hartshorn, 12, son of New Center Consulting’s Glenn Hartshorn, was named Hero of the Month at William Beaumont Hospital’s pediatric rehabilitation center in Royal Oak, MI. The award is given by the Kids Wish Network to honor children who have overcome major health problems that are not life-threatening. Garrett, nomionated for the honor by the hospital, is recovering from surgery in February 2010 that removed a tumor from inside his spinal cord. He was recognized for his constant enthusiasm and encouragement of other kids on the unit.

The award included the medal and T-shirt in the picture, a bag of assorted gifts and a $400 gift card. He used the card to upgrade his computer.

“With his dedication and drive,” his father said, “he is walking – even running at times – leaving his wheelchair to gather dust in the garage.”

Pictured with Garrett are pediatric rehab social worker Marcy Cameron (left) and physical therapist Mari Lohman.

CENTER STAGE No-limits lighting, sound and video system features custom-programmed, computer-controlled lighting in approach area that is audio-activated for synchronized sound and light. Cap lighting effects run all the way to the masking and sidewall to sidewall.

Above the pins, 12x16-foot motorized video projection screens.

All lights are intelligent, secured with custom mounting.

Fully automated, the system was designed and installed by Industrial Lighting & Sound of Cleveland, OH. It will be featured in 9 projected Switch centers in the Middle East and will be available in the company’s standard packages.

Shoppers in Dubai’s Ibn Battuta Mall are all smiles as they step into the new bowling center.

That brings Ahmed El Komy a feeling of

CENTERSTAGE personal satisfaction. He is president of Switch Middle East, and this is the first center to be built, branded and operated by Switch.

On the mezzanine, karaoke lounges. Below, coffee bar, order counter for food.

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CENTER STAGE

Nine more are planned in the region at the rate of one or two a year. The 12-lane houses will serve no alcohol, since most Middle Eastern countries don’t allow it outside hotels and special bars, making licenses tough to get. Turning necessity into a virtue, marketing will focus on Switch houses as good places for kids and teens.

Other attractions: computer networking games, non-alcoholic F&B, billiards.

Paolo Velcich designed and Romeo Design, Dubai, executed the Ibn Battuta location.

Attention, Cairo: the next Switch center is yours.

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CENTER STAGE

Relaxing in lounge area behind the approaches is like sitting in a comfy bowling ball. Balls continue as decor elements at bottom of photo and on the giant “ball return� in picture to left.

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OPERATIONS

SINGING THE BLUES IT’S NO SAD SONG FOR A GROUP OF DETROIT PROPRIETORS.

T

he “old line” proprietors felt that all you had to do was open the door and stand back. “Build it and they will come” might as well have been their motto.

Opposing them were the operators who felt they had to drive traffic. “We’d get the argument all the time that ‘we’ve never done that in 20 years and I don’t see why we have to do it now,’” remembers Henry Mistele, not one of the old-line men.

There came to be so much disagreement, he says, nothing was being accomplished by the proprietors’ association of Southeast Michigan. At one meeting, president Mistele couldn’t even get a consensus to adjourn the meeting. (He gaveled it closed.)

The scene was the Detroit area home of SEMBCA, the year was 1996, and Mistele was pretty fed up. Fellow SEMBCA member Michael Capaldi wasn’t too happy, either. He approached Mistele with an idea.

“Why don’t we form a group, and just do it by invitation? We will pick the best centers that have promotion-minded owners or managers.”

Five was the magic number: Beech Lanes in Redford, with 16 lanes; Cherry Hill Lanes, Dearborn Heights, 52; Mayflower Lanes, Redford, 32; Roosevelt Lanes, Allen Park, 24; and Westland Bowl, Westland, 60 (totaling 124 lanes).

Mistele owned Mayflower, Capaldi had Westland. They knew the other three owners from SEMBCA or from BCAM, the state association, to be “young – I’m not talking in terms of age [but] their thinking – energetic, willing to come up with ideas or try to implement ideas that would drive traffic,” Mistele says.

The five had a meeting and formed Blue Ribbon Quality Bowling Centers – a name that makes it sound like a formal, BPAAlike group, Mistele observes. But it isn’t.

Meetings are pretty loose. Anything potentially beneficial to the members might be discussed. Guest presenters like Beth Standlee of TrainerTainment come in. Once they rented a meeting room and spent an entire day brainstorming. Four or five times they have gotten together purely to have fun. The group has done some

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MICHAEL CAPALDI

HENRY MISTELE

OPERATIONS group buying of pins and shoes and saved some money.

But everybody is clear about the main business of Blue Ribbon, and that is promotion.

“We only want to do four promotions a year but we want those four to be good ones,” says Mistele. “To get the four promotions you may try five different ones that don’t work and then you’re saddled with one that does.”

He says ‘saddled’ because the group operates on two absolute rules. They all vote on what they want to do, and everyone in the group goes along. That way, they can guarantee a potential sponsor that they can deliver a certain number of bowlers or centers.

They can also guarantee to one another the biggest buck for the bang. A $5,000 promotion may be out of reach for one member but do-able if spread among all the members.

Something might come up; it might be impossible for a center to participate in a particular promotion.

“If you don’t do what the group votes on – it’s conceivable you might opt out of one – but generally if you’re not participating, we ask you to leave the group,” Mistele says.

Through the years, three or four have been asked.

Promotion materials that issue from the group typically publicize more than one member. Blue Ribbon members want people to know they’re dealing with a group. Here they are following the lead of the Mile of Cars concept, Mistele offers. Dealers discovered years ago that if they grouped their lots, they all tended to sell more cars. “If they bowl in my center, fine. If they bowl in Mike’s center, that’s fine too.

We’re promoting all of us, not trying to gain business at the expense of another proprietor.”

Proprietors around Detroit have not always found that easy to do. Back in the day, they would go to meetings not wanting to share any of their ideas, Capaldi says. They were unable to regard one another as partners, too worried about their ideas being stolen.

But the notion in Blue Ribbon is not to be afraid to talk to other members and to act – always – “to improve the image and the sport of bowling,” he says.

Easier said than done? The members of Blue Ribbon are in the same region and two of them, Mayflower and Beech, are in the same town.

Mistele acknowledges it’s a problem, in fact “the biggest problem in the bowling industry. We’re all

independent businessmen and people don’t necessarily agree. And if they don’t agree, they can pick up their keys and go home.

“We’re not sharing financial information,” he continues. “We’re talking about the business in general and what we can do to make it exciting for the bowler and hopefully generate some more lineage for the houses that are members.” And push coming to shove, he says simply that in Blue Ribbon “you can’t be afraid of your competitors.”

The group works because the members think alike. Meetings may be loose but the group is tight. By-invitation-only membership, which has never been relaxed in all the years, helps keep it that way. So does keeping the group small. Too big and “they’re not going to participate,” Capaldi says. “They’ll keep coming up with reasons why they can’t.”

Adds Mistele, “I think the consensus is we don’t want to be over 10.

We’ve had as many as 12. You start getting into a lot of politics. We have nine right now. We think that’s a good group. Everybody shows up at the meetings. We meet once a month. We rotate where we meet, to each member center. We’re thinking about adding one more. Nine or 10 is about where I would like to see it,” he says, but then notes that too would be up to the group.

The biggest pitfall in a group like this is not paying enough attention to who joins it. If the members are promotion-minded, willing to try new things, if their centers are clean, up-to-date and well managed, a “handful” of people is enough, says Mistele.

Members pay about $1,000 a quarter to belong. They try to make their four promotions a year self-funding but special supplementary assessments from $200 to $1,000 average about one a year.

The money goes where it gets the best results. Radio and broadcast TV are expensive in the Detroit area. They serve a market of about 5 million while Blue Ribbon is only interested in five of the suburbs.

Direct mail has worked, as has cable. They think the Internet not worth the investment yet.

A marketing company retained to devise promotions came up with ideas that might have worked in Seattle but were not attuned to folks in Detroit, and the company proved to be inflexible when the members wanted changes. These days they do everything in house, led by committees formed to investigate and report to the membership on promising promotion ideas.

“Who knows” what membership means on the bottom lines of members, says Mistele in answer to the question.

“There’s no way of determining how much business we have increased,” Capaldi replies. “We’re still around as individual centers and I want to think Blue Ribbon has helped us survive some bad economic times.” ❖

THE BIGGEST PITFALL: NOT PAYING ENOUGH ATTENTION TO WHO JOINS THE GROUP.

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We thank Gary Winkel of Woodland Lanes, Livonia, MI, a Blue Ribbon member, and Glenn Hartshorn of New Center Consulting for background for this article.

OPERATIONS

THE SAUCE FOR THE GANDER HOW COACHING HAS CHANGED IN ORDER TO REMAIN EXACTLY THE SAME. “I don’t set trends. I just find out what they are and exploit them.”

– Dick Clark, American entertainer.

BY LYDIA RYPCINSKI ven a casual observer can see how much bowling has changed in the last half-century.

It moved from pen-and-paper to telescore-and-waxpencil to automation in terms of scorekeeping alone. The industry transitioned from an unsavory, den-of-iniquity stereotype to a persona that’s modern and family-friendly. It embraced high tech in both personal and capital equipment.

Yet one thing remained constant: the goal of the bowling coach. He or she remains committed to helping people improve their skills and scores on the lanes. And like Dick Clark, bowling coaches have been able to exploit some industry trends to stay on top of their game – and help their clients stay on top of theirs.

E

• But dedicated coaches were rare in the 1930s and ’40s. More often than not, “coaches” were bowling center employees who were good bowlers, or star bowlers who did exhibitions and clinics for ball manufacturers. Many coaches had little or no background in physical education or physics; they were just good bowlers willing to share what worked for them.

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“Nowadays you have got the 100 top instructors in the country. We didn’t have 100 bowling instructors total [in those days],” said Bill Lillard, who joined Brunswick’s pro staff after winning the All-Star in 1955.

People back then – including Lillard – learned about bowling by watching good bowlers or reading books they wrote.

“I learned pretty much by the seat of my pants, observation and a suggestion from someone once in a while,” Lillard said.

“I saw a movie short with Andy Varipapa bowling back in 1930-something. I used to move to the right if my ball was hooking too much, and I saw he moved to the left. So I did that, too, and saw it worked okay.”

It took moving to Chicago years later for Lillard to get actual, one-on-one coaching from a master instructor.

“Buddy Bomar invited me to join his team in Chicago in 1951,” Lillard said. “He got me into the fundamentals and basics and helped me an awful lot. I used to leave more washouts than I got strikes before that.”

As bowling’s popularity surged in the 1950s, people like AMF’s Bill Bunetta and Brunswick’s Joe Wilman created

OPERATIONS instructor’s school programs. They set standards for bowling instruction that have lasted.

“There’s nothing better than going with the book,” said Jeanette Robinson, who coached at Showboat Lanes in Las Vegas for 21 years before becoming the resident teaching pro at The Orleans Bowling Center “It still comes down to, take four-and-a-half steps from the foul line, turn around, and there’s your starting position. That will never change.”

Television introduced millions to the world of professional bowling in the 1960s and ’70s, and visionaries like Dick Ritger and Tom Kouros developed educationally sound programs to train bowlers who wanted to bowl like the pros and the coaches they would need to do so. Wise coaches latched onto their work and theories and integrated them into their own teaching methods.

“A lot of the techniques developed by people like Ritger are still valid today,” said Gregg Zicha, who coaches at Fox Bowl in Wheaton, IL. “We do a lot of the Ritger drills for true beginners – balance, one-shot, armswing – because they work.”

• More recently, the industry buzzword has been “certification” as bowling sought to bring itself in line with Olympic medal sports by developing rigorous certification requirements for its coaches.

As a result, coaches can now go through the training and testing program offered by the U.S. Bowling Congress and become Level One, Bronze, Silver and Gold Level coaches. They can also take advantage of a continuing education program that

includes online training and testing in the fundamentals of team coaching.

Interestingly, despite the industry push to provide coaches with the opportunity for professional accreditation, it does not seem to matter to the public, or even some coaches. Reputation still carries more weight.

“It’s amazing, but I have never been questioned about credentials,” said Robinson, who is in her 54th year of coaching. “I was certified years ago by AMF, before I signed on with their staff, but that’s all.”

Zicha has been coaching for 20 years but had no formal coaching training before he began working at Fox Bowl.

He has since earned Level One and Bronze Level accreditation. Zicha estimates that he’s worked with 350 people since joining the Fox staff two years ago and that most of his clients seek him out because of word-of-mouth rather than certification.

“I thought getting certified would be a good thing to do, for the good of the sport, but I didn’t think it was necessary,” Zicha said. “Not everyone has to be certified to be a good coach.

And if you’re not on the lanes, just getting a certificate does not mean anything until you go through the process [of learning through actual competitive experience].”

“I know of several promising coaches I respect who don’t have the [industry] credentials,” Robinson said. “If a bowler is going to listen to a [coach] more because of credentials, maybe it’s a good safeguard. But [not being certified] doesn’t take away from someone’s capabilities.”

• The second major trend that has affected coaches is the high-tech revolution in balls, pins, lanes, and lane dressings and patterns over the past 20 years.

“You really need to understand balls and [drilling] layouts and surfaces, and how to match up ball surfaces and lane 20

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OPERATIONS lane,” she continued. “If you hit it, it was yours.

“I only had to give up one 50-cent piece all the years I did that.”

Zicha uses the same technique, but thanks to inflation, he uses $1 bills.

“It’s all about focus and motivation,” he said, before adding, “Make sure you’re putting down $1 bills and not $20s.”

Zicha has also found a novel way to incorporate the black lighting used for glow bowling into his lessons.

“The UV in the oil shows up under black light, so I’ll have students bowl for about 10 minutes, then turn down the regular lights and turn on the black lights,” he said. “The colors of the pattern come out and visually seeing what happens to the dressing helps them appreciate what is otherwise an invisible hazard in our game.”

•

Bill Lillard and stars of tomorrow.

conditions,” Zicha said. “There are so many options now – thousands of options of balls and layouts. As a coach, you have to keep up with that, especially because the information is so available on the Internet.”

Robinson said she learned to drill balls while on the AMF staff, “but I always sent bowlers to the pro shop if they wanted to buy a ball or shoes. My emphasis is much more on that today. People come in, say they want to shoot pro scores, and you gotta tell them, ‘It’s in the pro shop.’

“What really hurts more than anything is knowing someone could be a better bowler if he had the money to invest,” she continued. “I’ve given so many bowling balls away to keep people in the game, I feel like a drug dealer! It’s much more a financial thing now than it ever was in my day.”

Technology has affected how coaches teach as well as what they teach.

Lillard’s state-of-the-art teaching tools back in the 1950s and ’60s were index cards and a slide projector. “I would have these little cards and read off what Joe [Wilman] told me to do,” he said with a chuckle.

“On one trip to New Jersey, the bulb failed and I didn’t have a backup,” he continued. “So, again, I did things by the seat of my pants.

The proprietor congratulated me on my performance! But if you did [the presentation] enough times, you knew what was going on.”

Robinson has used everything from a hand-made flag to coins to a laser pointer over the years to help her students concentrate on hitting a spot on the lane.

“I teach my students who want to be real bowlers to line up on all the arrows and then tell me what board they hit,” she said. “Not just the spot they were aiming at, but the board they actually hit.

“I used to get them to focus by putting a 50-cent piece out on the 22

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Somewhat surprisingly, Robinson said she takes a pass when it comes to using videotaping as a teaching tool.

“After the third time I was robbed, I didn’t really feel it was a real advantage,” she said dryly.

“But truthfully, cameras seem to make the majority of people nervous. I have asked people if they want to be videotaped or just listen to what I observe.

Maybe 90 percent, even the young kids, would just as soon not do the videotaping.

“One client, a college professor, asked me if he could tape our session with a tape recorder. He Gregg Zicha, in blue, and Scot Bulifant.

OPERATIONS

Jeanette Robinson with tips for Freddie Aw.

just wanted to take notes, and I thought that was an advantage, because each individual [zeroes in on] very pertinent things depending on his own natural abilities.”

Zicha, on the other hand, is a big proponent of videotaping and computer analysis. He videotapes his students, transfers the camera’s memory stick with the images to his laptop, downloads the images into a motion-analysis program called MotionView (available for free download at www.cnet.com), and within seconds his student sees what he did right and what he did wrong.

“I don’t think you can coach effectively without these [tools] today,” he said. “It’s so much easier with video. People need to see what is going on, to reinforce the mental image of what they’ve just done.

Technology enhances the learning of the basics.”

Zicha has even developed an online video showcase for his youth bowlers, called the Illinois Prep Bowling Report (http://prep bowlingreport.com). Zicha and KR Strikeforce owner Mike Stoudt came up with the idea based on a website, www.prepbaseballreport.com, which showcases for college coaches the top high school baseball players in Illinois, including videotapes of their skills.

“We take three or four video shots of a bowler from the side and from behind while they are bowling on [USBC] Sport conditions,” Zicha said. “We post those videos on our website. College bowling coaches can then see all these kids from the Chicagoland area and maybe consider them for scholarships for their bowling programs.”

Zicha said that 39 high school bowlers paid the $99 fee to be showcased last year, and six got scholarships.

It’s a good way for the kids to market themselves to colleges, he added, and for him to market his coaching business. (He emphasized that coaches can contact the bowlers only through him and that no personal information is given out on the webpage.)

“A lot of the kids who come to do the showcase ask for lessons afterward, and then they tell their friends, and so on,” Zicha said.

He noted that the industry’s latest push is to turn bowling centers into Strike Ten Skills Centers, of which Fox Bowl is now one. Skills Centers will demand even higher levels of professionalism and knowledge from their coaches, and Zicha couldn’t be happier.

“Coaching is going where the industry wants it to go,” he said, “and right now it’s toward making our game better than ever.” ❖

What’s the most effective technique you know in coaching? Share it with the industry at www.BowlingIndustry.com.

COVER STORY

Johnson

to the Cover photograph by Dan McDonough. Story photography by Ron De Roxtra.

core

Five

“Core Values” guide the E.D.’s strategic plan for BPAA. The same values are at work inside the organization, a year-plus into Steve Johnson’s

tenure.

IBI

: Who is a successful leader?

Steve Johnson: Obviously it’s got to be someone that’s got passion. Somebody that leads by example, that has extremely high expectations and understands the business, brand or company that they work for, and in our case [that] the member is number one.

IBI: I’m thinking about whether a leader is primarily someone who has ideas of his own or whether he works by orchestrating other people’s ideas.

SJ: It is all of the above. You’re not an administrator. You have to have vision but you have to work through the system and you’ve got to be able to listen very well.

IBI: How does a person “listen well”?

SJ: I ask questions. I am on the phone or with people 70% of my time. Nobody knows our business better than our proprietors do. They have forgotten more than I will ever know about this business.

Do they execute and is everything going great? Not necessarily but when you listen to them, they have the answers and the solutions for the problems we encounter on a daily basis. I listen.

I listen for patterns. Consciously ask questions. The beauty of it is, they are not afraid to share.

IBI: How do you spark your staff?

CORE VALUE: Excellence. “If you want me to get rid of you, come in with an attitude that our members are a necessary evil.”

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27

COVER STORY

CORE VALUE: Leadership. “I ask questions. I am on the phone or with people 70% of my time.”

SJ: They need to know what they’re doing and what they’re being measured on and being held accountable to, and they need to have good business plans. When those things are put in place like they are now, there’s not much spark needed because they’re making a difference in our industry. They don’t come into work saying, “What are we going to do today?” They know what they’re doing. They’ve got it mapped out; they’re following their plans.

IBI: Then is leadership a matter of the way the organization is structured, as opposed to personal charisma?

SJ: I think it’s both. I think we’ve put some good structure in place here, starting with a strategic plan so people understand where we’re going and what we want to be. Then working closely on developing the business plan as a team.

The whole process got people really engaged, made them take ownership in what we’re doing as a business. Most importantly, I think they’re having fun. They’re very focused but I don’t think people are dreading coming to work. They like coming to work, they’re excited about what they see, and they’re excited about the results they’re getting.

IBI: How important is it for a leader to appear to be someone who works alongside the people he is leading?

SJ: It is the only way I know how to do it. I am not good at sitting behind the desk and getting reports on how things are going. I am constantly in and out of employees’ offices daily. My staff are the experts. They know more about what they’re doing than I do. It is important to me to help keep them focused, ask them a lot of questions and keep them energized.

IBI: What’s the difference between that and micromanaging?

SJ: I allow them to make decisions. A micromanager makes the decisions. I will allow my staff to make mistakes or try different things, allow them to take risks. I will allow them to do that even if I think they might not work. The reason is because they learn from that. I am not going to let them make a mistake that is going to be costly to the organization, but it is important to let them make decisions and support them 28

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December 2010

and give them the tools necessary to achieve them. Not every one is going to work, but it is my job to teach them and mentor them and to help them grow.

IBI: If I worked for you, under what circumstances would you get rid of me?

SJ: I look for energy, for a can-do attitude, for people who are positive, who understand that our members are what we’re about. If you want me to get rid of you, you better come in with an attitude that our members are a necessary evil. There are organizations that treat customers that way. I have zero tolerance for that. Our members are what we are. That would be the fastest way, trust me.

IBI: A year ago, you published your strategic plan for BPAA. One of the “Core Values” you list for BPAA is “solidarity.” What does it mean?

SJ: Meaning I’d love to see people focused on bowling; pick a direction but let’s all go there together. At the end of the day, the brand to me is bowling. If we can improve that brand – do the things we say in our strategic plan, which we will – everybody wins, but we’ve got to get people focused on the same thing. I think you’ll see that happening.

I’m seeing it when I talk to the leaders in this industry now.

IBI: What about BPAA competing with Smart Buy partners, as in partyware or pizza?

SJ: We’ve got 240 programs and products and services we offer. Should we be in all of them? I don’t know. We’re still assessing a lot of that. I think you’ll see us come out with some new directions in some of those areas.

Our participation in many of those programs is minimal, so when you say we’re competing I can tell you one thing: we ain’t putting anybody out of business.

[But] at the end of the day our mission is to enhance the profitability of our members, so if pizza and partyware [do that], then the decision [to offer them] was probably the right decision.

There [are] a lot of ways to increase

COVER STORY

CORE VALUE: Collaboration/Solidarity. “The whole process got people really engaged. They’re very focused but I don’t think [they] are dreading coming to work.”

With Micki Cline at IBC reception. profitability. It doesn’t mean that you’re selling them something. It means giving them programs, whether it’s education or web services or Smart Buy, that help their businesses. That’s what we have to focus on. I think education is one of the best opportunities we have to make a big difference for our centers from a program standpoint.

IBI: Does BPAA have any responsibility toward the industry as a whole?

SJ: Yes. I want to make sure I’m making decisions that affect them positively – Ebonite, Storm, all the players, all the distributors. The healthier this industry is, the healthier all of the partners and all of the constituents in the industry will be.

IBI: I’m also thinking about Bowlopolis and Skills Center. Why are these ideas, which might make a big difference in growing the industry, turned into products that BPAA sells? Why not think of “profitability to members” in terms of everybody using these products? Why doesn’t BPAA make at

least a “light” version available for free?

SJ: I think that’s a good point and I think you’re going to see some changes in some of those areas. I never build programs around how much money [BPAA is] going to make. I look at programs in how are we going to impact our members, be relevant, increase traffic, and get people, when they come in to the bowling center, to spend more money?

IBI: When you make a major decision, do you act on it immediately or let it settle a while?

SJ: It depends on what that decision is and how time-sensitive it is, but normally I don’t make a decision in a vacuum. I test these out with folks first. I am very fortunate to have a great board.

IBI: What makes a board great?

SJ: People that are open-minded, are willing to listen, not pushing their own self-serving agenda. I don’t have any of that. I’ve got a board that just wants to make bowling better. They’re willing to listen to any idea that I have and review it, and if it’s different they don’t shut me down because it’s different.

IBI: What is the role of BPAA national as compared with state associations?

SJ: Our role [national] is to put programs together that can make a difference for [members] in their states. We’ve got the team here to be able to put the programs together but we have to listen to proprietors and state leaders and build the programs, products and services that are relevant for them.

[State associations are] interacting daily with our members.

We’re not out there in the field with them nearly as much as I would like us to be, the state associations are, and they can give us instant feedback on something that is happening today at 12

CORE VALUE: Empowerment. “I just finished an analysis of the programs. Every one is underdeveloped.”

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COVER STORY o’clock in North Carolina that we may not know about until we go to the North Carolina show.

IBI: Would direct membership work in bowling?

SJ: I don’t know. I haven’t really given that any thought.

IBI: Will streamlining your infrastructure and perhaps bringing in new folks like Bart Burger, your new Vice President for Business Development, free up some time for you?

SJ: I hope so. I need to be at the proprietor level more than I have been.

I’ve been out quite a bit – all the shows [for example] – but I think it’s been important for me this first year to be in the office and get things here squared away.

I’m encouraging my entire staff to be in the centers more than we are.

It’s important for the proprietors to understand who we are. It’s great to talk to someone over the phone but when you’re working the counter with them, then they understand, they know you’re there to help. And you learn a lot from them. If that’s the case from a staff standpoint, whoever goes out will be better at what they do because they will have that experience to drive them.

IBI: Who will be making these trips?

SJ: My entire executive team as well as others. We all have to get out there when we have the opportunity.

IBI: When you came in, you talked about too many programs. What’s happened to the number of them in the last year?

SJ: I just finished an analysis of the programs and there were some conclusions. What’s really good, we’re not wasting money. Even though we have 240 programs, there are a lot of programs we have that are just

CORE VALUE: Results. “You don’t get measured on motivation. What you do in life, you’re measured on results”

sitting there; we’re not spending any money on them. I was concerned that we were putting resources into things we weren’t doing. What I have seen is every one of our programs is underdeveloped. So there is room for growth in all of them.

IBI: How do you “develop a program”?

SJ: Some of them are so difficult to execute – figure out – the proprietor doesn’t have the time or the energy to do that. Some proprietors, as you know, they’re running their entire business.

They’re running their machines, the snack bar, then they’re doing books, then they’re doing sales calls, and then [trying] to figure out a program we send them. If we can’t make it very turnkey and easy to execute, the chances of success of the program will be limited. That’s why I’m saying a lot of them are underdeveloped.

IBI: What’s the most important thing you’ve accomplished the first 15 months?

SJ: Instead of having people say “Look how far we’ve come,” to having an attitude of “Look how far we can go.” I think it’s brought a lot of positive energy here. People here are actually thinking they’re making a difference in an organization, that they are in a winning organization, and maybe giving them the confidence that they know what they’re doing and that they are making a difference. I probably [would] say: some leadership I’ve brought forward.

IBI: Which is more important to a leader, motivation or results?

SJ: I’d have to say results are, always. You don’t get measured on motivation. What you do in life, you’re measured on results. So results, obviously, is the most important. How do you get those results?

Motivation is obviously one piece. I think I’m a decent motivator.

IBI: What’s the secret to your success – there and generally?

SJ: With me, the sun’s always shining. I’m a very positive person. I’m a realist, but I’m also an optimist.

I just have a positive attitude on just about everything that I do in life.

IBI: What have you learned?

SJ: There’s some politics in bowling, I’ll tell you that. The thing that jumps out most to me is that proprietors [are] the hardest-working people I have ever met in my life. The work ethic blows me away.

And it makes it pretty easy for me to get up every morning and come to work knowing that they’ll probably beat me to work and then when I’m leaving they’re still there. ❖ IBI

December 2010

31

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

he “industrial tech” decor of Bowling de Provence seems an odd fit with the sun-and-sea ambience of Toulon along the French Riviera, but they got along quite well during the 46th QubicaAMF Bowling World Cup, Oct. 15-24.

Given a frenzied three months to complete the expansion and upgrading of the center in time for the Cup, Olivier Beltramone judges the project “really, really a success.”

Olivier is the son of Bowling de Provence managing director Michel Beltramone, coaches and runs the pro shop.

It was not the first success since the center opened, which was when a center in Toulon closed. The city, owner of the latter, decided to do something else with the building. Ten bowling friends at the center had

T

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December 2010

Eight of the original friends behind Bowling de Provence. They are Jo Dho, an engineer; Nico Salducci, a former gym owner, now a trainer at three gyms owned by the group; Sylvain Novo, dentist; Claude Giovannetti, engineer; Michel Beltramone, bowling center managing director, former insurance agent, and Olivier’s father; Dominique Mercier, bowling center mechanic; Mario Todisco, in charge of security and the bar at the bowling center; and Patrick Marrast, who outfits boats. Not in the picture are Jean Pernel and Roger Malfatto, both engineers.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS other ideas. They asked the city for six of the lanes and the pinsetters so they could set up a place of their own. Thirty years ago, Toulon city officials apparently could see no future for bowling. They let the friends have the equipment.

Bowling de Provence opened the same year, 1982, in La Garde, just east of Toulon and likeways on the Mediterranean.

The next year, brisk business drove the center to 12 lanes.

The year after that, to 16. In 1999, it became a 20-lane house; in 2001, 24; 2002, 28. With the expansion for this year’s Cup, Bowling de Provence boasts 44 lanes, making it France’s largest center, according to Olivier. That’s besides 17 pool tables, a bar, pro shop – and a fitness center.

The gym is one of three in the area owned by the bowling friends who started the bowling center. They purchased their first in 2002 because it seemed a good business opportunity – and because it was about 60 feet from the bowling center.

Two more followed into the portfolio in 2004.

The group also operates an ice rink in La Garde, owned by the city, which Olivier sees as much the same as running a Olivier Beltramone. bowling business. “It’s the same activity – fun, children, family,” he says.

Meanwhile, bowling in France is up-trending, Olivier reports.

Two hundred centers in 1990 have grown to 340 this year, with more than 4,200 lanes. A proprietors’ association with about 100 member centers offers discounts on insurance

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December 2010

33

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Glass wall separates lanes and billiard tables.

Entry to the center.

The bar.

A neighborhood feeling.

NEW DEVELOPMENTS

Part of the gym at the bowling center as expansion was nearing completion. and other purchases.

One other thing has changed in the story of Bowling de Provence: the original 10 partners have become about 40 investors. “We have to take new associates every [few] years to have money,” Olivier jokes. ❖

Have you been to a Bowling World Cup? Recount your adventure on www.BowlingIndustry.com.

IBI

December 2010

35

SHOWCASE BUSINESS ACCREDITATION

IN-SEASON LANE INSTALLATIONS

REDEMPTION REMODEL

BALL CLEANER

TECH SUPPORT PORTAL

BOWLING AID

EVENT MANAGER

TRADEMARK ANNOUNCEMENT

New Center Consulting, Inc. has been nominated by customers for accreditation by the Better Business Bureau, a non-profit organization that investigates companies before accreditation is granted and acts as arbitrator for unresolved issues between consumers and accredited businesses. To see if your provider of upgrades and repairs is accredited go to www.bbb.org. For more information about New Center Consulting, Inc.’s growing line of products, call Glenn Hartshorn, 888-452-3748.

Imagine what a $5,000 makeover could do for your redemption counter! That’s the prize in a joint promotion by Redemption Plus, the leading provider of redemption prizes and training, and Innovative Concepts in Entertainment, a leading maker of coin-op products. No purchase necessary, no obligation. Just visit www.Redemption Plus.com/PrizeGiveaway to sign up through Dec. 17, 2010.

Winner will be announced Jan. 4, 2011. For more information, visit RedemptionPlus.com or call 888-564-7587.

QubicaAMF Tech Support Customer Portal is designed to be a self-help area for customers. Whether it’s for routine maintenance, training a new employee, troubleshooting a problem or identifying a part to order, we know that when you need information, you need it fast. And we know you are busy so we’re making it available to you 24/7, at your fingertips. Log on to www.customerport al.qubicaamf.com to register today for your chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card.

Brunswick Event Manager is the first special event software designed specifically for the bowling industry to include more features and automatic integration with your reservation and management systems. Brunswick Event Manager will help you streamline the event management process and create a more consistent customer experience to drive increased customer satisfaction and center profitability. For more information, go to brunswickbowling.com/products or contact your Brunswick Representative, call 800-YES-BOWL or 231-725-4966.

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In-season is an ideal time to modernize your lanes with Brunswick Pro Lane or Anvilane. Brunswick installers work around your business hours, so you can provide uninterrupted bowling throughout the modernization process. Every step is completed with the utmost care to maintain a safe and welcoming environment. Your league bowlers see and experience the investment you are making in their center. For more details, call your Brunswick representative, (800) YES-BOWL or (231) 725-4966.

How about a bowling ball cleaner that lowers the surface energy of the ball to reduce dirt and oilbuildup on the ball surface? That’s Revive, new from Kegel. Spray on and wipe off, it’s gentle to skin, can be used on all bowling balls, performs in cold or hot conditions, and is USBC-approved for use in competition. For more information, visit www.kegel.net.

From Sierra Products, Rowler allows young, old or disabled folks to push the ball off the approach. Result: they do better on the lanes for a more satisfying game. Available in 36”- and 48”-inch lengths, Rowler has a 1-pound, powdercoated aluminum shaft with lane-safe UHMW plastic.

Available in silver, red or blue, and approved by ABC/WIBC. For more information, call 800-900-7695 or go to http://www.NoveltyBowlingStuff.com/p-49-rowler.aspx.

GKM International, LLC, manufacturer of the patented Smart Seat for renewing AMF and Brunswick bowler seating, has been awarded the registered trademark “Profit Platform” for its newest innovation. The Profit Platform makes it possible to cover lanes and easily create additional floor space for a wide variety of profitmaking functions without damaging the lane surface. For more information, visit www.ProfitPlatform.biz.

SHOWCASE CENTER ACQUISITION/ MANAGEMENT

LIGHTING

B’DAY PARTY SALES

CUSTOM BOWLING PINS

Industry veterans Michael Ducat and Paul Barkley announce their new joint venture company, Pincurean Entertainment Group, which will focus on acquiring existing centers, look for potential new sites, and provide management services to select centers. The two co-founders have a combined 65 years experience operating centers of all types. For more information, email Michael Ducat at michaelducat@aol.com or Paul Barkley at pdbarkley@cox.net.

Outsource your birthday party sales mailings with BMA Marketing and our updated database of 21 million kids. Fill your empty lanes, fill leagues, advertise your business to your community, build a valuable list of households with kids for other campaigns, generate reusable ad content, generate referrals. And do it all for $1.25 per address. For more information, call or visit www.bmamkt.com or our YouTube video brochure at www.BPS.BMAmkt.com.

New from The Lighting Store, the Intimidator is a moving head LED spotlight with a third rotation axis that creates unique movements and positions. This one really moves to your music! Features 60W white LED, 7 rotating gobos, 7 dichronic colors plus white, 3-facet prism, 17-degree beam angle, and motorized focus. For more information, call 888-746-5483.

QubicaAMF — The Best Bowling Pins in the Business just Got Better. QubicaAMF pins are high scoring, incredibly durable and now even more attractive. Get your AMFLite pins today and don’t pay until fall 2011. No minimum purchase required, free custom logo with 10-set order, special pricing AMFLite Pinnacle pins, plus 2-year warranty, special pricing on Entry Level Birthday pins. Orders must ship by 1/31/11. To order call 800-333-0527.

IBI December 2010

37

DATEBOOK

CLASSIFIEDS

DECEMBER 6 Bowling Centers Association of Wisconsin mid-winter retreat Chula Vista Theme Resort, Wisconsin Dells. Gary Hartel, bcaw@bowlwi.com.

2011

JANUARY 19-22 BPAA’s Bowling Summit Red Rock Resort and Casino, Las Vegas. 800-343-1329.

FEBRUARY 28 Illinois State BPA board of directors meeting and Leadership Development Workshop Doubletree Hotel, Bloomington.

Bill Duff, 847-982-1305, billduff@bowlillinois.com.

MARCH 8-10 1st International Bowling Exhibition Kuwait 2011 Mavenpick Convention Center, Salmiya. www.BestExpo-kw.com.

MAY

SERVICE CALLS WORLDWIDE • PRE-SHIPS • WE SELL

16 Illinois State BPA board of directors meeting Marriott Hotel & Conference Center, Normal. Bill Duff, 847-9821305, billduff@bowlillinois.com.

AS80/90 • BOARD REPAIR • Frameworx NEW KEYPADS • FRONT DESK LCD MONITORS

Michael P. Davies (321) 254-7849

291 Sandy Run, Melbourne, FL 32940

JUNE

on the web: bowlingscorer.com email: mike@bowlingscorer.com

26-7/1 Bowl Expo Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center, Grapevine, TX. 888-649-5685.

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SELL IT FAST IN IBI

818-789-2695

CLASSIFIEDS

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE AMERICAN-MADE PINSETTER PARTS – HIGHEST QUALITY. Visit us on the web at www.ebnservices.com or call toll free (888) 435-6289.

USED BRUNSWICK PARTS, A2 parts and assemblies.

Large Inventory. www.usedpinsetterparts.com.

NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment.

Jayhawk Bowling Supply. 800-2556436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

Pinsetter Parts New from ALL major manufacturers. HUGE IN STOCK inventory.

USED Brunswick Scoring parts, AS90 cameras, processors, lane cables, monitors, and PC boards. Order online @ 888SBIBOWL.com or (888) 724-2695.

The Mechanics Choice!

Buy or Sell @ www.bowlingyardsale.com; one-stop shopping for bowling equipment — from lane packages to dust mops!

REPAIR & EXCHANGE. Call for details (248) 375-2751.

FOR SALE: 27” monitor for AccuScore Plus & AccuScore XL; used Synthetic Pin Decks.

Ken’s Bowling Equipment (641) 414-1542.

MUST SELL. 20 lanes Qubica scoring equipment. Purchased new in 2007. Monitors, VDBs, Keyboards, Scoring Pedestals, POS +.

By piece or make offer on entire lot. Pictures available @ www.bowljupiter.com/qubica. htm.

(214) 431-7561; email: jongano_9@hotmail.com.

WWW.FACEBOOKBOWLING.COM IBI

December 2010

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CLASSIFIEDS

I could not have gotten my loan without him.

Valley Bowl Jay Inks Mission, TX The leading source for real estate loans with low down payments

Ken Paton (503) 645-5630 www.kenpaton.com kpaton@kenpaton.com

EQUIPMENT WANTED LANE MACHINES WANTED. We will purchase your KEGEL-built machine, any age or condition. Phone (608) 764-1464.

CENTERS FOR SALE 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.

CENTRAL WISCONSIN: 12 lanes, auto scoring, Anvilane synthetics, 82-70s. Great food sales. Yearly tournament. Attached, large 3 bedroom apartment w/ fireplace. $550K. (715) 223-8230.

LOCKER KEYS FAST! •Keys & Combo Locks for all Types of Lockers.

•One week turnaround on most orders.

•New locks All types •Used locks 1/2 price of new

All keys done by code #.

No keys necessary.

FAX YOUR ORDER TO US AT:

530-432-2933

CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-700-4KEY INTʼL 530-432-1027 Orange County Security Consultants 10285 Ironclad Road, Rough & Ready, CA 95975

For FLORIDA CENTERS Call DAVID DRISCOLL & ASSOCIATES 1-800-444-BOWL P.O. Box 189 Howey-in-the-Hills, FL 34737 AN AFFILIATE OF SANDY HANSELL & ASSOCIATES 40

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UPSTATE NEW YORK: 8-lane center/ commercial building built in 1992.

Synthetic lanes, new automatic scoring, kitchen and room to expand! Reduced to sell @ $375,000. Call (315) 376-3611.

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.

SOUTHWEST KANSAS: well-maintained 8-lane center, A-2s, full-service restaurant.

Includes business and real estate. Nice, smaller community. Owner retiring. $212,000. Leave message (620) 397-5828.

SOUTHERN INDIANA (close to Indianapolis): 18-lane Brunswick center with lounge, liquor license & movie theater on 4+ acres. Turnkey business.

Owner retiring. Great investment!

(765) 349-1312.

WWW.FACEBOOKBOWLING.COM

CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE CENTRAL IDAHO: 8-lane center and restaurant in central Idaho mountains.

Small town. Only center within 60-mile radius. Brunswick A-2 machines; Anvilane lane beds; automatic scoring.

(208) 879-4448.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: 16-lane center w/ synthetic lanes, 82-70s, 19,000 s/f building w/ lots of parking. Newly remodeled bar & large kitchen. Owner retiring. (530) 598-2133.

NEW YORK STATE: Thousand Island region. 8-lane Brunswick center w/ cosmic bowling, auto scoring. Established leagues + many improvements. $309,000. Call Jill @ Lori Gervera Real Estate (315) 771-9302.

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.

SELL IT FAST IN IBI

818-789-2695

IBI

December 2010

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CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE

SOUTHERN NEVADA: 8-lane center.

Only center in town of 15,000. 30 minutes from Las Vegas. AMF 82-70s, newer Twelve Strike scoring. R/E leased.

Will consider lease/option with qualified person. REDUCED TO $175,000. Call Steve @ (702) 293-2368; email ljjaa1414@yahoo.com.

SELL IT FAST IN IBI

818-789-2695

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CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE SOUTHWESTERN WYOMING: 12 lanes + café & lounge, 2 acres w/ 5 bedroom home. Full liquor & fireworks licenses.

Outside Salt Lake City area. Dennis @ Uinta Realty, Inc. (888) 804-4805 or uintarlt@allwest.net.

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA: One of the top five places to move! Remodeled 32-lane center. Good numbers. $3.1m gets it all. Fax qualified inquiries to (828) 253-0362.

SW WISCONSIN: 10 lanes, new automatic scoring/sound. Bar/grill. Great leagues, local tournaments, excellent pinsetters. Supportive community. 2 acres off main highway. $299,995.

(608) 341-9056.

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.

CENTERS FOR SALE NORTHERN CALIFORNIA: 16-lane center REDUCED to $799,000 for quick sale.

Synthetics, 82-70s, 19,000 s/f + parking.

Newly remodeled bar, large kitchen. Owner retiring. Will consider selling only equipment or building. www.siskiyoulanes.com. (530) 598-2133.

NORTHWEST LOUISIANA: 12-LANE Brunswick center. REDUCED TO SELL NOW! Includes auto scoring, glow bowling, pizza, large dining area & video poker. Good income. Long Lease. Great opportunity. Call Mike (318) 578-0772.

NW INDIANA (Lake Michigan/National Lake Shore area): Well-maintained 32lane center, family owned & operated since 1997 with spacious nightclub lounge on 6.6 acres. Also billiards, arcade, pro shop, full-service restaurant, established leagues, birthday party activity & MORE! Owner retiring. Reasonably priced. (219) 921-4999.

CENTERS FOR SALE CENTRAL ALABAMA: Recently remodeled, split house w/24 synthetic lanes (16 & 8) in 28,000 s/f building in shopping center; Brunswick A2s & 2000 seating; AccuScore Plus; VIA returns & storage tables; systems for Cosmic; established leagues; snack bar, pro shop & game/pool table area. Nearest competition 28 miles w/ colleges & Honda factory within minutes. Need to sell due to health. Reasonably priced. (435) 705-0420.

SELL IT FAST IN IBI

818-789-2695 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@earthlink.net Visit us on the WEB! http://home.earthlink.net/~wb8yjf/

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

(570) 346-5559

MIKE BARRETT Call for Price List

Tel: (714) 871-7843 • Fax: (714) 522-0576

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CLASSIFIEDS CENTERS FOR SALE

NE NEVADA: New 2001. 16 lanes, 19,200 square feet, 1.68 acres paved, sound & lighting, lounge w/ gaming, arcade, full service snack bar & pro shop. Call (775) 934-1539.

NORTHERN WISCONSIN: Turnkey business. 12-lane center, Brunswick A-2s, Frameworx scoring, full bar and restaurant.

Good league base with large tournament.

Contact Bruce @ (715) 614-7779.

NEW MEXICO: 24-lane center in Clovis – Brunswick Vector scoring system, game room & kitchen. Call Susan, Coldwell Banker (575) 714-4018.

BUY

AMF • BRUNSWICK EQUIPMENT COMPLETE PACKAGES WORLDʼS LARGEST NEW – USED SPARE PARTS INVENTORY

ARIZONA, PAYSON: 16 LANES. Assume mortgage. Details @ http://rimcountry lanes.com/4sale.pdf. Bob (602) 377-6657.

SEL L

Danny & Daryl Tucker Tucker Bowling Equipment Co. 609 N.E. 3rd St. Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-4018 Fax (806) 995-4767

Bowling Parts, Inc. P.O. Box 801 Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-3635 Email - bpitx@texasonline.net

www.bowlingpartsandequipment.com

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. $1.2m. Call Bryan (2180 380-8089. www.majesticpine.com.

SW IDAHO: 8-LANE CENTER w/ award winning restaurant, new lanes & scoring. $500,000 includes equipment & real estate.

Nicely profitable. Owner financing. Call Ron @ Arthur Berry & Co., (208) 639-6171.

NE PENNSYLVANIA: 12-lane center, 10,500 s/f with 82-70s, Twelve Strike scoring, a great sports bar and game room. Large parking lot. Huge potential. Possible owner financing. $625,000. Call Mike (727) 8583427.

MINIATURE GOLF COURSES Indoor/Outdoor. Immediate Installation. $5,900.00 & up.

2021 Bridge Street Jessup, PA 18434 570-489-8623 www.minigolfinc.com

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CENTRAL ILLINOIS: PRICED TO SELL!!

8-lane center with AMF 82-70s, full service restaurant, pro shop. Plus pool tables, Karaoke machine, DJ system. Includes RE. (217) 351-5152 or toms-uvl@sbcglobal.net

WWW.FACEBOOKBOWLING.COM

CLASSIFIEDS SERVICES AVAILABLE Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. 800255-6436 or Jayhawkbowling.com.

INSURANCE SERVICES 30+ YEARS INSURING BOWLING CENTERS – Ohio, Illinois & Michigan.

Property & Liability; Liquor Liability, Workers Comp, Health & Personal. Call Scott Bennett (248) 408-0200, Scott@Bowl-mail.com; Mark Dantzer, CIC (888) 343-2667, Mark@DieboldInsurance.com; or Kevin Elliott.

HELP WANTED PROMOTIONS PERSON for multi-centers in Indiana/Kentucky area. Great opportunity!

Dennis (502) 722-9314.

POSITION WANTED Brunswick “A” mechanic, 12+ years experience, AS-80/AS-90 scoring system expertise. Former owner/GM. Willing to relocate. Contact me at (308) 380-8594.

Wanted—-job as a manager for a Brunswick center. 30+ years experience in all phases of running a center. Trustworthy with great references. Seeing is believing! Call Owen (763) 497-3139. Please leave message.

SELL IT FAST IN IBI

818-789-2695

"Bowling Center Construction Specialists" New Center Construction Family Entertainment Centers Residential Bowling Lanes Modernization Mini Bowling Lanes Automatic Scoring CONTACT

BRIAN ESTES

Toll Free: (866) 961-7633 Office: (734) 469-4293 Email: build@capitalbowlingservice.com

www.CapitalBowlingService.com IBI

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REMEMBER WHEN

1960

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hat attire could be more appropriate for Christmas shopping – at your local AMF bowling center, no less–than a fur-trimmed coat by Bonnie Cashin?

That’s what Sharon Ritchie, a former Miss America, thought–or at least the people did who masterminded this ad from an unnamed magazine in 1960.

And what goodies were on offer in the AMF Fashion Line of bowler accessories!

Never let it be said that in its shoe-selling days, AMF could only make footwear that looked like...well, bowling shoes.

In that fashionable year, ABC/WIBC claimed 5.4 million bowlers and certified 135,041 lanes in 10,417 establishments. BPAA had 90,321 lanes in 5,293 houses. ❖