IBI December 2018

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

CONTENTS

VOL 26.12

6 ISSUE AT HAND

26 COVER STORY

51-Year-Old Rookie

Made To Bowl; Born To Rock

By Scott Frager

Legends – like Asbury Lanes – never die.

They get reborn.

By Evan Henerson

8 SHORTS

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• Shaffer Distributing announces three promotions.

• Rex Haney’s new title is Executive Director of KSBPA. • Cloverleaf Family Bowl fights for life.

• Lasertron and Stars and Strikes are partners x 10.

• Decade Birthdays: Lariat Bowl, CA; Fannin Lanes, GA; Belt Bowl, MO

34 PROFILE From the Inside Out Ron Hill’s success with Redemption Plus started with a focus on self-fulfillment.

By Sean Krainert

40 YOUTH The Can’t-Miss Event for Kids

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The Junior Gold Championships has gone from a big tournament to a true spectacle.

By Mark Miller

54 REMEMBER WHEN

18 PEOPLE

Santa’s Holiday Lanes

By Patty Heath

A Winning Team Jeanne and the late Stan Naccarato were the “It” couple of Tacoma.

By Jim Goodwin

47 Showcase 48 Datebook 48 Classifieds 40

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frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber garber@bowlingindustry.com

OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com

CONTRIBUTORS Kay Anderson Jim Goodwin Patty Heath Evan Henerson Sean Krainert Ben Jones Mark Miller

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com

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

FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)

By Patty Heath

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PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager

P.O. Box 7350 Overland Park, KS 66207 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com

www.BowlingIndustry.com

HOTLINE: 818-789-2695 SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One copy of International Bowling Industry is sent free to every bowling center, independently owned pro shop and collegiate bowling center in the U.S., and every military bowling center and pro shop worldwide. Publisher reserves the right to provide free subscriptions to those individuals who meet publication qualifications. Additional subscriptions may be purchased for delivery in the U.S. for $50 per year. Subscriptions for Canada and Mexico are $65 per year, all other foreign subscriptions are $80 per year. All foreign subscriptions should be paid in U.S. funds using International Money Orders.

POSTMASTER: Please send new as well as old address to International Bowling Industry, P.O. Box 7350 Overland Park, KS 66207 USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label.

Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2018, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.

MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:

ISSUE AT HAND

51-year-old rookie Forgive me friends, for I have sinned. It’s been many months since I penned my last column.

I had taken a break, but not because my love and passion for bowling had waned.

After close to three decades in the big city of Los Angeles, Jackie and I decided to move our family to our new hometown of Leawood, Kansas. With two kids studying and growing at the University of Kansas and our desire to find ways to slow down, we felt “The Middle” would be a great place to settle. It’s been more than a year since the move, and we’ve been thrilled with our decision.

The move meant that the IBI team would have new opportunities with plenty of challenges to overcome. Moving a business is never easy. Moving a company that had been tied to a 32-lane bowling center and now wishes to go virtual is even harder.

The team at IBI has done an exceptional job growing our business even with all the changes.

David, Patty, and Jackie have all stepped up to make the transition as seamless as possible.

I could not be any more proud and appreciative of my team than I am.

It is due to their hard work and dedication to IBI that has allowed me the opportunity to pursue a dream of my own.

This past January, I was hired by the Leawood, KS, police department to become a police officer.

I was sworn in in early April and earned a seat at the 18-week police academy. By the time this article is read, I will have completed an additional 12 weeks of field training with my department.

Hopefully, this explains why I’ve missed so many columns for IBI. There are many things I’ve learned in the bowling business that have helped me as a law enforcement officer. Similarly, there are countless lessons learned as a LEO (law enforcement officer) which will help anyone in the bowling business. I hope that I can share some of these lessons throughout the months and years ahead.

As we kiss 2018 good bye and welcome in a new year, I send my best wishes for a safe, successful, and fulfilling 2019.

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

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SHORTS

EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS

SERVING UP RENOVATIONS

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A fresh look, up-dated equipment, and a new menu are three things that centers need to do. It creates pride and is a draw to bring in new customers.

Tina Geer, owner of Family Fun Frontier Center, Gillette, WY, has increased the options for her customers by upgrading to QubicaAMF’s BES-X super elite scoring system. Geer told Mark Harris of Gillette News Record, “We’ve had a lot of people come in because they are so interested in seeing what [the scoring system] is.”

Redstone Lanes of Redstone Arsenal, AL, has received a major facelift. The Garrison Commander, Colonel Kelsey Smith, opened the doors to the new center that included new flooring, new lanes and approaches, new furniture, and scoring consoles. All the machines were upgraded. “It’s nice and new. It’s exciting. … We’re looking forward to seeing the positive, strong feedback from everybody,” said Bob Ujvari, business manager.

Holiday Bowl in Albuquerque, NM, is 60 years old. In celebration of its longevity, it is kicking it up a notch and becoming an entertainment center. Now in construction, the center features 26 bowling lanes, along with six private lanes with seating. There is also a new, full-service restaurant and bar and more than 50 games for kids of all ages. The entire project came in at $3.5 million.

Gary Skidmore, owner, poses next to his new kitchen.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL, THERE’S A WAY After much public outcry, Colonial Lanes, in the Milk District of Orlando, FL, closed this past May. The property was sold to Titan Properties who saw it as a self-storage facility.

Since that closing, a part of the back portion of the building has been torn down. However, the front half of the building remains largely untouched.

Here’s where the good news comes in. A plan was sent to the City Council in October to allow the developer to split the project into two parts: a three-story, mixed-use building with office and retail; and a truncated Colonial Lanes. The goal by developers is to make it an upscale entertainment complex. While not yet a firm plan, it appears that Colonial Lanes will live to see another day.

NEW BEGINNINGS WITH OLD FRIENDS Selling is a big deal. What could be better than to turn over your business to someone who knows it. Minneapolis’ Bryant-Lake Bowl has been around in one form or another since 1936. In 1993, Kim Bartmann purchased the establishment which was comprised of a bowling alley, restaurant, bar, and 85-seat theater. The Coen brothers held the wrap party for their movie Fargo at Bryant-Lake Bowl, which would later inspire their film The Big Lebowski. Now, Bartmann has transferred ownership to longtime employee Erica Gilbert. Gilbert has worked there for 12 years. “I’ve been waiting for the right person to steward BryantLake Bowl into the future... and Erica is that person,” said Bartmann.

In the small town of Sibley, IA, Jesse and Cassie Kruger purchased reBar Lounge & Lanes from longtime owner Daryl Wasmund, whose son, Breck, operated it. Besides the bar, there are six lanes of bowling.

The Krugers were not intimidated by taking over as they had worked there.

Both had been bartenders for the business which was known as Merry Lanes/Alley 7 Lounge. Jesse had also worked as the cook. The origin of the new name, Jesse explained, was because “we’re kind of redoing it.”

LASERTRON & STARS AND STRIKES TIMES TEN LASERTRON and Stars and Strikes have partnered up for the tenth time with the installation of a two-story laser tag venue, LASERTRON’s LT-12 Game System. The new center in Smyrna, TN, has 16 lanes and eight VIP lanes, along with an arcade, video games, and bumper cars, with escape rooms in the works. Rounding out the amenities are a bar and grill serving American-style food and a full bar for patrons 21 and over.

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SHORTS

CLOVERLEAF FAMILY BOWL

FIGHTS FOR LIFE

Cloverleaf Family Bowl in Fremont, CA, has been entertaining families and friends since 1963. The futuristic Googie architecture makes it an historic building, according to GPA Consulting, who found that the building is eligible for the local register of historical sites.

While there remains about five years on the present lease, owners of the property have said it will not be renewed. A proposal has been submitted to demolish the buildings on the eight-acre site where Cloverleaf sits and build condos, apartments, and commercial space.

In the meantime, supporters of Cloverleaf have made their voices heard. Mike Hillman, the co-owner, along with Jim Chambers, said they hope the building can be kept as a bowling center, as it has been since 1959 and since Hillman’s family bought it in 1963. As told to Joseph Geha, of the Bay Area News Group, “ If this doesn’t work out our way, we will live out our five years, and we will go peacefully into the night,” Hillman said.

“Until then, we’re going to fight with all we have to remain a bowling center.”

Mike Hillman speaking on behalf of Cloverleaf.

IN REMEMBRANCE RUDY HENOJOSA Long-time center operator Rudy Henojosa passed away the last week in October, according to his wife Peggy Dyer Henojosa.

His career spanned over 50 years and included centers in California, Arizona, Missouri, and Georgia. Peggy described him as the kind of guy who never met a stranger.

PEOPLEWATCHING Shaffer Distributing in Columbus, OH, has announced three promotions. Bill Kraft, long-time president, has been elevated to vice chairman of the Board of Directors. He will be assisting in the oversight and management of both Shaffer Distributing and Shaffer Entertainment.

Bill Kraft

Scott Shaffer will be taking over as president of Shaffer Distributing. His previous position was vice president of sales.

The third promotion goes to George Speakman who has been managing the company’s FEC business. He will now fill the position of vice president of sales.

Speakman will work directly with the Shaffer sales team.

Scott Shaffer

Rex Haney, the long-time, successful center proprietor of Gage Bowl in George Speakman Topeka, KS, sold the center this past fall. He retired from proprietorship but definitely not from bowling. Haney became the executive director of the Kansas State Bowling Proprietors Association as of Dec. 1.

While not a full-time job, Haney is looking forward to the challenges of meetings, conventions and tournaments, Rex Haney plus serving and growing the membership. His background is well-established in the bowling industry. Besides his own center which hosted two Women’s U.S. Open tournaments, he was president of the BPAA from 1998 to 2000.

BVL SALUTES AND GIVES ON VETERANS DAY As every year, the Board of Directors of Bowling to Veterans Link (BVL) observed Veterans Day, Sunday, Nov. 11, by laying a wreath at the Tomb of the Unkowns in Arlington Cemetery. The members also presented a check for over $1,000,000 to the Veterans Administration. As bowling’s oldest charity, BVL is a 76 year-old nonprofit organization dedicated 10

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to brightening the lives of American veterans and active duty personnel by providing recreational and occupational equipment and programs.

Mary Harrar, executive director, said, “We encourage every member of our bowling family to join with us to make the 2018-2019 season even better than this past year.”

SHORTS

Media

WATCH BILLY BOB THORNTON LOVES TO BOWL In August, Billy Bob Thornton, the 63year-old actor, musician, and writer was about ready to go on tour with his group Boxmasters, covering their new album, “In Stereo.” To relax Thornton and the group bowl. In L.A., they bowled at Photo credit: Kendrick Brins, Bowlmor Santa Monica. On the road, they New York Times always seek out a center. “There is not much you can count on in every town” he said. “But you can count on there being a bowling alley.” In July, Aqua Entertainment Center in Los Banos, CA, got a surprise visit from Thornton and his crew of 10.

Relaxing is the key and bowling is the answer. Another photo-op was at El Mark-O Lanes in Casper, WY. The Boxmasters need R&R.

GOLF FASHION WITH A BOWLING TWIST While a celebrity in his own right, Bill Murray, a golf enthusiast, has created his own fashion line, the William Murray Golf line, to lighten up the golf apparel world. Bill and his brothers created an apparel line in 2016 to celebrate Bill’s 68th birthday.

This year, the brand has released a new shirt that is an ode to the 1979 comedy Kingpin. Remember Prada’s banana shirt in the last issue? Well, this shirt is covered with dark blue bowling balls, some featuring a rose à la “Big Ern’s” good luck ball from the movie. Murray wore the design in the form of bell-bottom pants at the 2018 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

‘DEATH AND BOWLING’ SHOT AT MONTROSE BOWL The 82-year-old Montrose Bowl, Montrose, CA, was the perfect venue for director Lyle Kash’s indie film, Death and Bowling. The movie centers on a multi-racial, multi-generational bowling league made up of lesbian women dealing with grief in some form. Kash, who took a year off from his CalArts graduate program, explained bowling like going to the ocean; it’s one of the only social activities where everyone is looking in one direction, capturing both grief and desire. The film is now in post production with plans for a festival run in late 2019.

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RAFFLE REMINDER PBA & IBMHF RAFFLE “HALL OF FAME VIP EXPERIENCE” Prizes include: Round Trip to the PBA Hall of Fame Classic, January 5-6 in Arlington, TX. VIP seating at the event and entry to pre-events, plus much more.

Raffle tickets are available for $20 each at select bowling centers or by calling

IBMHOF (817) 385-8230

HERE’S TO BIRTHDAYS Red Bluff, CA, is just north of the state capitol, Sacramento, with a population of approximately 14,000. Since 1958, one fixture in the town that has remained constant is Lariat Bowl. This past October they celebrated their 60th anniversary with “Way Back Wednesday.” Everything was offered at 1958 prices: games were 25 cents each and shoe rentals were 10 cents. Congratulations!

Across the country in St. Joseph, MO, Belt Bowl’s owners, the Tucker family, were waxing nostalgic.

Not only was the center celebrating 60 years, but Scott and Tim Tucker had sold the center. Lots of love and care have paid off with a successful center which has been purchased by another bowling family. Mike and Jeny White are the new owners and will rename the center Belt Entertainment. It was like turning the business over to family as the Whites have been managers at Belt Bowl for a couple of years. Here’s to 60 years and counting!

1978 was a big year for Fannin Lanes in Blue Ridge, GA; 2018 was even bigger. Owners Steve Taylor, his sister Lynne Hurst, and family celebrated 40 years in business. To mark the occasion, there were 40-cent hotdogs and 40-cent drinks. Fannin has been a family affair since the get-go: dads, sons, daughters, husbands, nieces, nephews, grandsons, and sons-in-law have helped make the center a long-lived success. The center offers open bowling, league bowling, arcade games, HD TVs, and a snack bar. Here’s to 40 more years of good family fun!

SHORTS

ß BITS & PIECES ß ß ß Bay Tek Games is now Bay Tek Entertainment Bay Tek has been around for 41 years. The company has evolved greatly over that period: arcade games were the beginning; then manufacturing games such as Big Bass Wheel, and Tower of Tickets; then came the licensing market, developing three miniature-sized Skee-Ball toys, an app, as well as a Nintendo Switch game. Larry

Treankler, owner and chairman, said, “We just needed our name to catch up to

where we are right now and provide direction and inspiration to where we’re going.” Thus, Bay Tek Entertainment.

Bay Tek Entertainment has recently partnered with GamerGreen, a rewards program that replaces traditional tickets that are redeemed at game room counters with virtual currency. These tickets are banked in an app where they can browse for prizes that are then shipped to their door.

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Insurance Waiver With a waiver covering the risks of a bowling center’s liability, New Center Consulting’s Touch Score 3 now gives a center the option of having each bowler agree to whatever the center posts.

This meets Florida’s new law to reduce insurance rates for liability. It can also reduce the rates in other states and protect centers from frivolous lawsuits.

For more information, call (248) 3752751 and speak directly to New Center Consulting’s owner.

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Grease is the word.

According to the Hattiesburg Fire Department in Mississippi, 70 people were evacuated from Hub Lanes when a fire broke out in the kitchen. No one was

hurt but firefighters had to cut a hole in the roof in order to battle the blaze. A grease fire in the kitchen was the cause.

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PEOPLE

A WINNING

TEAM

JEANNE AND STAN NACCARATO, THE “IT” COUPLE OF TACOMA.

By Jim Goodwin

J

eanne Naccarato is an early riser. She is up before 6:00 a.m. most days, and she is usually the first to arrive at Tower Lanes in Tacoma, where she is the events coordinator. As a partner in Tower Lanes and nearby Paradise Lanes, she does whatever is needed to make the center work and serve the customers. “I love the bowling business,” said Jeanne. “Every day is different, and you never know what might happen or who you will meet, and I like that. My days start early, and I enjoy seeing our regular customers every day. I am a hands-on manager, and I think that makes a difference.”

When Tower Lanes’ regulars see her smiling face pouring their coffee or serving up pizza for a party, most of them know that they are being served by a celebrity, and they truly appreciate that she never acts like one. To them, she is just Jeanne, but almost all are aware of her incredible accomplishments on the lanes as a pro bowler and her work with her late husband Stan Naccarato, who, in Tacoma community circles, was

even more famous than her. Jeanne was - and still is - a star bowler in the eyes of Tacomans, and Stan will always be remembered as the man who saved professional baseball in Tacoma and led the way on many community projects. It just doesn’t get much better than that for Tacoma sports fans and community leaders.

The “It” Couple Jeanne and Stan Naccarato

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FOLLOW YOUR HEART Jeanne met Stan the year after she won her first professional title at Narrows Plaza Bowl in Tacoma in October of 1984. In ’85, she came to a pretournament press conference as the defending champ, and at the ceremony, she sat next to a VIP – Stan Naccarato.

“He was very nice and charming, and we made small talk that day,” she said.

Jeanne could not help noticing a couple of impressive pieces of jewelry on Stan’s fingers – they were MLB World Series Rings. “When we came back for the tournament, Stan showed up at the proam, and he kept coming over to talk with me and my friends Robin Romeo

PEOPLE remember and honor him. Tacoma Raniers president Aaron Artman told the Tacoma Ledger after his passing, “He loved Tacoma even more than he loved the Raniers.”

And Tacoma loved Stan. No sports fan in the Northwest will ever forget that it was Stan who saved professional baseball for Tacoma when it was about to end in 1971. The decision had been made to move the Triple A team out of Tacoma. Stan refused to accept the decision and in one day convinced 20 investors to put up $5,000 each to keep the team in Tacoma.

Shortly after that, under Stan’s leadership, the team was back on solid ground, and he was named Sporting News’ General Manager of the Year. He also won the Larry MacPhail Trophy as the minor league’s most outstanding promoter.

Jeanette Robinson, Mike Kaufman and Darryl Smith present Jeanne with Stan’s most prized material possessions were the two World Series the winning check for the Golden Ladies Tournament, 2018. rings he earned through his minor league association with the Photo by Randy Gulley.

MLB World Champion Oakland A’s and New York Yankees.

When Stan’s long-time friend, Doug McArthur, was asked to lead and Pam Buckner. I remember Pam saying, ‘This guy really the campaign to build the Tacoma Dome likes you,’ but I didn’t think too much arena in 1978, he asked Stan to help. “We about it at the time.” Stan and Jeanne talked to 72 different organizations in one had dinner together during the week. year,” McArthur told the Ledger. “Stan “We thought that was very unusual,” said Robin, “because Jeanne was always did a lot of the talking. Stan was a born focused on bowling and had never dated salesman.” The vote to build the dome in anyone we met on tour before then.”

1980 passed with a 70% margin, and the A couple of weeks later, when Jeanne, 23,000-seat arena became the home of the Robin, and Pam were checking into the Seattle Supersonics for a couple of years, hotel at Sam’s Town in Las Vegas, there hosted the Tacoma Stars major league was a message for Jeanne. It was from soccer, concerts, and many other big Stan, and it said, “I love you.” A longevents over the years. distance courtship began, and Stan didn’t In 2005, Stan said, “You can see my love give it up. Finally, in 1989, Jeanne moved for my hometown. I think it is as beautiful to Tacoma. They married three years later Stan with one of his idols, Muhammad Ali. here as it is in San Francisco. I will sell it to in 1992. Stan was 65. Jeanne was 35. “I anybody, and I always will. I’ve had a love knew what some people must have been thinking, but I affair with this town my entire life.” Along the road, Stan formed also knew we were in love, and I have never regretted being personal friendships with sports legends like Muhammad Ali, Billy with Stan for one minute,” said Jeanne. “He was the love of Martin, Lou Piniella, Alex Rodriguez, and many more. To Jeanne, my life. We had over 30 years together, and we were married it seemed like everyone in professional baseball and other sports for 23. I still miss him every day.”

Toward the end of Stan’s life, when his The 16 finalists for the 2018 Golden Ladies Tournament. Photo by Randy Gulley.

Alzheimer’s got worse, Jeanne was there for him. “I had to step back from the business for about 18 months to become his primary care giver,” she said. “It was a very difficult time, but we also had some wonderful moments and times together.” Stan passed away in May 2016, with Jeanne by his side. His memorial service was one of the largest in Tacoma history due to his tireless work for the city for more than 60 years.

The Tacoma Raniers baseball team wore commemorative patches on their jerseys, and a sign was placed on the outfield stadium wall to 20

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PEOPLE knew him and respected his contributions.

Stan was primarily a baseball man, but he loved all sports. He was a boxing ring announcer who supported the nation’s second oldest Golden Gloves program; he supported Tacoma’s basketball and soccer teams; he was active with the Boys and Girls Clubs; and, thanks to Jeanne, he loved bowling because almost all successful centers have a lot of community involvement.

MASTER OF THE SPORT, LEARNING THE BUSINESS As a partner in Tower Lanes and Paradise Lanes, life can get busy for Jeanne. Business partner Bob Hanson is the general manager who oversees both centers. At Tower Lanes, he works with Jeanne and assistant manager Brenda Zimmerman, while Mike Clark manages Paradise Lanes. Jeanne spends most of her time running events at Tower Lanes, but occasionally gets to Paradise Lanes when needed. “I would put Bob in the top five proprietors I have ever known, and I’ve seen a lot of centers in my career,” said Jeanne.

“He has been in the business his whole life, and I have learned a lot about the business, and I am still learning.”

Both centers do corporate parties and special events, and provide all of their own catering, often for 200-300 people. “Our restaurants are very busy,” said Jeanne. “On weekends, we are wall-to-wall. I have a lot of respect for our cooks.

Those tickets just keep coming in.” “Jeanne is a great partner and great to work with,” said Hanson. “She works hard, she is terrific with customers, and when we bowl in leagues together, she is a great team player who almost always out scores the guys who are sometimes half her age. She is a talented, amazing woman. I couldn’t ask for a better partner.” Jeanne also turns to Robin Romeo, her best friend, for advice on business when they bowl together.

Robin has been in the bowling business in California for many years.

Working in the business has not Jeanne was inducted into the stopped either of the seemingly Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame. ageless Hall of Fame bowlers from winning titles. This year, Jeanne won Jeanette Robinson’s Golden Ladies Classic in Las Vegas for the third time. She won it in 2009, and back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. A month later, she teamed with Robin to win the USBC Women’s Championship Doubles, the second time they have won that event together.

Between them, they own 27 professional titles (Robin: 17, Jeanne: 10) and numerous USBC national and local titles. The two best friends seem to bring out the best in each other. In 2000, they won the PWBA Track Doubles together. “Jeanne has always been intense and focused on the lanes for as long as I have known her,” said Robin. “And she is the same in her business.

She just has that drive, and she has never lost it.”

YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN Earlier this year, Jeanne got a call from the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame informing her that she would be inducted into the institution. “I’m really proud 22

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Best friends Robin Romeo and Jeanne Naccarato.

Photo by Randy Gulley.

of that one, because Cleveland is my home town, and [the Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame] was started by Sam Levine who really encouraged me early in my career.” When Jeanne returned to Cleveland for her induction, she visited her family and the places where she learned early on that the best path to success is hard work.

Jeanne was the youngest of six siblings growing up in Cleveland. Her mom and dad were league bowlers, and she had a lot of examples to follow in her older siblings. She will always cherish

Jeanne with her business partner Bob Hanson and assistant manager Brenda Zimmerman, Tower Lanes.

the memories and lessons learned from her family.

“I really love Tacoma, but I love Cleveland as well,” said Jeanne. “I’ve learned that there are good people everywhere, and if you work hard, good things happen. That is the secret, but it is not really a secret.” ❖

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.

COVER STORY

Images of Asbury Lanes by Nikolas Koenig. Images of the grand opening with Bruce Springsteen by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images.

By Evan Henerson

A

sbury Lanes began its life over half a century ago as a traditional recreation option in an otherwise nondescript town on the Jersey Shore. When bowling started to lose popularity in the mid 1980s, the venue’s operators added

Legends – like Asbury Lanes – never die.

They get reborn.

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At Asbury Lanes grand opening is operator David Bowd, designer Anda Andrei, iStar CEO Jay Sugarman, Hugh Jackman, iStar senior vice president Brian Cheripka and architect Dominic Kozerski.

COVER STORY music to try to keep existing customers and attract new ones.

That’s when Asbury Lanes underwent the first of its transformations, becoming one of the initial prominent concert-bowling centers.

“It was really a punk concert venue with bowling. They were focused on the punk genre, all local bands and talents, and from what I understand, they operated that way for 10 to 15 years,” said Kris Des Roches, the Brunswick representative who would work on the facility’s later transformation, “and then it eventually started to fade off.”

As the town of Asbury Park faced economic

renovation would bring. Writing for the Asbury Park Press, John Bazley, a native of nearby West Long Branch reminisced about the venue’s magic and doubted whether it could be reproduced.

“Something you’ll learn by speaking with anyone who frequented the Asbury Lanes is that everyone has a Lanes story,” Bazley wrote, “and in most stories, the music comes second.”

The Asbury Lanes of yore might be largely unrecognizable to anybody checking out the facility today. Bowling capacity has gone from 16 to 6 lanes and the music – local, regional, and national acts – is king, along with upscale food options at the new incenter, 24-hour diner, all of which was dreamed up by operators Brian Cheripka, senior vice president of hard times, the center declined right along with it.

Following the devastation of Hurricane Sandy, master developer iStar began purchasing distressed buildings along the waterfront, including Asbury Lanes. After a closing and renovation that lasted nearly two years, the restored Asbury Lanes reopened in July with the city’s native son, Bruce Springsteen, playing a set and reflecting on his status as an “old homeboy.” It’s not known whether the man who would become the Boss ever rolled a few balls at the Lanes during his teen years. But the musician who would hit the scene with his album “Greetings from Asbury Park” was a regular performer at the nearby watering hole, The Stone Pony.

No matter how great the reborn facility looks now, people acknowledge that a faction of devotees were unenthusiastic at what the

Hometown boy Bruce Springsteen, third from left, finishes his set at the grand opening of Asbury Lanes.

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COVER STORY

The newly-iconic bowling ball flag over the bar.

iStar, and David Bowd of Salt Hotels.

“Asbury Park really is all about community,” said Bowd who relocated to New Jersey from England 12 years ago. “It’s a really eclectic mix of people from all different backgrounds, all different walks of life. And the lanes for many years — as bowling lanes tend to do — became central to the community.“ It might have been this status as a community centerpiece that saved Asbury Lanes from becoming a complete tear down. The facility was in decay and, with a new Asbury Hotel (another iStar development) on track to open in 2016, project managers weren’t about to have it be anything other than spectacular.

But the sport needed to be part of this revamp, said Bowd, especially given the fact that iStar chairman Brunswick’s Kris Des Roches Jay Sugarman was an avid bowler.

“We said, ‘How do we create a really world class bowling center, but also a world class music and events venue?’” said Bowd. “We spent a couple of years on market research asking what are people looking for? What are bowlers looking for? What does Jay want out of this process? What is the community reaction to the lanes and the renovation of the lanes?”

“Everything we have always done in Asbury Park – the Lanes, the Asbury Hotel and now our new project, the Asbury Ocean Club – have all been about [being] truly local,” Bowd 30

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continued. “And it’s not about paying lip service to a local experience. It’s really about putting the hotel in the center of the community and the Lanes in the center of community. There’s an incredible amount of emotion with the Lanes. There were a lot of people who felt that it shouldn’t change at all. But in reality, it had to change.”

Nostalgia and fondness for the Lanes as it had been caused developers to look for ways to keep the original bowling equipment. Although some of it could be repurposed, a total save proved unfeasible, according to Des Roches.

“It was an old AMF installation with the pinsetters right up against the wall,” said Des Roches. “They wanted to make it retro and fit a lot of the old equipment in. For us to put in new equipment and try to match it up with the used equipment would be very difficult to get everything to mesh well, and from an

The new 24-hour diner.

operational standpoint, it would be tough for them to maintain.”

In recreating the center’s retro look, the developers wanted to keep everything exposed and visible, including the pin setters. This would have presented

COVER STORY The exterior sign has been restored and is back in place. Inside, a set of industrial walls flank the lanes. Over the bar sits an enormous American flag fashioned out of red, white and blue bowling balls.

The lanes themselves are popular and in near constant use. Since reopening, Asbury Lanes has hosted everything from league nights to lessons for the Boys and Girls Club to drag queen bowling. For many of the concerts, the lanes stay operational. A larger selling act will often prompt operators to cover the lanes to increase the venue’s capacity.

“It’s a very cool looking facility,” Des Roches said. “We build a lot of family entertainment The Boss, Bruce Springsteen, welcomes iStar’s CEO Jay Sugarman.

a potential hazard during concerts when the lanes are covered up to allow patrons to rock out and dance.

Concert goers, potentially holding beer bottles, who are partying in close proximity to operational machinery, could be a bad mix.

Brunswick ended up creating a 10-foot tall clear masking unit out of plexiglass which permits people to see the pin setters operating without offering access. Asbury Lanes’ website boasts the “back-to-the-future pin setting system.”

“It’s the only place where we’ve done this so far,” Des Roches said. “People always have an interest in how these things work and what they look like. This allows the customers to see how it works which I think has gone over really well.”

At Asbury Lanes’ grand opening is, from left to right, iStar senior vice president Brian Cheripka, designer Anda Andrei and operator David Bowd.

centers and we do it really well. This is just one of those things that’s very on trend and a little bit different than what we normally are involved with, and so I think that adds to the excitement of the project. They really did an amazing job of keeping with the history of the bowling center.” ❖

Evan Henerson is a features and lifestyle journalist who lives in Los Angeles. His work has appeared in TV Guide, American Theatre, Orange Coast and the Los Angeles Daily News where he was a staff writer and critic for nine years.

Bruce Springsteen (second from left) and his friends pose before the grand opening of Asbury Lanes.

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PROFILE

FROM THE INSIDE OUT Ron Hill’s success with Redemption Plus started with a focus on self-fulfillment.

By Sean Krainert

I

t’s not a secret what creates success: hard work, skill, boldness, organization, and fierce determination. With the formula so easily accessible, hundreds of thousands of people and businesses have been able to adhere to the formula and create a world filled with joy, as well as multimillion dollar empires. So, with an abundance of success to go around, what sets someone apart? Ron Hill, Chief Enrichment Officer of Redemption Plus, knows: he has embodied and made his life a living testament to the power of purpose. Ron has gathered a team of dynamic people who collectively enrich their lives and in turn empower both business and personal journeys that start with what’s on the inside.

After studying business administration at Baylor University in Texas, Ron started his career in Dallas, TX, working for a 34

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The Redemption Plus team.

brokerage firm. At that time, being a stock broker came with the attractive allure of becoming financially robust in a short period of time. What else could a recent college graduate want? For a short time, the appeal consumed him, but it wasn’t long before Ron realized there was more to a career than financial gain.

“Working through a series of jobs at that time taught me that I wanted to create my own business, and I wanted it to be a place where people could live a great life and be well-cared for.”

The self-realization was clear, but the process came with a series of trials, errors, and challenges that ultimately made his vision even clearer. Ron spent four years in the computer training industry, eventually becoming the owner of a franchise.

While the tech industry is a trendy sector for limitless possibilities, Ron entered the industry at a time when not many people had computers, adding an even sharper edge to the sales curve. This time in the tech industry, sparked Ron’s passion for technology and efficiency, which later became essential building blocks for Redemption Plus.

Settled back home in his native Kansas City with his large extended family, Ron’s soul was tugged at again, saying he needed to work for himself while at the same time creating a nurturing environment in Ron Hill, Chief Enrichment Officer at Redemption Plus.

PROFILE shift from computer training. While the industry was new to him, the fundamentals were already there. Redemption Plus started with the idea to make the process of buying redemption merchandise more efficient.

Ron understood how to use technology to do so.

Excited about using his tech savvy to build a system to deliver products in a truly new way, Ron began working with his small team on ideas to streamline the process. “The industry is about fun and bringing people and families together and laughing. There are so many great things about it! I knew it would be a good place to be and spend most of my career moving forward,” said Ron about his shift into the redemption business.

Ron Hill, far left, and the Redemption Plus team were in high gear at the Kansas City Speedway for the Go Bowling 400 in 2018.

which to thrive. “I felt that my soul was sucked out of me working for other companies. It constantly felt like I was held down by restraints in rigid and uncomfortable situations that were all about the employer,” says Ron. This was precisely the strong feeling he needed to catapult his life forward to the next stage.

The driving force behind Ron’s company was to inspire full lives for his team, including himself.

In 1996, he was introduced to the family entertainment industry and quickly made the

The Redemption Plus team has fun at the New York Toy show.

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Honestly, what remarkable and legendary business related to the computer industry didn’t start in somebody’s garage or basement?

With two partners, that is exactly where Ron started his business, in his parent’s basement developing software that would dramatically change the redemption industry. With a unique system created for ordering and inventory, Ron and his team embraced redemption with the idea of developing a way for customers to order everything they needed from one place. They also fine-tuned their shipping process so customers could open up their boxes with merchandise tagged with ticket prices, ready to go Ron Hill, in the teal shirt, is next to (left to right) Christina Long, Chief Culture Officer; on the shelf.

Sam Burke, Insights Materializer.

Today, and more so at that time, the issue of limited storage space collided with the issue of having to buy in bulk. FEC owners were having to order from up to 20 vendors to get the products they needed, often having to buy in large amounts. With no streamlined system in place, Ron and his team filled a void that included the introduction of using computer systems, which were rapidly becoming more common.

Within a year, Redemption Plus moved out of the basement and into a larger space, expanding their team and their square footage.

It’s hard to set yourself apart in a world where every market is saturated with products and services, including an exceptionally increasing amount of companies checking all the boxes for being “the best.” The cliché says that the only way to enjoy life is with a healthy work/life balance. Ron disagrees, saying,

PROFILE “The idea of separating work life from home life never made sense to me. I knew if I could create a workplace with a healing and happy atmosphere that allowed people to live their lives and be fulfilled, then they would go out into the world, and home to their families and be better people. At Redemption Plus, everybody manages their work time and are productive, while at the same time taking care of the things that are really important to them. We feel that this kind of environment can literally make ripples across generations, and it is a really important piece of who we are,” says Ron. Part of the Redemption Plus team enjoys a picnic As a purpose-driven company, furry friends included, too. and one that seamlessly integrates home life with work life, Ron set up a standard for hiring that filters in candidates that are aligned with their core values and are already living and exemplifying these behaviors at the time they step through the door. “We understand who we are, and we understand what we want in someone. You can’t learn integrity, but we can teach specific things about our industry. This process allows us to build a dependable recruiting system that resonates with who we are,” says Ron.

If you asked Ron to talk about his home life separate from his work life, it would be impossible, and this is his secret to success.

Ron has brought his knack for innovation and technology into his work environment which has no doubt catapulted his business forward. As the business world has continued to evolve at light speed year after year, Ron and his team have remained nimble and

The Redemption Plus team is on the move and having fun.

innovative in order to help their customers.

“What we are trying to provide for our customers is simplicity through the use of technology. We have an inside-out approach and we believe that as we improve internally as a company and as people, it allows us to be more customer-centric.” ❖

The Hills throw axes for family fun.

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Sean Krainert is a freelance copywriter living in the San Francisco Bay Area specializing in real estate, hospitality, and mental health writing. He is also an alumni of the Wichita State Shocker bowling program.

YOUTH

THE CAN’T-MISS EVENT

FOR KIDS

The Junior Gold Championships has gone from a big tournament to a true spectacle.

By Mark Miller

N

ever in their wildest dreams could Jim Zebehazy and the late David Dahms have imagined what the United States Bowling Congress Junior Gold National Championships, which they helped start 20 years ago, has become. Back then, Zebehazy was the Young American Bowling Alliance’s (YABA) executive director, while Dahms was program manager. They worked with a committee to create what initially was to be a national youth team tournament but was quickly changed to a singles event.

It originally was called the Junior Olympic Gold National Championships. Its goal was to meet the United States Olympic Committee’s request for a pipeline to produce a continuous stream of young and upcoming athletes. The first tournament attracted an impressive 528 entrants at the National Bowling 40

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Stadium in Reno, NV, though Dahms (having died from colon cancer three months earlier) wasn’t there to see it.

This year’s 20th anniversary tournament attracted a record 3,828 participants competing at eight commercial centers, plus the International Research and Training Center in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. That’s nearly double the 2012 event in Indianapolis. “That was a totally different focus for Junior Gold,” said Zebehazy, now retired and splitting his time between central Florida and his native Buffalo, NY. “When it was created, it was not designed to be what it is now. We made a conscious decision to max the tournament out at the 1,2001,500 range.”

The Junior Olympic Gold Player Development Pipeline was to include gold, silver, and bronze levels and corresponding

YOUTH coaching programs. The initial gold level required boys to average at least 175 and girls 165, later lowered to 150. Bronze would have been for younger kids with lower averages just learning about the sport. “It would have been a progression across the spectrum of abilities,” Zebehazy added. “If you would have asked me if there would Judy and Jim Zebehazy. have been a Junior Gold and a Junior Bronze and a Junior Silver, I would have said yes. We would have run three tournaments, but we never got that far.” The Junior Gold program remained under YABA guidance until the formation of USBC in 2005. About the same time, the pipeline concept ended when USOC dropped its requirements and later eliminated the average minimums.

GROWING PAINS The 1,500-participant barrier was first crossed in 2007 in Buffalo with 1,578. It dropped to 1,491 in Detroit in 2008, and then it bounced to 1,634 and 1,503 in consecutive visits (2009 and 2010) to Indianapolis, and 1,607 in Las Vegas in 2011.

Soon thereafter, the direction changed, starting when Chad Murphy, now USBC’s executive director, was hired in 2010 as director of youth by the BPAA. More changes continued in 2012 when Murphy was named managing director of youth for the International Bowling Campus. When Murphy was tapped to be the executive director of USBC in 2014, long-time USBC employee Gary Brown took over the youth area. Along with a dedicated team, they planned and implemented four important steps to ensure the success of the Junior Gold Championships. “At the time, the bowling industry was focused on two national championships events for youth bowlers – the North Pointe High School Singles and the Junior Gold Championships,” Murphy said. “The first decision, collectively made, was that the IBC needed to get behind one event with all areas pushing to build one outstanding championship event.” So, the North Pointe event was scrapped, putting all the focus on Junior Gold. A major effort was employed to offer more local league and tournament qualifiers, with the result going from about 800 to 1,800.

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Next, the USBC youth department looked at how participants competed against each other. With everyone in one division, it meant 9-year olds were bowling against 20-year olds.

“Research showed successful youth sports are conducted in peer-to-peer environments, so we followed the research and made the decision to move toward that model,” Murphy said. That model meant adding age divisions similar to other sports. The first was the U [Under]15 division in 2012, with U12 added in 2014. Murphy said it followed the plan to add U12 when U15 had 500 partipants.

Another decision was to concentrate venues in the bowling-rich Midwest to make it easier for participants and their families to drive there. “We strongly believed by doing this, more competitors could afford to attend, because of the low cost of driving to the event, as opposed to flying,” Murphy said. “It’s certainly tough love for competitors in other parts of the United States, but it is one of the reasons Junior Gold still is growing today.

We are giving the majority what they want, where they want it.” Two cities – Chicago and Cleveland – were added to a recurring group of Junior Gold cities – Buffalo, Indianapolis and Detroit. A five-year commitment to that region was implemented

YOUTH before considering additional cities in other regional markets. DallasFort Worth was added in Year 6 and all six years have grown with Chicago being the biggest at 27-plus percent. All others grew between 6 and 14 percent.

LET THE SPECTACLE BEGIN The USBC youth division looked at the tournament’s experience beyond the competition which was a multi-pronged, four-step approach according to Murphy. The idea was to turn Junior Gold from a major tournament into a major spectacle for participants and their families alike.

There was the introduction of educational seminars presented by industry experts. The opening ceremony focused on the athletes who returned in 2016 after an eight-year hiatus with about 3,500 people attending in Indianapolis. Last year, Cleveland drew 4,200 people while in 2018 a record 7,200 people filled up most of the lower bowl at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, home of the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars. The featured entertainment was Light Balance which placed third in last year’s America’s Got Talent.

One of the biggest enhancements, national television, started in 2015.

While the 2002 event in Winter Haven/Lakeland, FL, aired on that state’s Sunshine Network, this year’s was taped by CBS Sports Network at the International Training and Research Center at the International Bowling Campus in Arlington. Dave Ryan and Kelly Kulick announced the action for five shows (U12, U15 and U20 for Junior Gold, plus U12 and U15 for the USA Bowling team championships) which aired weekly in July and August.

Finally, a major partnership with current members of the Professional Bowlers Association and Professional Women’s Bowling Association was formed to provide an aspirational value to the event. Their presence at numerous autograph booths easily were the most popular spots at this year’s registration and trade show held in the Automotive Building at Fair Park in Dallas and attended by nearly 11,000 people.

Previously conducted in hotel ballrooms, the trade show expanded from table-top venues inside hotel ballrooms to much larger venues.

While adding these new ideas, Junior Gold has kept and expended The Collegiate Experience where this year more than 50 schools were represented by coaches and athletes in the hopes of convincing the youth to visit their campuses. Also expanded has been the ability to quality for Junior Team USA by adding the boys and girls development teams for U15.

To help pay for the new features, a modest weekly spectator admission charge was instituted in 2014. It has remained the same ever since at $20 in advance and $30 on-site. Though the event was free to spectators throughout his tenure, Zebehazy completely understands the move to admission fees. “To me that was a business decision they made to generate some dollars to cover the costs,” he said. “It’s an extremely expensive event to conduct. They found a way of going and increasing revenues without making the entrants pay fees even higher than it was.”

So what else do Murphy, Brown, and their team have in store for future Junior Gold competitors? A U17 division that begins in 2019 in Detroit and again in Indianapolis in 2020. “We will continue to build on the experience in each of the featured segments, but, most of all, we will continue to crown champions and celebrate our athletes,” Murphy said. “In all, the Junior Gold Championships has become a can’tmiss event each summer for our athletes, ranging in ages from 7 to 20. The growth of the event speaks for itself.”

Get your junior bowlers involved in this growing and important event. For more information on how to get your center involved, contact Melissa McDaniel, director of the USBC Youth Department at Melissa.mcdaniel@bowl.com.

A History of Junior Gold Participation 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998

Dallas-Fort Worth Cleveland Indianapolis Chicago Buffalo Detroit Indianapolis Las Vegas Indianapolis Indianapolis Detroit Buffalo, NY Fort Lauderdale, Indianapolis Dallas-Fort Worth, TX St. Louis Winter Haven/Lakeland, FL Reno Las Vegas Orlando Reno

3,828 3,554 3,292 3,191 2,479 2,080 1,928 1,647 1,503 1,634 1,491 1,578 1,426 1,475 1,307 1,080 960 876 812 594 538

Mark Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and public relations specialist from Flower Mound, TX. He's the author of Bowling: America's Greatest Indoor Pastime available at Amazon.com or directly from him at markmywordstexas@gmail.com.

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SHOWCASE FACEBOOK FOR BOWLING

Go beyond just posting our Facebook page. Let the eBowl.biz team use their advanced targeting techniques to reach more people on a daily basis with your content. Your message; their savvy! Go to www.eBowl.biz or call (541) 549-0999 for a review of your social media efforts today.

LIGHTING SPECIALIST

In San Bruno, CA, a small amusement center now shines large. LED lighting specialist Ventola Projects has completed its LED lighting installation.

Time was of the essence, as the project had stalled. Ventola came in and brought it to completion ahead of schedule.

The VAvR LED lighting range provides an advanced 3-in-1 solution which provides the center with phenomenal laneby-lane color lighting effects and visuals. It is an alternative to glow bowling and an energy efficient replacement for general white lighting. To view more projects completed

by Ventola, please visit ventolainc.com/case-study.

MUSICAL ARCADE GAME

Bay Tek Games’ Piano Keys is an echo of the larger, two-player Grand Piano Keys. Beautifully in tune, Piano Keys has even more songs in its repertoire. Its sharply lit, stand-out-in-thecrowd cabinet and marquee are sure to entertain. Hit as many oversized piano keys that match the colored square on the monitor as you can in the allotted time to accumulate tickets. A wrong note will delay the game, but you can pick up right where you left off. The faster and more accurate you are, the more tickets you win! Don’t miss a beat! Make sure Piano Keys is part of your game room.

For information: Bay Tek Games at (920) 822-3951 or sales@baytekgames.com or contact a Bay Tek Games distributor.

PHOTO BOOTH ENTERTAINMENT

Apple Industries introduced a wide range of exciting new products at IAAPA 2018, including the Photo Studio Prism™, a compact version of Photo Studio Deluxe™. This state-of-the-art, interactive technology has proven very successful in entertaining millions of customers in bowling centers, malls, amusement parks, and family entertainment centers. With Photo Studio Prism™ and Apple’s proprietary, cutting-edge software Smile 2.0, customers can enjoy interactive videos and pose within fun scenes or with their favorite characters. Apple Industries has recently released new licensed content including Universal properties such as Trolls, Jurassic Park, Back to the Future, and Fast & Furious.

BOWLING BALL STORAGE

Steltronic has done it again! With all of the extra room needed in the settee area, room for eight bowling balls and the included tabletop for food and beverages, this compact table is perfectly sized. A height of 40 inches, a 24-inch, round table top, room for up to eight bowling balls and pizza and drinks, and all at a reasonable price. Add in the optional Steltronic keypad for controlling two lanes from one tabletop and your bowlers will appreciate the new design. We are YOUR bowling center management specialists since 1980.

For more info: (800) 942-5939; info@steltronicscoring.com.

ON-LANE DINING

Now available for center customers across the globe, Brunswick’s Center Stage Furniture has launched its newest configuration—On-Lane Dining. Attract guests with a comprehensive, comfortable dining experience to entertain them day or night, resulting in incremental food and beverage sales to boost your bottom line. With two configuration solutions for shorter and longer bowler areas, On-Lane Dining’s two standard sizes address the most popular center configurations for new-start projects and for modernizations. Visit brunswickbowling.com.

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DATEBOOK BPAA One-Day Management Boot Camps Available to state associations & multi-unit centers

27-29 IAAPA FEC Summit Hyatt Regency Lost Pines Resort Austin, TX Iaapa.org/events-education/events

Contact Kelly Bednar (817) 385-8462 Kelly@bpaa.com

MARCH

6-9 Pro Shop Training Classes Jayhawk Bowling Supply Russ or Alex (800) 255-6436

5-7 F2FEC EXPERIENCE The Broadmoor Colorado Springs, CO Rick Iceberg: rick@F2conference.com Ben Jones: be@jonesdetroit.com George Smith: geosmith4756@gmail.com

JANUARY 2019

APRIL

13-17 BPAA Summit New Orleans, LA New Orleans Marriott bpaa.com/bowlingsummit

29 – MAY 2 USBC Convention The Orleans Las Vegas Bowl.com/conventions

DECEMBER

CLASSIFIEDS

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PLAN NOW TOURNAMENTS FOR 2019

JANUARY 2-7 2019 USBC Team USA Trials U.S. Amateur Championships Gold Coast Bowling Center Las Vegas

MARCH 9 – JUNE 29 Open Championships South Point Bowling Plaza Las Vegas Registration: bowl.com/USBC.Registration

APRIL 20 – JUNE 29 Women’s Championships Northrock Lanes Wichita, KS Registration: bowl.com/USBC.Registration

CLASSIFIEDS

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CLASSIFIEDS EQUIPMENT FOR SALE FOR SALE: 24 Brunswick seating: swing &swivel, oval, and 18 swing&swivel, pear, glow; Steltronic & Qubica automatic scoring.

Email for details; 24 synthetic lanes foulline forward, includes deck; reconditioned Lustre Kings; ZOT ball kickers; Kegel Kustodian; Bumper/gutter and capping; and 16-lane package, includes A2s, Steltronic auto scoring w/ 42� flatscreens, Brunswick synthetic panels, auto bumper system, also Laser Runner laser tag, fantastic condition. Will take out and move to your location.

Knotritellc@gmail.com.

NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment.

Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

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

12 AMF COMPLETE BOWLING LANES FOR SALE. Excellent condition. 82-70 pinsetters; AMF synthetic lanes + all scoring, gutters, ball returns, etc.

MIKE (954) 224-4655.

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

BEST DARN DEAL ON THE MIDWAY!!!!!

For your average sized center, I can bring 2,000 open bowlers over 5 months.

I have dozens of topnotch references.

Kevin Malick since 1991 Bigk2u@yahoo.com |(863) 602-4850 Leave an email address for more info

POSITION WANTED Certified Brunswick mechanic versed on all American and Japanese serial machines and ZOT conversions. Seeking part time or full time in the Denver and central Colorado area. Will furnish all tools and equipment.

Very experienced; with excellent references.

Call (303) 948-8770 or (720) 527-4287.

EDUCATION & TRAINING PRO SHOP TRAINING. Classes always forming. Jayhawk Bowling Supply (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

SERVICES AVAILABLE Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring Ball Repair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. (800) 255-6436 or jayhawkbowling.com.

CENTERS FOR SALE MASSACHUSETTS: 6-lane Duckpin business ONLY for sale in historic North Chelmsford.

Automatic pinsetters & many spare parts.

Owner retiring. (978) 808-7029.

MINIATURE GOLF COURSES Indoor/Outdoor. Portable/Pre-Fab. Black Light/Traditional/Pro Putter.

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

CENTERS FOR SALE CENTRAL IDAHO: Busy, updated, 8-lane (synthetic) center: electronic scorekeeping, league play & 50-seat restaurant with drive thru. Easy highway access. Assumable loan.

Call (775) 720-2726 for more details.

OHIO: Well-established 42-lane center: Brunswick A-2 jetbacks; AS 90 scoring w/all upgrades; new upper flat screens. Includes restaurant, snack bar, nursery, liquor license.

42,000 s/f bldg. on 5.46 acres in the city.

COMPLETE TURNKEY OPERATION. Contact Allan Anderson, (740) 503-0452.

NEBRASKA: 16-lane center in a nice town, Ogallala. Remodeled bar and kitchen. Asking 250K. Contact Jacob. cornhuskerlanesNE@gmail.com.

NE IOWA: 8-lane, upgraded center on 1.1 acres. Includes: 82-30 Golden Edition pinsetters, AccuScore Plus with Purrfect Desk; new flat screen monitors & carpet.

Also, kitchen, snack bar, lounge, game room, lockers, & ball drilling equipment.

TURNKEY sale. roncyndi@hotmail.com or (641) 485-1752.

3

EASY WAYS

to place your Classified Ad in International Bowling Industry Magazine

LOCKER KEYS FAST!

Call

All Keys done by code # Locks and Master Keys

(818) 789-2695

E-mail: huff@inreach.com TOLL FREE

1-800-700-4539

Fax (818) 789-2812

E-mail

your ad to:

Garber@bowlingindustry.com 50

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CLASSIFIEDS

SELL YOUR CENTER OR EQUIPMENT

FAST! (818) 789-2695

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

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

Bowling Parts, Inc. P.O. Box 801 Tulia, Texas 79088 Call (806) 995-3635 Email - daryl@tuckerbowling.com

www.tuckerbowling.com IBI

December 2018

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CLASSIFIEDS

TECHNICIAN NEEDED QubicaAMF, the world’s largest bowling equipment provider, is seeking a technician wanting to take their skills to the next level by joining our Technical Support team located in Richmond, Virginia.

We are seeking a self-motivated professional with excellent communication skills, who pays attention to details, is a great listener and technical troubleshooter.

The ideal candidate will have practical knowledge on lanes, ball returns and scoring equipment and working knowledge of pinspotters and/or pinsetters. They will know safety procedures and standards of bowling equipment. Can easily troubleshoot, identify and suggest repairs and/or replacements of malfunctioning bowling equipment.

This position will be will be responsible for answering incoming calls for customers, conducting comprehensive assessments of issues, troubleshooting and providing solutions to challenges.

We offer a competitive compensation package which includes medical and a 401K plan.

If you have the desire to work for the market leader in the industry, please send your resume along with a cover letter detailing your experience to Peggy Martin at pmartin@qubicaamf.us.

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SELL YOUR CENTER

(818) 789-2695

CLASSIFIEDS

PROPRIETORS WITH AMF 82-70 S.S. & M.P. MACHINES

SELL YOUR CENTER (818) 789-2695

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

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REMEMBER WHEN

H

ere is another gem from the holiday card collection of the late, famed bowling writer Chuck Pezzano. Holiday Lanes, illustrated by Miles Kimball, a master card creator since 1935, is Santa’s respite and his off-the-clock go-to.

The message: timely The sport: universal The best of the Season from all of us at Bowling Industry magazine.

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