IBI January 2017

CONTENTS

VOL 25.1

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

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Scott Frager

6 ISSUE AT HAND

22 COVER STORY

frager@bowlingindustry.com Skype: scottfrager

Refusing to Lose

Refusing to Lose

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER David Garber

The Davis family never surrenders to life’s challenges.

By Scott Frager

By Robert Sax

8 SHORTS • CODE ADAM, a nocost search tool • Switch centers in Turkey • QubicaAMF acquires CDE Software • Creative Works awarded Brass Ring at IAAPA

garber@bowlingindustry.com

OFFICE MANAGER Patty Heath heath@bowlingindustry.com

CONTRIBUTORS Patty Heath Pamela Kleibrink Thompson Mark Miller Robert Sax

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30 PROFILE Turning the Corner Meet the Pollards, reunited in love and bowling in St. Louis.

By Mark Miller

By Patty Heath

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Jackie Fisher fisher@bowlingindustry.com

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

FOUNDER Allen Crown (1933-2002)

12 FEATURE

46 REMEMBER WHEN

Get Some Fun At Rigby’s Entertainment Complex, bowling is part of an entertainment hotspot.

1950 Gillette’s ‘Cavalcade of Sports’ 22

By Patty Heath

By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

18 TRADESHOW PREVIEW

38 Datebook 39 Showcase 41 Classifieds

Get On Down To Chucktown!

Charleston, SC, is the perfect backdrop for BPAA’s Mid-Winter Summit.

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January 2017

www.BowlingIndustry.com

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

POSTMASTER: Please send new as well as old address to International Bowling Industry, 12655 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA 91604 USA. If possible, please furnish address mailing label.

Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2017, B2B Media, Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprinted without the publisher’s permission.

MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:

By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

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12655 Ventura Boulevard Studio City, CA 91604 (818) 789-2695(BOWL) Fax (818) 789-2812 info@bowlingindustry.com

THE ISSUE AT HAND

Refusing to Lose The phrase “refusing to lose’ probably means something different to everyone: think of a cop, soldier, Olympic athlete, stage actor, salesperson. Each person fights the good fight to win their next call, battle, race, audience applause and sale. Each is compelled to “not lose” in order to maintain their job and status.

We all refuse to lose each and every day and each in our own way.

It probably wouldn’t take too much time or effort to find a loved one, friend or maybe our very selves where the meaning of “refusing to lose” takes on much greater meaning.

The Davis family, our cover story this month, has a special relationship. Many of us know Bruce as a past bowling proprietor, the inventor of the 40 Frame Game, one of bowling’s top marketing gurus and the creator of the Kids Bowl Free Program.

But what you may not know is how the Davis family has been tested, personally and professionally, over these past years. From family health crises to the challenges of launching a brand new business in a mature industry, the Davis family “refused to lose” every step of the way. Now they can look back at some of those dark times with the humble confidence that they are a stronger family unit because of what they went through.

For the Davises, “refusing to lose” takes on a meaning much greater than their own story. Over the past few years, the extremely private Davises (who were originally reluctant to be featured within IBI) have made it part of their mission to help others. Truth is, the Davises have been helping others thrive, including this publisher, for years. It’s in their DNA. It’s who they are.

Bruce, Stephanie and their lovely family have been an inspiration to me and my family long before Bruce’s wife Stephanie decided to turn her life’s mission to help others achieve their goals.

It is for these reasons, and more, that I’m proud to showcase one of bowling’s first families. I find inspiration in the hearts and minds of the Bruce and Stephanie Davis family, and I am sure you will too.

WHO INSPIRES YOU TO THRIVE? WWW.BOWLINGINDUSTRY.COM

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

4THIS MONTH AT www.BowlingIndustry.com IBI Online, 2,582 members and counting! How exciting to watch more and more people in the bowling industry gravitate to this site. However, looking at the first page of members, one would think that our online community is made up of non-descript blue people, well, except for Jim Russo, who resembles bowling pins... Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Come on blue guys, let’s mix it up a bit with photos or selfies. From Facebook, everyone knows how to take a selfie. Go to www.bowlingindustry.com, click on your home page and select ‘Admin Options’ and then click on ‘reset profile photo.’ Easy peasy.

Not a member? It’s free. Join today and add a photo of yourself that will stand out from the crowd, as long as it’s not blue.

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SHORTS

PEOPLEWATCHING Intercard, Inc. has hired Jon Kuhn as director of customer service.

Kuhn will direct and oversee all aspects of Intercard’s customer service program. He will also work with president Scott Sherrod to acquire, train and mentor the company’s technical staff, including employees at Intercard’s call centers in the U.S. and Asia that provide 24/7 multi-language support around the world.

Kuhn will be based at the company’s St. Louis headquarters. His prior experience includes a variety of IT service management positions and has a degree in Computer Information Systems from Missouri State University.

Joh Kuhn Embed has launched a guided training and self-help premium training platform called INSIGHT, which gives customers information needed to simplify day-to-day operations and take full advantage of their Embed system. Diana Kim, Lauren Carlyle and Kara Anderson comprise the INSIGHT Success Team. Their backgrounds include FEC operations, teaching and staff training, and the expertise to deliver knowledge in a fun, dynamic and easy way to understand.

ß BITS & PIECES ß ß ß Intercard is the go-to at Main Event Intercard, Inc., a management solutions company for the amusement and casino industries, helped Main Event Entertainment at its newest location in Olathe, KS. The new center, which opened in October, uses Intercard’s iReader IIs and iTeller IIs. These are custom built and feature Main Event’s FUNcard Station branding.

The FUNcards are reloadable and can be treated just like cash and used for all activities, food and beverages.

ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß IAAPA Goes Huge

In November, IAAPA Attractions Expo 2016 broke all records as 35,100 industry professionals gathered in Orlando, FL, to peek at what’s new in the attractions and entertainment world. It was a record-breaking year for all three of IAAPA’s expos, including events in Asia and Europe. Numbers tell the tale: 1,136 companies displayed products and services; 22,600 qualified buyers attended; and 11,850 participated in 99 education seminars, roundtable discussions, and panels.

ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß $6 Million Gift

L-R Diana Kim, Lauren Carlyle & Kara Anderson

SWITCH AND TURKEY ARE A GOOD TEAM Switch® has secured the bid for the largest-ever bowling center in Turkey. The 38-lane center, commissioned by the Turkish Sports Ministry, will open in the city of Samsun in March 2017. The equipment will include: Switch® ST-1 pinsetters, Switch® Matrix lanes, Pininfarinadesigned ball returns, as well as the most up-to-date and innovative Switch® Genie scoring. The center will be run as a professional training center for Turkish national teams and will host major international tournaments. Switch® is excited to play a major role in this new era for the Turkish bowling world.

Roll House, one of the oldest and most popular bowling chains in Turkey, hosting several international tournaments, has selected Switch® to refit and modernize one of its centers with Switch® ST-1 pinsetters and Switch® scoring system. Roll House has also placed an additional order for fully Switch-equipped, 12-lane centers in Ankara and Isparta.

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Franklin & Marshall College, a private liberal arts college in central Pennsylvania, received a donation of $6 million from the estate of Faye Gelhard, who, along with her husband Richard, owned and operated Blue Ball Lanes in East Earl, PA, until Richard died in 1993. Faye passed away in 2015. The gift will pay for need-based scholarship funds named after the couple: the Richard M. Gelhard Endowed Scholarship Fund will focus on students interested in government, public affairs or public policy; the Faye L. Gelhard Endowed Scholarship Fund will focus on students interested in health and psychology.

ßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßß Two Jack & Jill Lanes Burglarized

The Jack & Jill Lanes in American Fork and Lehi, UT, were broken into and burglarized. The first center in American Fork had over $10,000 in damage from four individuals including broken ATM and vending machines.

The center in Lehi was less damaged. It is not clear if the incidences were connected.

SHORTS

CREATIVE WORKS GRABS THE BRASS RING At the 2016 IAAPA Attractions Expo in Orlando, FL, Creative Works won its first Brass Ring Award for Best Exhibit in its size category. The overall theme for its 1,200-square-foot booth was steampunk, Victorian era meets futuristic, Industrial Revolution.

Two of the several attractions showcased were Lazer Frenzy laser maze; a playable golf hole for the company’s indoor mini-golf courses; and the new escape room attraction called Infinite Escapes. Every piece in the booth was brought to life by the steampunk theme.

Brick and steel coated every surface, a dirigible airship was docked on the Lazer Frenzy, a clock tower topped the mini golf hole, and the themed escape room was held inside a Victorian era building.

Start the Year Off Right: Partner with Code Adam No surprise that a good portion of a center’s business is children, and what better way to guarantee their safety than to accept the Code Adam program as part of your workplace.

What is Code Adam? Code Adam is a search tool for lost and potentially abducted children. It has been created by the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC). It is offered free of charge and is easy to implement. When a customer reports a missing child while shopping in participating locations, a special Code Adam alert is issued on the premises.

There is no cost to participate in Code Adam. Upon request, the NCMEC will mail your center a free Code Adam Kit which includes: an employee training video; a poster explaining the program; and two decals to place near entrances and exits announcing participation. A center’s involvement shows customers that it has the highest regard for the safety of its young customers.

Start the year off right. Go to www.missingkids.org/CodeAdam/Request for more information and a form to receive the Code Adam Kit.

QUBICAAMF ACQUIRES CDE SOFTWARE QubicaAMF Worldwide (QubicaAMF) has finalized a transaction to acquire full ownership of CDE Software located in Seattle, WA. Over the last four decades, CDE has developed and marketed leading applications such as Bowling League Secretary (BLS) and for tournaments BTM and T-Brac. It will continue to operate out of its Seattle facility with its current employees. Lance Rasmussen, vice president of operations, has been promoted to president of CDE and is an equity partner with QubicaAMF as a co-owner of CDE. CDE was formed in the early ‘80s in Los Angeles, initially developing a checkbook financial program that was a forerunner to Quicken. In 1989, the founders, Patrick Lajko and Ray Yokoyama, took Patrick’s love of bowling and his expertise in computer software and developed BLS. Emanuele Govoni, CEO of QubicaAMF, stated, “We are extremely excited about the opportunity this [acquisition] presents to competitive bowling and the industry as a whole.”

IN REMEMBRANCE Ralph Branca, 90, a former Brooklyn Dodger pitcher whose disastrous relief appearance in a 1951 playoff with the NY Giants became legendary after he gave up a game-winning home run called “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World,” died this past November at his home in Rye, NY. A three-time all-star in the years after World War II, Branca had a career record of 88 wins – 68 losses combined with the Dodgers, the Detroit Tigers, and the New York Yankees. After retiring from baseball in 1959, he became owner/operator of the 36-lane Stratford Lanes in Stratford, CT. IBI

January 2017

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SHORTS

EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS & NEW BEGINNINGS

STEP BACK TO THE COLONIES

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What better way to open a new establishment in Old City, Philadelphia, than to go back to one of the oldest pubs. Harp & Crown’s roots go back to 1759 with owner Joseph Bell. Cut to 2016 and the Schulson Collective, headed by chef and restaurateur, Michael Schulson, opens the newest, funky, high-end restaurant, Harp & Crown. It is a step back in time, wrapped in the latest and best ambiance. The secret ingredient is a lush, exclusive pair of bowling lanes, plus a bar and lounge, in the basement, called Elbow Lane. It was named after a colonial street where the original Harp & Elbow Lane basement entrance.

Crown was located.

This space is a visual masterpiece. One enters off the street through a glass façade into an airy, small dining room, clad in wood, with marble-topped tables and plain wooden chairs. However, as you continue in, 24-foot ceilings and a rear wall of paned mirrors make the room feel deeper.

Vintage wallpaper, leather club chairs and antique chandeliers The basement lanes. complete the effect.

Looking down the bar to the front.

The basement bowling also has a 70-foot bar made of quartz and walnut. Bowling is by reservation. A colonial would have been proud.

A NEW, PLAYFUL GATHERING PLACE The Wow Factory, an indoor playground and FEC in Coconut Creek, FL, has opened. It offers a boutique-style, 10-lane center with craft beer and wine bar. It boasts up-to-date equipment, a comfortable lounge, pool tables, and video arcade. High-end events and corporate parties are high on its offering list, as well as birthday parties, bar/bat mitzvahs, school field trips and summer camp activities.

A WHOLE LOT OF TRENDY Stone Pin Company is one of the boutique bowling venues sprouting up across the country. Located in Greenville, SC, Stone Pin will offer six sleek, black lanes outfitted with the latest technology which will allow bowlers to link their social media accounts to their lane, creating a live play by play of their bowling game on Facebook. As with all boutiques, food is of prime importance. Stone Pin will offer a full restaurant and premium bar.

Co-owners, Paul Talley and Howard Dozier, have opened Revel Event Center upstairs from Stone Pin as a large event space. Each package compliments the other. Talley and Dozier see their new enterprise as not only trendy but inviting for all ages. Stone Pin is due to open in mid-February.

January 2017

ALSO HAPPENING Per owner Chris Poole, The Alley, in Raleigh, NC, has quadrupled its business since it opened in 2008. However, plans are to leave the location and reopen by summer 2017 in Durham. The building’s owners are rumored to be replacing the center with a small-scale Target store. Poole and his brother have a sister location in Charleston, SC. The new center in Durham will downsize from 24 to eight lanes and have an expanded dining room.

33 Elmwood located in Westbrook, ME, opened its doors in November. A candlepin center, it also offers a restaurant.

Marcel Lessard has owned and managed centers in Connecticut for over twenty years. He has now opened Lessard Lanes, formerly Laurel Lanes, in Plainville. It has 28 lanes, indoor mini-golf and party rooms.

There is nothing worse than a vacated bowling center.

Caledonia, MN, had one, Starlite Lanes, going back to 1977. Matt Phillips and Adam Augedahl, local business owners, decided to purchase the space as a storage area for their company. With a lot of encouragement from the community, they decided instead to refurbish it and open as MAAD Alley.

October saw the opening of Main Event’s 29th location in Olathe, KS, and the second one in the metro Kansas City area. The Olathe venue features 22 ice white bowling lanes, billiard tables, a multilevel laser tag arena, and a high ropes adventure course suspended 9.5 feet in the air over a games gallery which has over 100 interactive and video games.

FEATURE

GET M E SO FU N

At Rigby’s ent Entertainm ling bow Complex, an is part of ent entertainm hotspot.

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By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

A

t the Face to Face Entertainment Conference (F2FEC) in 2015, newcomer to the industry Steve Rigby was full of passion and on a quest for knowledge that would ensure success. Rigby was already making a mark on the family entertainment industry, although his FEC had only been open since May 2013. “I was inspired by my children, who wanted something to do in our area, so I built Rigby’s Entertainment Complex in Warner Robins, Georgia.” Rigby is a guy who thinks big, so it was no surprise he built an expansive complex.

Rigby’s Entertainment Complex is a massive 50,000-square-foot building with a restaurant, a bowling alley, a roller skating floor, laser tag, arcade, go-karts, mini-golf, oyster bar and dessert bar. The fun is all under one roof.

Before building the entertainment complex, Rigby did lots of research. “We visited countless entertainment facilities to experience industry leaders for ourselves and to see what makes them successful,” he said. “This, paired with what we learned at conferences and meetings, allowed us Steve Rigby

FEATURE understand what it takes to be successful in this industry.”

“Bowling was included in the original plans,” Rigby shares.

“The attraction itself brings in groups of two or more, which plays in to what our facility focuses on — socialization in a fun environment. Bowling is an event designed for groups and it pairs well with food and beverage. There’s a lot of downtime during a game of bowling for each individual, so creating a conducive atmosphere for ordering drinks and entrees is imperative to the overall success of any facility. Bowling is a great activity for every age. At a beginner level, it doesn’t take much

skill to enjoy, especially with the use of bumpers; teenagers can socialize while they play; and adults can take it easy from a long week.”

Bowling strikes a chord with visitors to Rigby’s.

However, Rigby wants to offer other experiences for his guests. “The attractions added were based on what was shown to perform best in the industry and what our community suggested. The most popular attractions vary depending on the age.

Skating is most popular for 4th grade to 8th grade, and laser tag is most popular with adults 21-35 years of age. Go-karts are most popular overall.”

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FEATURE Rigby’s biggest challenge is overcoming the assumption that the complex is just for kids. “We attract kids but advertise to the adults. One recent adult-oriented event in August was a ballroom dance night, which attracted adults who wanted to learn swing or salsa or cha cha and calypso.” Rigby has found other, internal challenges in the business. For instance: making sure every advertisement is up to date, including the website; staying ahead of building wear and tear; and communicating with managers and staff.

Rigby’s greatest source of revenue is corporate event bookings. “Getting the word out about who we are and what we do is huge on building corporate business.” An outside sales person does it the old fashioned way, knocking on doors and shaking hands.

Rigby’s also promotes bookings via social media and the website. “It is hard to explain what Rigby’s is [over the phone]. We have to get the decision makers in the door for a tour of our facility, and then the party is all but a done deal. Space is a must for big

that are associated with holidays that are typically busier than others in our industry,” says Rigby. “Most of these are school or bank holidays that fall on Mondays. For example, on Labor Day, we offer a $24.95 deal that includes unlimited mini-golf, skating, laser tag, and bowling.”

Rigby noted that because he had no other connections to the industry, it was an open playing field as far as vendor selection went. “We pair with the vendors we do because we’ve developed more personal relationships, rather than straight business.

We connected with them [personally], and their products matched our needs the best.”

On October 29th, Rigby’s hosted their first Oktoberfest, replicating the success of their St. Patrick’s Beer Fest. “It is an opportunity for us to host a big event that is created for, advertised to, and attracts our main demographic. We have music throughout the event and craft beer from across Georgia and surrounding states. It showcases us as a destination for the best and most fun events. This is imperative for our branding as an experience, which is essential in today’s market.”

“Our philosophy is to treat people right and create an atmosphere of fun that is From left to right: David Frewing, Glenn Keenan, Steve Rigby, and Gracie Rigby. comfortable for everyone,” shares Gracie Preston Rigby, director of marketing.

“Treating people right is a golden rule that our family lives by. We provide companies to have a party. We have over 50,000 a place to feel safe and relaxed. What good is fun if you’re not square feet of fun under one roof, plus an outside comfortable having it? ❖ oyster bar, race track and 19-hole mini-golf course.”

The marketing relies heavily on social media, putting the most focus on Facebook. They study Google Pamela Kleibrink Thompson lives in Idaho. In addition to writing, she is a career analytics to work on how to best direct customers on coach and scenario role player for peace officer training. Pamela worked as the website while keeping the online presence up to a production manager on the Emmy Award-winning animated series The Simpsons, where she bowled regularly with members of the crew. She date. In a throw-back to past days, Rigby’s advertises speaks on career issues at conferences all over the world.You can reach Pamela on the radio when having a large special event. Rigby’s at PamRecruit@q.com. offers promotions as well. “We offer various specials 14

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January 2017

TRADESHOW PREVIEW

Charleston, SC, is the perfect backdrop for BPAA’s Mid-Winter Summit.

By Pamela Kleibrink Thompson

“B

owling Summit 2017 is a great networking event!” says Kelly Parker, certified meeting planner and director of Meetings and Events at the BPAA. Start 2017 off right by learning strategies for success at BPAA’s 2017 Mid-Winter Summit at Belmond Charleston Place in Charleston, South Carolina, January 22-26.

“The Summit is a great opportunity for members to join together to plan the future year, as well as meet with industry partners to see new products and services that can be beneficial to their business,” states Parker.

Mari Smith, one of the world’s foremost experts on Facebook marketing and social media, author of The New Relationship Marketing, and coauthor of Facebook Marketing: An Hour A Day, is the keynote speaker at the Mid-Winter Summit on Tuesday, January 24. The “Queen of Facebook” will show how to get started with the right social media channels to increase traffic to your bowling center.

Kelly Parker

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Smith will share a simple 3part approach to getting started on Facebook, including how to effectively integrate what you’re already doing on Facebook into other channels to massively amplify your results. Discover simple processes for generating more qualified leads (including Smith’s all-important frame-ofmind-marketing method). Smith will reveal tactics for growing a fiercely loyal community of raving Mari Smith fans. She’ll share tips on the biggest social media mistakes business owners make and how to fix them.

Parker believes that bowling center proprietors, managers and industry leaders will learn how to make their business better, learn how to promote bowling to youth, and discover culinary trends. Food and beverage is a big part of the industry, and the presentation on menu engineering will provide great insights.

Gregg Rapp, menu engineer, will show how to differentiate

TRADESHOW PREVIEW food service from other available dining options in your market on Monday, January 23, during his talk, Menus: A Profit Approach.

Rapp will provide the ingredients needed to engineer and design menus to maximize profitability and guest retention. In an informationpacked seminar, Rapp will share a five step approach to enhancing your menu. Learn why pictures don’t always help your menu and how to write menu descriptions to match your concept. Intriguing menus can help you stand out as a dining destination. Learn why you need to stay with one format of menu pricing. If you have a bar, learn the secrets of upselling while building relationships with customers.

Another trend is converting from traditional to bowling entertainment centers. Learn how to convert your business model with Rick Heim of Spare Time Texas on Monday, January 23. Heim has helped convert or open 50+ bowling-based entertainment centers worldwide and owns two himself. He’ll share insights on the considerations of conversions. A panel of successful proprietors from around the U.S., who have made the conversion, will discuss what worked, what didn’t, and how to make a successful conversion.

Bowling proprietors can attend a wide selection of learning labs, including IBC’s New Youth Learn to Bowl, presented by Stephen Padilla, USBC Gold Level coach; Roger Noordhoek, senior director of Youth Marketing; and Bart Burger of BPAA on Monday, January 23. The launch of a new Youth Learn to Bowl program is designed specifically to help you introduce youth to the great sport of bowling. Session attendees will learn how to execute the program at their center and go home with a free Learn to Bowl kit.

Attracting customers will be the focus of Bill Thiel, Sr. and Kandice Durden of Cox Media Group Research who will present answers to questions, such as, “Does food and beverage really matter to your customers?” on Monday, January 23.

Learn the behaviors and motivators of frequent bowlers and occasional bowlers and what are the top occasions driving visits to your center? Which social media channel is most popular with your customers? Which offers are most attractive to your customers? What are the perceptions of bowling and your center?

Enjoy networking aboard the World War II aircraft carrier USS Yorktown at Patriots Point on Tuesday night, January 26.

This special historical venue is a remarkable backdrop for Summit 2017's closing event.

Since its inception in 1975, Patriots Point has evolved as one of the region’s most memorable travel destinations. Established as a naval and maritime museum on Charleston Harbor, Patriots Point provides unmatched views of the harbor and the Charleston city skyline.

Prepare for the future and celebrate the past, and make sure your center is ship-shape for the new year at Bowling Summit 2017. Hope to see you there! ❖ Pamela Kleibrink Thompson lives in Idaho. In addition to writing, she is a career coach and scenario role player for peace officer training.

Pamela worked as a production manager on the Emmy Awardwinning animated series The Simpsons, where she bowled regularly with members of the crew. She speaks on career issues at conferences all over the world. You can reach Pamela at PamRecruit@q.com.

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COVER STORY

By Robert Sax

T

he bowling business is very much a family affair, with family-operated centers and suppliers wellrepresented throughout the industry. One reason for this is that family owners instinctively understand how to serve a clientele that includes many families. Another reason is the potential for a family to pull together and get the job done in a business that’s demanding on an owner’s time, resources and sense of humor.

Bruce and Stephanie Davis can be considered one of the first families of bowling, and they know a lot about pulling together to get the job done.

They describe their method as refusing to lose, and it has gotten them through the most difficult of times in business and family life.

Industry insiders know Bruce and Stephanie as innovative marketers who have been active with individual bowling centers, national chains, manufacturers and distributors as well as industry associations and committees. Their Focus on Results group may be the most comprehensive marketing and management club in the industry.

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One of the industry’s most sought-after speakers, Bruce has been inducted into the Toledo and Ohio bowling halls of fame and is a recipient of the BPAA’s President’s Medal and the V.A. Wapensky Award for significant contributions to the marketing of bowling. That’s not bad for a man whose career began in the toothpaste and soap business.

Bruce’s mother and father owned and operated a bowling center in Toledo, Ohio. When Bruce finished college, he went to work for Colgate-Palmolive for a year and then served in the army. He had planned to go to graduate school following the army and then return to Colgate-Palmolive. But his parents had expanded their first center to 30 lanes and had also purchased a second 32-lane center in Toledo. Bruce’s father asked him to help out by running one center’s restaurant and night club for a short time. That temporary assignment turned into full-time management with increasing responsibility for both centers as his parents eased into retirement.

At the time, there were 22 bowling centers in the Greater Toledo market and they formed a joint marketing group. Since Bruce was educated in marketing, he took the lead in

COVER STORY developing promotions that succeeded in building business for all were in Alaska twice in one year. I've done the member centers. But there wasn’t much demand for marketing seminars in literally every state in the union services elsewhere, so when Bruce eventually opened his own multiple times for all the different bowling marketing agency, Davis Productions, he diversified to serve other games, ten pin, five pin, candle pin, duck pin businesses including the marine industry and chambers of commerce and probably in three or four foreign around the country. countries,” says Bruce. Over time, as the The bowling business underwent much change in the late 1970s, bowling industry’s need for marketing which drove more and more clients to Bruce. “We ran a lot of programs grew, Bruce’s business increased to things for the industry, whether it was ABC, WIBC, YABA, BPAA, 80% bowling clients.

Strike 10 or whatever. We were involved in the alphabet soups for Along the way Bruce and Stephanie’s sure,” recalls Bruce. By this time, Bruce had met several other savvy working relationship grew into a personal bowling marketers, including Fred Kaplowitz, Lee Zavakos and Bill as well as professional partnership. They Kuczinski, with whom he teamed up as Bowling Business Builders married and started a family with the arrival International with “the intent of doing something singularly big for of daughters Natalie and Olivia. They grew the industry.” their family again when they adopted son However, BBBI’s first big venture was a league product called Win Ever from Guatemala. and Roll in Las Vegas, but despite its encouraging name, it was a bust.

Unfortunately their daughters’ health But Bruce and his partners were determined to create something problems were to become the biggest big. “We had to tighten our belts and decide if we were going to challenges that Bruce and Stephanie ever invest again,” says Bruce, “and we did. We invested in the product faced. At age four, Natalie was diagnosed we call Kids Bowl Free." It was based on a program Bruce had run with a congenital heart defect that required in Toledo decades earlier, updated for the digital era. three surgeries. Later, Olivia, the child they Ten years later, Kids Bowl Free is one of the largest bowling had always considered the healthy one, promotions ever, a branded phenomenon that Bruce says has more inexplicably began having dozens of brain centers and more kids in it each year. “It's a good marketing lesson seizures a day. that lots of times an old idea with new tools can be very successful,” It took several years of testing and says Bruce. treatments before doctors were finally able It was another marketing venture that led to the most important to diagnose Olivia as having Rasmussen partnership of Bruce’s life, his marriage to Stephanie. She was a sales encephalitis, a rare, progressive brain disease. executive for a Toledo radio station, and her sales manager told her It causes inflammation of the brain and can to make Bruce’s agency a top priority. “Bruce [was] a very difficult person to get lead to epilepsy, paralysis and cognitive in and see, but he was a high target because he represented a lot of businesses,” problems. In Olivia’s case, doctors says Stephanie. “I got in to see Bruce and he told me, ‘Well, your radio station isn't really the demographics I usually buy, but I have a way that maybe we can utilize your station, but I don't have time to talk to you today. Come back tomorrow.’"

As Stephanie learned later, Bruce had no plan at all; it was an excuse to see her again. “I had to be creative and very quick. Within 24 hours, I had to come up with something,” Bruce recalls.

When Stephanie returned the next day, Bruce presented her with an idea for a league promotion for radio stations called Radio Have a Ball. “We unrolled it in Toledo that year, and it was wildly successful,” says Stephanie. “We ended up taking that promotion all over the country for about ten years in major markets.” Bruce hired her to help him run the program along with other projects he had going on.

“We went to Australia and did seminars. We Toledo Sports Center rendering 1938 owned and built by Bruce’s parents.

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COVER STORY recommended the surgical removal of one of the two hemispheres of the brain. It was risky but the surgery is often very effective in reducing seizures, so the Davises decided to take the risk.

As Stephanie relates in her memoir and self-improvement book “Refusing to Lose,” she reached a turning point where she “refused to let Olivia be a victim. I refused to buy into the idea that my bright, energetic child wouldn’t have the life she deserved.”

Olivia ultimately required several brain surgeries, followed by extensive recovery and rehabilitation. It was a very difficult and stressful period for everyone in the Davis

family, demanding great courage and many hours spent in hospitals.

Fortunately, Bruce and Stephanie had the coping skills they developed in business and the flexibility to work from any location.

“There’s always many ways to get to the end goal,” says Stephanie. “There were many times that Bruce would record an interview he was doing for our Focus on Results marketing club from Olivia's hospital room,” says Stephanie. “I would be writing marketing material from her hospital room or a surgery waiting room.”

Along the way, Stephanie developed special skills in navigating the many

Left to right: Bruce Davis, Kathie Lee Gifford, Hoda Kotb, and Darin Spindler showing off the Kids Bowl Free Program.

challenges of helping a child and a family survive a serious health problem. As a result she became an ad hoc resource for other families trying to cope with a serious illness. “I was just a parent that the doctors knew and the nurses knew and they would [ask] ‘Would you talk to this family or that family? They're considering brain surgery.’" says Stephanie. “I enjoyed doing it so much that I became a certified coach and started working with parents of special needs children, especially those who are faced with neurological disorders.”

After the ordeal of Olivia’s illness, Stephanie wanted to share her hardwon wisdom and experience with other families with seriously ill children. She 26

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COVER STORY absolutely had to focus on our children and providing them with the most normal childhood that they could have in light of all of the challenges we had,” says Stephanie. “90% of our time was focused on our kids and each other and 10% was focused on business for a long time.”

In her book, Stephanie discusses the importance of finding the right balance in life. “We believe in balance.

We've taught our children to be very balanced and so it's not just what's right for you right now and what you want, but it's your overall well-being,” says Stephanie. “The happiest people that I've ever met

Part of the BBBI cofounder team with former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

From left to right: Bill Kuczcinski, Darin Spindler, Bruce Davis and Lee Zavakos.

wrote and published “Refusing to Lose” and became a speaker and health care advocate. She also continued her coaching activities.

In 2017 Stephanie and a partner, Alysia Peddy, will launch Family Support Village, a website and online community offering support, education, resources, and connections for parents of children facing medical, behavioral, and learning challenges. “It's directed mostly for parents of kids with extra needs,” says Stephanie. “We're very focused on how you can manage medically what's happening in your child's life, how you handle the other children in the household, your relationship

1984 Peterson Champions “come back” tournament.

in my life, especially through coaching, are people who have solid coping skills.”

These days Bruce and Stephanie are happy just to be the busy parents of three regular kids with the typical demands of school, sports and community activities. It helps that they know how to work together as a team.

“He is good in some things, I am good in others. And we really learned to respect and be very proud of what the other person does,” says Stephanie. “It has been a true partnership at work and at home.” ❖ Frank DeSocio (left) and Tom Martino (right) present Bruce Davis with BPAA’s Media Award.

with your spouse, how you handle the stress of everything.”

Stephanie says many people ask her and Bruce about the key to their success. She says there isn't really one key but their ability to focus on their family problems to the exclusion of all else was essential. “We 28

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Robert Sax is a writer and PR consultant in Los Angeles. He grew up in Toronto, Canada, the home of five-pin bowling.

PROFILE

TURNING THE

CORNER Meet the Pollards, reunited in love and bowling in St. Louis.

By Mark Miller

F

unny how things that happen early in life can come full circle years later. Just ask Brad and Heather Pollard, owners of Shrewsbury Lanes, the 24-lane suburban St. Louis icon they saved from the auction block in 2013. The irony started the day Brad was born. He was delivered by a Shrewsbury police officer who stopped the family car after running stoplights in a snowstorm on the way to a hospital in St. Louis. Shrewsbury didn’t, and still doesn’t, have a hospital.

Years later in biology class at Parkway South High School in Manchester, Brad told a group of friends he’d like one day to own a bowling center. Among the group was Heather, whom he later dated a couple of times before going their separate ways after she graduated in 1990 and he the year after.

“I think they kind of chuckled at you,” Heather recalled. “I had always liked bowling and bowling centers,” Brad replied. “I had 30

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bowled in youth leagues. In fact, my first trophy was at age 6.”

Brad attended Southwest Missouri State University, now known as Missouri State University, in Springfield where he studied physical education and health with the intent of becoming a teacher. That changed after competing on the school bowling team with Steve Wiemer who later hired him to operate the pro shops at his centers —Sunshine Lanes for four years and Enterprise Park Lanes for eight. “I liked the bowling business,” Brad said. “Then in 2006, I got out of it for a while, and went to work for Northwestern Mutual selling insurance as a financial advisor.”

Brad remained a bowler competing in Springfield-area leagues and tournaments. He also was married for 13 years and had two children before his marriage ended in 2011. Heather remained in the St. Louis area studying horticulture at Merrimac Continued on page 34...

PROFILE ...Continued from page 30

Community College. She was married for 16 years and stayed at home with her four children until returning to the financial planning business

where she worked before her marriage, which ended in 2010.

The couple reconnected at a Christmas party in 2012 arranged by the same group of high school friends who remained close thanks to Facebook. “We said, ‘Hey, we’re both not married and you look pretty good. You’ve held up well,’ ” Heather said. The challenge was living three hours apart with six children between them. “I’d come up here to see her when I could, or we’d meet in Rolla for dinner or something,” he said. “In early 2013, we said ‘this is kind of serious,’ ” Heather said. “But this living in two cities is not conducive to a serious relationship. So we decided to look for a financial planning firm we were going to buy.” “Since we were both in the same business, it kind of made sense for something up here,” Brad recounts. “I had roots up here; my parents, my sister were up here [St. Louis]. It made sense [to move back to St. Louis] rather than bring her to southwest Missouri where she knows no one.”

They soon realized that owning a financial planning business wasn’t as simple as it sounded. So, in July 2013, a friend, who just happened to live in Shrewsbury and recalled Brad’s goal in high school, sent Brad an email saying he should buy Shrewsbury Lanes. Combining Brad’s desire to own a 34

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business and move back to St. Louis, and with his bowling knowledge, they figured it was worth a shot.

The challenge was they had only about two weeks to put together a business plan, loan proposal, and other details.

The bank, which was auctioning the facility, gave Brad a tour, so the center’s needs were known in advance. They submitted an initial bid on a Thursday and after some waiting and negotiating, it was accepted on the following Monday and the auction was canceled. On Sept. 11, 2013, Shrewsbury Lanes officially became theirs, about a month after the previous owner closed it down.

Next was tackling the extensive renovations needed to restore the facility, which was built in the early 1940s. The flat roof was so badly disintegrated that buckets were hung to catch the leaks. The parking lot had to be completely replaced which took 247 tons of asphalt to level the potholes.

The Pollards were not yet married and still working in their financial planning jobs. She had children ages 17, 15, 12 and 10 and his were 10 and 4. At this point, Brad quit his job and moved to St. Louis where he lived with Heather’s sister and brother-in-law. The original plan was for her to work for a year while he revamped Shrewsbury.

“We quickly learned it was not a one-man job,” she said. “I took a month’s leave of absence after dealing

PROFILE

with ceilings being torn down and the parking lot and the permits.”

After everything was finished in late October, they opened the doors for friends, family, and people nearby. “We were ready to roll,” he said. “At least we thought we were.” That is, until Brad contracted viral meningitis and landed in the hospital.

Heather had to operate the place by herself. “Here I am with a scarf on and pretty red shoes and someone tells me there’s a ball stuck in the back,” she said. “Luckily someone who used to work here said, ‘You’re going to die. You can’t go back there with a scarf on.’ That’s how much I knew about bowling.”

The day after Brad left the hospital, the health department reported that they needed to do nearly $15,000 more work, which closed the center for several weeks in November. They ripped up the ceiling and the plumbing, jackhammered the floor, renovated the bar area, and upgraded the appliances from residential to commercial grade. The list went on and on.

Finally receiving the health department’s blessing, Shrewsbury Lanes opened for good the day before Thanksgiving with no leagues. They quickly organized a Monday group which attracted 30 bowlers and added a Have-a-Ball league which carried them over to the summer of 2014.

When things settled down a bit and they had enough trust in an employee to run the center, Brad and Heather took one day off to get married at Shrewsbury City Hall, Dec. 11, 2013, with only their sisters and brothers-in-law in attendance.

While Brad knew bowling’s cyclical nature, Heather wasn’t initially prepared for the emptiness once April rolled around.

Plus, he was more familiar with front-end and on-lanes operations than back-end. So they both learned a lot as they went along, and now Heather concentrates on the bar and food areas.

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The early challenge has been letting people know the center is open and ready to serve the community and surrounding areas. Tucked away from nearby main streets, it’s not an easy place to find. “A great location with terrible visibility,” is how Brad described it. With so much money spent to bring the place up to code, marketing and promotion had to take a back seat. However, since opening, business has done quite well. “We see progress everywhere,” Brad said. They have increased their league bowlers every year so far, from 188 in 2014-2015, to 248 in 2015-2016, to more than 300 this season.

Open play has also increased. “We’re getting more families in here than we used to,” Brad said. “And I think we were the first center in the area to go completely nonsmoking. For the clientele we are trying to serve, we just decided to go smoke-free and build a smoke-free clientele.”

Now that Shrewsbury Lanes has returned, the two primary goals are to use the momentum to build youth and senior presences and to grow leagues. Brad, who taught bowling at Drury University in Springfield and became a Silver-level USBC coach, has helped build the youth program and summer camp while offering lessons to bowlers of all ages. “We joined the Kids Bowl Free program, and it was okay the first year and this year we stayed busy during the days,” Heather said.

“We’re not making millions of dollars, but [there are] more families coming in the door. Our snack revenue has tripled from the first summer.”

Shrewsbury Lanes, like the lives of Brad and Heather Pollard, truly has gone through a profound shift. “It’s still a work in progress, but every day we look at each other and think, ‘We’re turning the corner,’” Heather said. “If we feel this way after three years, at the five-year mark, it should be even better. There’s nothing giving us reason for concern. What worked for us, since we didn’t buy a modern bowling center, is the classic look, the mom-and-pop feel. I know other families own places but they aren’t always cooking the burger and serving the beer, and I think we’ve got a strong following that likes that it’s a family-oriented business.” ❖

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.

DATEBOOK

JANUARY 2017 3-8 Team USA Trials/U.S. National Amateur Championships Sunset Station Henderson, NV USBCTeamUSA@bowl.com Pwba.com/tournaments/schedule 12-13 TrainerTainment Business Coaching Conference BPAA Intl Training Campus (817) 886-4840 cso@trainertainment.net 22-26 BPAA Bowling Summit Charleston, SC www.bowlingsummit.com 25-26 Birthday University Hilton Garden Inn Lake Buena Vista, FL Frank Price (919)387-1966 www.fl-price.com 29-31 IAAPA FEC Summit We-Ko-Pa Resort, Conf. Ctr. Scottsdale, AZ Leslie Hutcheson (703) 299-5761 lhutcheson@iaapa.org 31-February 1 Lasertron Entertainment Center Conference Rochester, NY Ann Kessler, (305) 257-3930 Greg Watches, (800) 897-8766 x 330

FEBRUARY 18 – July 9 USBC Open Championships South Point Bowling Plaza Las Vegas BOWL.com/OpenChamp

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19-26 USBC Masters Orleans Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, NV www,bowl.com/masters 21-23 F2FEC 2017 Conference Chateau Elan Winery & Resort Braselton GA amigos@f2conference.com

MARCH 13 TrainerTainment Leadership Conference BPAA Intl Training Campus (817) 886-4840 cso@trainertainment.net

24-27 USBC Convention & Annual Meeting The Orleans Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, NV Email: convention@bowl.com (800) 514-2695

JUNE 8-9 TrainerTainment Sales Conference BPAA Intl Training Campus (817) 886-4840 cso@trainertainment.net 18-22 BPAA International Bowl Expo Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center Nashville, TN www.bowlexpo.com

APRIL 4-6 Birthday University Chicago, IL Frank Price (919)387-1966 www.fl-price.com 21-23 NJ Amusement Associations East Coast Gift & Variety Show Golden Nugget Atlantic City, NJ www.njamusements.com 23-28 BPAA – Bowling University Bowling Center Management Intl Bowling Campus Arlington TX Bpaa.com/bowlinguniversity/management-schools 23 – July 9th USBC Women’s Championships Raising Cane’s River Center Baton Rouge, LA

JULY 6-8 Birthday University Raleigh, NC Frank Price (919)387-1966 www.fl-price.com

AUGUST 22-24 Birthday University Atlanta, GA Frank Price (919)387-1966 www.fl-price.com

SEPTEMBER 14-15 TrainerTainment Guest Services Conference BPAA Intl Training Campus (17) 886-4840 cso@trainertainment.net

SHOWCASE VIRTUAL MARKETING MANAGER

QubicaAMF has the solution for starting and sustaining marketing programs—their Virtual Marketing Manager program is a simple, affordable, highly effective way to get the professional marketing help needed without monopolizing a great deal of time or burdening your payroll.

The Virtual Marketing Manager is like having the expertise of a consultant and the direction of a mentor all in one. Visit QubicaAMF.com to learn more.

AUTO SCORING RENTAL PROGRAM

With US Bowling’s new PULSE Scoring Rental Program, your center can have the latest auto scoring system with all the best features at a fraction of the purchase price. This new program lets you get started with less than 20% down on a typical purchase price and easy monthly rental payments.

The latest software upgrades are automatic and at no extra cost. Plus, there are no maintenance or update fees to pay, just a low rental payment each month. To get information on how you can afford NEW PULSE AUTO SCORING, call (909) 548-0644 and mention Promo Code CT0999.

TOUCH SCREEN CONSOLE

Steltronic’s Touch Screen Console offers a replacement for existing keypad consoles with a commercial grade, 19-inch touch screen.

“With our new touch screen console, we use a commercial grade touch screen instead of a personal use tablet, as we believe you need industrial strength hardware for public use. Featuring all of the basic needs for interaction with the scoring system, built-in Facebook posting gives your bowling center the advertising it deserves. We are YOUR bowling center management specialists.” For more information, (800) 942-5939; info@steltronicscoring.com.

POINT OF PURCHASE

Brunswick Bowling Products touts its Sync POS as the most robust, feature-rich POS to improve business. Sync runs an entire center with fully integrated marketing, reservations,

and POS. It enhances the bowler experience to increase average sales and return visits.

From games to graphics to customer service features, Sync creates a one-of-a-kind, in-center experience that inspires customers to stay longer, spend more, and come back again and again. Visit www.brunswickbowling.com/sync for more information.

CUSTOMER REWARDS

eBowl.biz, an industry leader in digital markting, has he affordable solution to tracking and rewarding customer visits! EBowl.biz’s virtual punch card includes rewards, push notifications, customer analytics, and much

more. Just $99 set-up and $49/mo. Details at www.MobileBowlingRewards.com or call (541) 549-0999.

NEW BOWLING EXPERIENCE

IMPLY Technology, developer of unique and exclusive innovations for the entertainment industry, debuted its latest attraction at IAAPA in Orlando, FL, this past November. Green Bowling, built from the ground up, offers a fun way for scoring many strikes. Enhancing the game play is an innovative ball return system; pneumatic bumper system; interactive avatars; smartphone interface; sofas with built-in USB charging stations; adjustable lane bases; and gorgeous themes with exclusive masking panel designs with great visual appeal. For additional information email usa@imply.com, visit www.implyusa.com, or call (305) 497-444.

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CLASSIFIEDS

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CLASSIFIEDS Felix Erickson Co., Inc. Strike Zone © Family of Lane Products Strike Zone© Next Generation LC 5 gal case $105 Envi-Cide II Disinfectant Shoe sparay 12/15 oz $87.95 Solve-It © Orange Foam Cleaner 12/18 oz $69.95 FESI Solve-IT © Ball Wheel Liner 22’ $90 NEW RM 107 Rubber/Cork Wheel Liner $29.95/Roll 000-024-604 Gray Ball Lift Belt $195 ea.

Exclusive Phenolic Kickback Plates Front F128D 16” x 33” $88 ea.

Rear F129 19” x 23 3/4” $88 ea.

F132T 15" x 50" $130 ea.

All plates include screws and instructions 800-445-1090 (F) 609-267-4669 festrikezone.com Resurfacing - Repairs - Supplies - Synthetics

MECHANIC WANTED San Diego, CA: A or B mechanic wanted for AMF 82-70s. Send resume to jimmyzanvar@gmail.com.

MANAGEMENT OPENINGS Seven Ten, 40,000-square-foot entertainment complex in Hagerstown, MD, is seeking an OPERATIONS MANAGER. The facility houses 22 tenpin lanes, arcade, event room, restaurant, bar & lounge. Applicants must have a minimum three (3) years’ experience in restaurant management.

Compensation includes: Salary + insurance + housing.

Please email careers@710bowl.com

EQUIPMENT FOR SALE FOR SALE: 32 lanes Steltronic Super Elex, excellent condition, can separate; we install. 16-lane complete package (or 2 8s), equipment all refurbished and currently in use with Steltronic scoring, A2 pinsetters, HPL lanes-- pick up and move to your location. Gloss Boss Luster King. Brunswick swing/swivel. Wood bowling lanes, 2 ¼”.

Four-foot Blacklight bulbs. Glow vending machine. Powerlifts. 30 AMF HPL arrow panels, new, and HPL lanes. 22 Brunswick Anvil, like new. Complete deck and gearbox assemblies. knotritellc@gmail.com.

For REDLINE FOUL LIGHTS, call 1 (888) 569-7845 or visit Bowlingtrader.com, your FREE bowling buy and sell site.

NEW & USED Pro Shop Equipment.

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

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

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

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

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN 42

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CLASSIFIEDS AMF and some BRUNSWICK PC board repair/exchange. 6-month warranty, fast turnaround. Call or write: WB8YJF Service 5586 Babbitt Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054 Toll Free: 888-902-BOWL (2695) Ph./Fax: (614) 855-3022 (Jon) E-mail: wb8yjf@sbcglobal.net Visit us on the WEB! http://home.earthlink.net/~wb8yjf/

WWW.TEXTBOWLING.COM IBI

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

AMF 5850 & 6525 CHASSIS. Exchange your tired or damaged chassis for an upgraded, rewired, cleaned, painted and ready-to-run chassis. Fast turnaround.

Lifetime guarantee. References available.

[Lazy mechanics & clueless owners, please call someone else.] CHASSIS DOCTOR (330) 314-8951.

CENTERS FOR SALE SW WISCONSIN: 10-lane center, includes bar & grill. New metal roof and paint. Wellestablished leagues. $250,000 OBO. (608) 341-9056.

SW WISCONSIN: 12-lane center with Brunswick pinsetters & AMF synthetic lanes; 13 solid leagues; newly remodeled fullservice restaurant and bar; newly remodeled banquet hall w/ full-service kitchen and bar; excellent community support, prime location!

Call (563) 451-4759

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CENTERS FOR SALE NORTHERN LOWER MICHIGAN: Clean, modern, 14,000 s/f, 12-lane center with Brunswick Pro Anvil lanes & approaches; brand new Touch 3 auto scoring w/ 42� monitors. Great league base & lucrative annual tournaments. Includes: large, active poker room; lounge & snack bar; small pro shop, plus karaoke, games, pool & air hockey tables. Lots of parking! Call (989) 739-4515 for more information.

NORTHERN GULF COAST: 24-lane, split 16/8, FEC. Built in 2006. 2.5 acres and 28,000 s/f building. Brunswick GSX, well maintained. New Brunswick scoring system and Aloha cash register systems in 2014.

Fully enclosed bar/restaurant, full kitchen, walk-in freezer/cooler and pizza oven. Kegel lane machine and new ball drilling equipment. Call Pete, (228) 348-6921 or email: prburns11@cableone.net.

CENTRAL IDAHO: 8-lane Brunswick center with Anvil lanes, 50-seat restaurant with Drive-Thru Window. All new appliances. Only bowling center within 60 miles. Call (775) 720-2726.

APPRAISALS APPRAISALS: LARRY DOBBS MAI, ASA. (214) 674-8187.

Bowlingvaluations@yahoo.com.

WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN

CLASSIFIEDS

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

AMF • BRUNSWICK EQUIPMENT COMPLETE PACKAGES WORLDʼS LARGEST NEW – USED SPARE PARTS INVENTORY ALL AMF BUMPER PARTS, XS Q-BUMP, DURABOWL AND GEN II IN STOCK

SEL L

BUY

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

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

www.tuckerbowling.com

WWW.TEXTBOWLING.COM

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

LOCKER KEYS FAST!

Save $$ on Chassis & P.C. Board Exchange & Repair!

A reasonable alternative for Chassis and P.C. Board Exchanges

All Keys done by code # Locks and Master Keys E-mail: huff@inreach.com TOLL FREE

1-800-700-4539

ARE YOU A FAN OF BOWLING?

MIKE BARRETT Call for Price List

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

www.Facebook.com/BowlingFan IBI

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REMEMBER WHEN

1950 Gillette’s ‘Cavalcade of Sports’

I

n 1950, not a soul around did not know the “Look Sharp, Be Sharp” march and theme song for Gillette’s Cavalcade of Sports, the radio-turned-television program that ran from 1942 to 1960.

Families throughout the country gathered around 7- to 12-inch screens in the ‘50s to watch Friday night boxing on ABC. Also under the Cavalcade of Sports umbrella, audiences watched baseball and horseracing.

To supplement its programming, Gillette placed ads that showcased baseball, tennis, golf and bowling celebrities. In this ad, the reader meets Connie Schwoegler who developed the famous finger-tip bowling grip still used today by many bowlers, IBI ’s David Garber included.

Schwoegler wasn’t a stranger to advertising. In IBI ’s June 2008 ‘Remember When,’ our great kegler was seen in a 1948 Hamms Beer ad, and he also did a Camel cigarette ad. And why not? He was twice an All-Star, in 1942 and 1948, and in 1949 the BWAA Bowler of the Year, plus 15 tournament titles during his career. Bowling was a strong platform and Connie Schwoegler was a LookSharp-Be-Sharp guy! ❖ - Patty Heath

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