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The World's Only Magazine Devoted Exclusively to the Business of Bowling.
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6ISSUE AT HAND
Rise, Phoenix, RiseBy Scott Frager
8SHORTS
• Cybernetic Solutionscelebrates 20 years
in bowling• Intercard touts
2012 as record yearCompiled by Patty Heath
14SPECIAL FEATUREBowling For BucksWhen the Rachael RayShow producers were
searching for afundraising segment,
bowling saved the day.By Anna Littles
16CENTER STAGE
The New Age VikingA look at Iceland’s
newest Bowling Palace.By Robert Sax
22PROFILEFull Circle
Don Hildebrand hasgone full circle in his
career, from long-timeproprietor to Wisconsin’s
newest USBC bowlingassociation manager.
By Mark Miller
CONTENTS VOL 21.3
16
41
THE WORLD'S ONLY MAGAZINE DEVOTED EXCLUSIVELY TO THE BUSINESS OF BOWLING
IBI March 2013
PUBLISHER & EDITORScott Frager
[email protected]: scottfrager
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERChris Holmes
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTGregory Keer
OFFICE MANAGERPatty Heath
CONTRIBUTORSBen Breuner
Fred GrohPatty HeathAnna LittlesMark MillerRobert Sax
EDITORIAL DIRECTORJackie Fisher
ART DIRECTION & PRODUCTIONDesignworks
www.dzynwrx.com(818) 735-9424
FOUNDERAllen Crown (1933-2002)
12655 Ventura BoulevardStudio City, CA 91604(818) 789-2695(BOWL)
Fax (818) [email protected]
www.BowlingIndustry.com
HOTLINE: 888-424-2695SUBSCRIPTION RATES: One copy ofInternational Bowling Industry is sent free toevery bowling center, independently ownedpro shop and collegiate bowling center inthe U.S., and every military bowling centerand pro shop worldwide. Publisher reservesthe right to provide free subscriptions tothose individuals who meet publicationqualifications. Additional subscriptions maybe purchased for delivery in the U.S. for $50per year. Subscriptions for Canada andMexico are $65 per year, all other foreignsubscriptions are $80 per year. All foreignsubscriptions should be paid in U.S. fundsusing International Money Orders.POSTMASTER: Please send new as well asold address to International Bowling Industry,12655 Ventura Boulevard, Studio City, CA91604 USA. If possible, please furnishaddress mailing label.Printed in U.S.A. Copyright 2013, B2B Media,Inc. No part of this magazine may be reprintedwithout the publisher’s permission.
MEMBER AND/OR SUPPORTER OF:
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26COVER STORYWe’re Going Uptown!With the opening ofUptown Alley #1 and #2,Steve Uphoff has startedsomething grand.By Fred Groh
38OFF THE CLOCKThe CrawlerExtreme thrills: It’s just theway Mark Marchido rolls.By Ben Breuner
41TRIBUTERemembering Kegel’sJohn DavisA look at the remarkablelife of the visionary whochanged the way wedo business.By Fred Groh
54REMEMBER WHEN1998Discerning Tastes AgreeBy Patty Heath
36 Showcase
36 Datebook
47 Classifieds
6 IBI March 2013
THE ISSUE AT HAND
Before the days of Google maps and GPS,I recall navigating through seemingly endlessmiles of alligator swamps and boiled peanutshops, only to recognize my final destinationby the huge, painted phoenix seeminglyrising above the ashes on theside of the building. Onsecond thought, it may havebeen painted on the roof. Inany case, I wasn’t quite sureif this building was home toa motorcycle repair shop, aFloridian exotic bird breeder,or the “new” Kegel headquarters.
One step inside, however, and it was clearthat this was no standard manufacturer’soffice, warehouse or factory. There was aspecial creative and adventurous atmospherethat touched anyone and everyone who camein contact with Kegel. More specifically, therewas a spirit and force within the building thatwas larger than the edifice itself. That energyand fire was stoked by Kegel’s founder JohnDavis. He could only be described as largerthan life, just like the Greek mythologicalcreature that proudly and boldly shone onthe building.
The bowling industry lost one of its greatvisionaries when John Davis suddenly passedaway. His passion, energy and his steadfast,
relentless, single-minded need to understand bowling and laneconditions are legendary. He truly was on a mission to bring thesport of bowling back from the doldrums much like his reveredphoenix rose from the ashes.
John had an inexplicable way of answering any simple question,(ie: time of day?) by turning it into anhour-long dissertation of “What isthe perfect scoring condition?”Inevitably, everyone who came intocontact with John walked away alittle more passionate, if not a littlemore confused, about bowlingconditions and the quest for
perfection. He gladly spent millions (my estimates) on his pursuitfor knowledge and preserving the integrity of the sport.
Everyone has a story about the late, great John Davis. In thisissue and online at www.BowlingIndustry.com, we will share storiesabout and reflections of our dearly departed friend and colleague.
On Friday, January 25, 2013 John Davis rose, like a phoenix,to a higher plane. It is my hope and prayer that he’s now that muchcloser to discovering the answers hewas devotedly seeking throughout hisprofessional career.
– SCOTT FRAGER, PUBLISHERAND [email protected]
�THIS MONTH AT www.BowlingIndustry.com
Rise, Phoenix, Rise
A tool is only as good as how you use it. IBI Online has many resource tools whichcan be used to share, learn and promote. Executive directors and association presidents,JOIN! Upload your newsletters. Proprietors, JOIN! Upload your renovations andinspire someone else. Brag! Share marketing ideas that work. IBI can be your ownresource library. Use it.
“What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.” And, that’s no fairy tale! Poolingresources is just plain smart. Join IBI today!
8 IBI March 2013
SHORTS
February was the “Love” month. However, bowling centersacross the U.S. are in the love month all year long. Supportfor and help with causes in local communities and withprograms on a national level are what centers do. Here area few events held in the beginning of 2013.
Camp Lotsafun, a nonprofit organization in Reno, NV, thatprovides recreational, therapeutic and education opportunitiesto individuals with disabilities had its annual Bowling is Lotsafunfundraiser in January at the National Bowling Stadium. CampLotsafun started in the 1970s and has campers as young asseven and as old as 69. It was a community event with raffles,silent auctions and the generous time of Circus, Circus bowlingpro, Jimmy Sturm, who provided free bowling clinics all day.The goal was to raise $12,000 for its scholarship fund.
Hats off to Frames Bowling Lounge in New York City whoheld more than 10 charity events in the month of December,along with raising over $40,000 for various local causes.Large companies such as JP Morgan and Signature Bankhave arranged charity bowling leagues at Frames for theiremployees. These events also act as post-work stress relief.
Gilroy Historical Society in Gilroy, CA, held its 3rd AnnualMuseum Bowl-A-Thon at Gilroy Bowl. The procedes aredesignated for the museum’s endowment fund.
Chipper’s Lanes North in Fort Collins, CO, held the fifthannual Alley Cats Bowling Night to benefit Fort Collins CatRescue & Spay/Neuter Clinic. Participants enjoyed threegames of cosmic bowling with shoe rental included, as wellas dinner.
Oops Alley in Pensacola, FL, hosted a Bowl for the CureTournament, organized by the Greater Pensacola UnitedStates Bowling Congress Association. The money raised willgo to the Susan G. Komen For the Cure organization to aidbreast cancer research.
The fundraiser held at Drakeshire Lanes in Farmington, MI,was for nine-year-old Rachel Morris who suffers from RettSyndrome which keeps her from walking, talking or feedingherself. The community is hoping to collect funds to help theMorris family purchase a handicapped accessible van toassist Rachel.
Lore’s Lanes in New Milford, CT, was the location forDream Come True of Western Connecticut’s Dream Bowlingfundraiser. Children and families enjoyed bowling, facepainting and prizes. Dream Come True promotes and enricheslives of children who are seriously, chronically or terminally ill.
Bowling is business, but there is no business like helpingpeople and communities.
Please let us know what your center is up to by [email protected]
OD
WIL
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Keeping Christmas in the air a little longerand definitely worth acknowledging, New YorkYankees starting pitcher and six-time All-StarCC Sabathia held his CC’s Christmas Caravanat Mission Bowling Club in the Mission Districtof San Francisco. Invitees were 19 at-risk teensfrom Youth and Family Services of Vallejo, CA,who had an opportunity to bowl with Sabathiaand his wife, Amber. Following the bowling,Sabathia took the teens to Nike Town, whereeach one was treated to a $250 shoppingspree and given a $100 gift card to take backto their families.
“It means a lot for me, being from Vallejo,being from the Bay Area, to have theopportunity to go bowling with these kids,”Sabathia said. “It’s my favorite thing to do offthe field.”
The event was hosted by the PitCCh InFoundation, a nonprofit organization founded
in 2009 by CC and Amber that is dedicated toenriching the lives of inner-city youth, of whichCC was one.
As quoted in the Mission Local by JamieGoldberg, “After speaking with the press,Sabathia sat down with the kids and askedthem where they were from. Then he pickeda ball, walked up to the line, and threw itinto the gutter.” While it helped show thathaving fun is just that…having fun, he shouldkeep his day job!
CC Sabathia with youths at Mission Bowling Club inSan Francisco during his CC’s Christmas Caravanhosted by the PitCCh In Foundation.
MISSION BOWLINGCLUB HOSTSAT-RISK TEENS
10 IBI March 2013
SHORTS
A boutique eight-lane center will be opening sometime in the spring in DelrayBeach, FL. Steven Dapuzzo who owns the restaurant SoLita, which is next door,is the driving force. “Downtown has great options for dining and socializing, butthere’s not a lot to do. Delray needs another attraction for entertainment,”Dapuzzo said to Maria Herrera of the Sun Sentinal. The center, not yet named, willalso feature a restaurant and bar that will have an outdoor area.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Liberty Lanes in Liberty,NY, will now be Liberty Lanes! After 42 years, Bob and Arvilla Fix closed the centerwhich had been open since 1970. Within months of the closure, A.C. Patel, ownerof Kiamesha Lanes in Kiamesha, NY, is preparing to reopen the 12-lane centermaintaining the name, Liberty Lanes. Included in the $300,000 makeover will benew pinsetters, a bar area and a game and snack rooms.
Third times’ the charm for candlepin bowling in New Hampshire. Milford Lanes,originally Bowlmor Lanes in Milford, closed last year but will reopen under thenew ownership of the proprietors of Leda Lanes in Nashua. The third name?Lucky’s Lanes!
Jim Grueter, owner and creator of Jim Dandy’s restaurants, will be convertinga charming, 45-foot wide, old, brick building in Nutley, NJ, to a 12-lane center whichwill accommodate a 135-seat restaurant and a bar. The building has been vacantsince 1970. Joseph Haines, a life-long resident of Nutley, said he couldn’tremember the last time the building was productive. Here’s to new life!
Another story of unused space finds new life is Pinky’s Bowling Lanes inTemecula, CA, which has been closed for fifteen years. During that time it had beena Stater Bros. market but then closed. Now, the 30,000 square-foot commercialspace has reopened as Temecula Lanes. Owner Alex Mann, who also operatescenters in Tustin and Riverside, designed the facility to attract the social bowlingcrowd that patronizes “upscale” establishments such as Lucky Strike. Generalmanager Paula Vidad said of the new center, “It’s a hybrid.” From Mondaythrough Thursday, there will be league bowling and from Friday through Sunday,it will be open bowling.
Mann has created a large section of the space for a bar/lounge area with fourpool tables and a private lounge with a pool table and seating for dozens. There areprivate lanes and couches perfect for parties, and there will be a pro shop on site.
The neighborhood at large is excited about the resurgence of life that the centerwill bring to every business.
EXPANSIONS, OPENINGS& NEW BEGINNINGS
Opposition is not always the finaloutcome but often a step in the processof realizing a dream. Dale Schwartz,CEO of Pinstripes, had designs onGeorgetown Park Mall. He proposed tobring a very upscale mix of bowling,bocce, dining and partying to therenovated complex in Washington D.C.Sounds great? Yes and No!
A group of residents were not convinced that this would be such a goodidea. There were strong objections to the bowling, in particular. Noise wasat the stem of the concerns: the noise from rowdy bowlers and the noisefrom the outdoor patio and ensuing parties. The Board of Zoning Adjustmentheard and supported the concerns.
Now, this is where listening comes in handy. In meetings withopponents, Schwartz emphasized that Pinstripes would welcome families,close early, and design and build the facility to eliminate bowling-relatednoise and vibration.
He listened to the concerns of the condominium owners and somewherein all of that it was guaranteed that no sound would be audible for any ofthe residents. Representatives on both sides found common ground, andthe Board of Zoning Adjustment approved the project.
Georgetown Mall will get its bowling center after all, and they will alllive happily ever after. Hopefully.
Pinstripes’ Dale Schwartz talks withresidents about his proposed center.Photo credit: The Georgetown Dish
Intercard Inc., a cash management solutions company for theamusement industry, announced that 2012 was a record year forthe company. 45 new sites were opened in the United States, adomestic single-year high, and 115+ new sites installed globally.
“What’s truly exciting about this remarkable achievement is thatour growth came from both existing customers opening newlocations, and new customers,” said Jason Mitchell, NorthAmerican Sales, Intercard Inc.
New items introduced were: the iPlanner online schedulingsystem; the “Points for Play,” an e-Ticket payment option; and theiTeller II, an automated payment kiosk. Companies takingadvantage of these were existing customers Namco Entertainment,Main Event Entertainment, Brunswick Zone XL and Ryan FamilyAmusements and new customers Lasertron’s Block Party in NewYork, Bowl New England’s Sparetime Lanes in North Carolina,and Headpinz in Florida.
hits new high for 2012
A VICTORY FORPINSTRIPES
IBI March 201312
SHORTS
Do you know what ancient Egypt and 17th century Bostonhave in common? Bowling!
Recently, about 56 miles south of Cairo in the province ofAl-Fayyum, Italian archeologists discovered what they feel isthe oldest indoor bowling lanes dating back to 332 B.C. It wasdescribed as a spaceous room, with a shallow lane runningthrough into a pit and two heavy stone balls lying nearby. Dueto the pottery and copper utensils found in abundance, thelane seems to be part of a residential building. Apparently,private lanes in homes are not new.
More recently, yet still back in the day, Boston delved intorecreational activity. The Big Dig is the nick name for anarcheological project near the Boston Harbor and theCharles River. Although not a large find, a bowling ball wasrecovered that was, in the 1600s, home to Katherine NannyNaylor, the daughter of Rev. John Wheelwright, a prominentBoston minister.
The wheel-shaped bowling ball, which was properlycalled a bowle, is made of lathe-turned oak and at one timeheld a small lead weight and had a decorative cover overthe hole. The bowle would have been used for lawn bowling,more similar to bocce than to a ten-pin game.
Interestingly, the legality of bowling came into questionwhen in 1650 a law was passed which fined tavern owners20 shillings and each player 5 shillings for bowling. Theproblem wasn’t the bowling itself, but the gambling andcarousing that went along with it.
Boston’s early colonial leaders actively legislatedagainst recreation in an effort to control personalbehavior. Much of this attitude was held over from the16th century when English royalty banned bowling amongthe poorer classes in an effort to keep recreation betterfocused on military sports.
Bowling has come a long way, baby!
Historical Tidbits
CYBERNETIC SOLUTIONSTURNS TWENTY
March 2013 marks 20 years of servicein tenpin bowling for CyberneticSolutions. Headquartered in MelbourneAustralia, the company began in 1993with the invention of a small electronicdevise that enhanced the performance ofpinspotter machines.
Also known as Tenpintec, thecompany under the guidance of RayJordan has continued to create newand innovative products specificallydesigned for the bowling industry. UsingBowl Expo as a springboard, thecompany had created partnerships andcollaborations with many of theindustry’s stateside companies, the mostrecent of which was the Australiandistributorship for Kegel in 2009.
“The last 20 years have been a blast,and we are ready to jump head firstinto the next 20,” stated Jordan.Happy Birthday!
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
14 IBI March 2013
f you are a TV host, how do you provide interesting content for theaudience and viewers while raising money for a worthy charity? Thiswas the question put to the producersof the Rachael Ray Show which is
filmed in New York. Just days after HurricaneSandy, the show was interested in using aportable bowling lane for a charity segment.Since the producers didn't know where toget a portable bowling lane, they turned tothe shows’ go-to man, Art Departmentcoordinator Delancey Birzim. Birzim'sresearch led him to the LaSpina family ofMaple Family Centers, and the game was on!
Portable bowling lanes are one ofBrunswick's designs and were often used bythe LaSpinas during the summer months.That's when the family would set up a laneat outdoor summer festivals throughout New York to promote the sportthey love. However owner, John LaSpina found the portable lanecumbersome and challenged his brilliant mechanic Barry Bloomfield totake the Brunswick design to a new level. Barry took on the challenge andworked the specs and together with Brunswick created a product theynamed “Lanes to Go.” When Birzim went in search of a portable bowlingalley for the segment, the LaSpina family had the perfect answer.
Birzim along with the show's crew worked with the LaSpinas in puttingthe lane together and were able to adjust it to fit perfectly on the set ofthe show. Rachael Ray wanted to do a segment that would be fun and wouldgenerate donations for her guest Sheryl Crowe's charity Feeding America,an organization that fights hunger in the U.S. And so the segment was
IBy Anna M. Littles
called "Bowling for Bucks." RachaelRay and Sheryl Crowe generated a
lot of excitement along with $10,000for the charity. In fact, "Bowling forBucks" was one of the highest ratedsegments for a show that’s alreadyheaded into its 7th season.
Ray and the producers loved the segment so muchthey asked Birzim to talk with LaSpina about setting upa prop bowling lane exclusively for the show. Look formore Bowling for Bucks on the Rachael Ray Show insupport of different charities in the future. This could bethe beginning of something big for the business! ❖
Anna Littles, a screenplay and freelance writer andproducer originally from the Bronx, New York, nowresides in Santa Monica, California. You can see herwork on YouTube, IMDB, or on her website [email protected].
SPECIAL FEATURE
In the lime light! Ralph Marino (l), Mechanic at CoramCountry Lanes; Paul LaMar (c), Marketing Director of MapleFamily Centers; and Bill Kimberley (r), Head Mechanic atRockville Centre Lanes on set of the Rachael Ray Show toconstruct the portable lane.
16
The
New
Age
Viki
ng
IBI March 2013
17IBI March 2013
CENTER STAGE
Iceland’s Bowling Palacelocations are upscale establishments
where even a Viking canenjoy some harmless frames
of bowling.
18 IBI March 2013
CENTER STAGE
ports and games are big in Icelandic culture,and the country is known for excellence inshooting, weightlifting, team handball andchess. Bowling, although not a traditional
Icelandic sport, is also very popular, with participationgrowing every year.
The U.S. Navy brought bowling to Iceland when it
built two recreational lanes at Camp Knox, its WWII-era air base there. TheBowling Palace, Iceland’s first commercial bowling center, opened in 1985in Reykjavik, the nation’s capital city.
In 2012 Keiluhöllin, the company owner of the Bowling Palace,opened a second Reykjavik location with the help of US BowlingCorporation. It features 22 state-of-the-art lanes serviced by fully-remanufactured AMF 82-90XL pinspotters and a Steltronic automatic
SBy Robert Sax
20 IBI March 2013
CENTER STAGE
Robert Sax is a writer andPR consultant in LosAngeles. He grew up inToronto, Canada, the homeof five-pin bowling.
scoring system with42” scoring monitors.
There are eight-foot videomasking units across the house with6,000 lumen projectors, andbeautifully-appointed seating areasfeaturing US Bowling’s Celebrityfurniture.
The new center also offersarcade games, pool tables, airhockey and even a golf simulator.An upscale Italian restaurant and asports bar with big screen TVscomplete the amenities.
Keiluhöllin is planning to open athird center in Akureyri, Iceland’ssecond largest urban center. Youcan find out more about thiscreative and exciting company atKeiluhollin.is.hysir.net. ❖
22 IBI March 2013
PROFILE
nly a few people in bowling can comeclose to matching Don Hildebrand'swidespread perspective from a youth bowler
to center employee and manager, and from a local, stateand national proprietor association official to aUSBC association leader. He truly has seen thegame and sport from all sides.
So, his latest endeavor should be no surprise tothose who know him best. The 57-year-old Glendale,WI, resident is in the middle of his first year as themanager of the Wisconsin USBC Bowling Association.“I'm trying to get into the thought more of anassociation rather than a proprietor,” he said. “Theycome from two different schools but share the goal oftrying to keep bowling alive.”
However, he is quickly learning the similarities anddifferences. “The biggest thing I learned as a proprietoris to listen to the bowler,” he said. “Don't feed themBrussels sprouts when they want peas. You have tolisten to the people you want to affect. That's what wedo with the higher average bowler. They make a lot ofnoise. We don't hear from the lower average bowlerwho doesn't make a lot of noise. We have to askmore. “Some association people think the low averagebowler doesn't know anything. Then they fall fromthe wayside. If they ask for shorter seasons, theproprietors are going to give them that. Associationpeople don't do that. We have to learn to listen betterto all of our bowlers not just some.”
���
Hildebrand agreed to switch to the proverbial “dark
side” in 2011, then spent time shadowing Phil LaPorte, who had servedas manager of the Wisconsin USBC bowling association for 19 years.
“I spent one or two hours a week learning the guts of it,”Hildebrand said. “I learned about WinLABS (USBC's associationcomputer system), set up some meetings and worked with some ofthe financials.”
He noted, “It was not in-depth enough that I don't still talk to Phil.He's still on the board. He's manager emeritus and serves as anambassador. It's good to have that reference.”
Hildebrand's apprenticeship ended last Aug. 1, when he officiallybecame association manager. Since then he's been in charge ofoperating the organization's main events: the open championshipsthat featured nearly 2,100 teams in 2012, and the senior tournamentthat drew nearly 500.
To accommodate his new job, Hildebrand moved the associationoffice from LaPorte's home in nearby Germantown to his ownhome basement. Enough space had to be made to include roomfor him and three other people – his wife Krista, Carol Jaske andGloria Behr. That meant most of his man cave had to be replacedby desks, chairs and tables. Krista Hildebrand handles bookkeepingand financials while Jaske takes care of scheduling and moneydeposits for the main tournament and Behr covers the housing andsenior event. All are long-time bowling officials.
O
Former proprietorDon Hildebrandtackles bowling'schallenges asWisconsin’s newUSBC manager.
By Mark Miller
24 IBI March 2013
PROFILE
���
Hildebrand is a lifer who followed a parent's love of bowling. “Ijoined my first youth league at Echo Bowl at age 8,” he recalled.“My mother worked there and made it clear I would be doing that.”
The day he turned 16 in 1971, he started working at the centerlocated just north of Milwaukee.
“I did everything,” he said. “I worked the front counter, was acleaning boy, bus person, cook, pin chaser, basically everything. Ifinally got smart and married the owner.”
Though he enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, hereturned each weekend to work at Echo. Realizing a 160-mileround-trip commute was challenging, he transferred to the Universityof Wisconsin-Milwaukee where he spent the next three semestersbefore quitting school when Krista and sister, Kathy, offered him themanager's job.
As he learned more about the business, he became involved withthe Bowling Centers Association of Milwaukee and BPA ofWisconsin, ultimately holding every office. He was on the BowlingProprietors' Association of America's National TournamentCommittee for nearly two decades, 10 years as chair. That role endedin 2004 when the family sold Echo Bowl to Walgreen. Hildebrandremembers the final night well.
“That was an extremely emotional moment for my wife [Krista]and Kathy whose father, Frank Prasnikar, built the place. We didn'tsell because we wanted to. We did it because they kept coming atus. As we left that final night, we went across the street to Koppsand had an ice cream. In the parking lot was an old car that wasexactly like [the one] their dad had. It was a goose-bumper. To thisday, my wife and her sister will not go into that Walgreens.”
Though the center was no more, the Hildebrands remained closeto the game in other ways. They began promoting in-school bowlingto school districts throughout Wisconsin. Don even joined the GreaterMilwaukee USBC Bowling Association board of directors, serving aspresident in the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons.
“That was a real eye opener because my main obligation was tohelp repair and bridge the relationship between the proprietors andassociation,” he said. “There are a lot of places in the state wherethey don't get along.” As Echo Bowl's long-time voice, Hildebrandcould relate to both sides. While he handled the men’s and seniorprogram, Kathy worked in the office and did the bookwork whileKrista ran the junior program.
���
When he and his family received the offer they couldn't refuse, itended 33 years in the business, a time when he experienced first-handthe dramatic changes that have swept the game.
“The first big change was when women went back to work. Thedaytime leagues quickly began dropping. Leagues as a social normchanged. He also noted the drinking laws changed.
“If one guy had a problem, it was tough because if youlost him, you lost his whole team. As a proprietor I reallylearned how to adapt to what the consumer wanted.”
Hildebrand believes USBC has much to learn.“USBC hasbeen slow to [adapt],” he said. “It's very tough to justifya couples league that bowls once a month to pay the samething as those who bowl every week. I don't know iftoday's consumer sees the value in that membership. If youbowl once a month, eight times a year, what does the $18do for me? There has to be something there. “Proprietorsand USBC look at bowlers in different ways. Forproprietors, they are their livelihood. USBC looks at everybowler as a league bowler.” Hildebrand also noted,“Consumers won't sign up for anything. They won't evencommit to this weekend because something else mightcome up.”
However, Hildebrand thinks USBC can still survive. “Ithas to keep bowling in the forefront.”
���
Though it's been eight years since he stopped being aproprietor, Hildebrand still has plenty of fond memoriesand people they met with whom they are still friends. “Therewas a corps of 60 people who we could count on foranything. They were like an extended family.”
With everything he's already done, Don Hildebrandbelieves his future role is to bring everyone in the bowlingindustry together. “I find USBC is a family,” he said. “Thereare a lot of people who have donated a large portion of theirlife to this industry. But like any industry, you need youngblood. You have to know how to take it to the people.” ❖
Mark Miller is a freelance writer from Flower Mound,Texas. He is the national and Dallas-Fort Worth bowlingwriter for Examiner.com and a columnist for theBowling News Network.
26 IBI March 2013
COVER STORY
27IBI March 2013
COVER STORY
ptown Alley was a third finished when Steve Uphoffdecided to tear it up and start from scratch.
Had it been built the way it was flowing out of hisarchitect’s pen, the Midlothian (Richmond), VA, center would havebeen single-story, traditional, upscale. In a word, pleasant. But notthe eye-popper that opened two days before Thanksgiving last year.
Uphoff is the first to admit that he knew nothing aboutbowling when his son-in-law, Steven Moore, brought him the ideain 2007. Moore knew bowling, having started around age five.By high school, he was glow-bowling at a location just up the road.
“At the time, you were allowed to smoke in Virginia so theywere smoke-filled, just disgusting places that nobody wantedto go to,” Moore remembers. If one of his buddies suggesteda night at a local alley, “half of them said, ‘Man, I don’t want togo to that dirty place!’” But suppose somebody put in a newbowling alley—“fancy, non-smoking, beautiful. That place wouldjust be on fire,” Moore was positive. He had just the place inmind, an empty Winn-Dixie supermarket.
“I figured it would be a cheap play to get in there. I thoughtit was in a great location. It had been vacant for six, sevenmonths. I went as far as to call the realtor. The moment ‘bowlingalley’ came off my lips they hung up on me. No interest.”
Uphoff wasn’t wild about the property either, and that was nospur-of-the-moment reaction. He knew the food and beveragebusiness—crucial in an upscale bowling center thesedays—from his father, whose
UBy Fred Groh
From left: Steven Moore, co-owner, Steve Uphoff, co-owner, and Jimmy Cabanban ,
general manager at Uptown Alley in Richmond. On the plate, the one pound Uppy
Burger. Eat it all and get a free game of bowling.
Photo provided byPage Dowdy .
Phot
o pr
ovide
d by
Pag
e Dow
dy .
28 IBI March 2013
COVER STORY
eponymous chain of Uppy’s family restaurantseventually numbered 11. Before young Uphoff wasold enough to drive a car, he was running anUppy’s.
He also knew property development. The dayafter he graduated from U of Florida, he went towork for an Amoco gas station across the streetfrom the campus. He stayed with Amoco for 16years, eventually having charge of sales for morethan 300 locations in four Southeastern states. Atage 40, he quit to go out on his own and built hisfirst station. In 14 years, he grew his company to 44stores, 1,000 employees, and a 100-million-gallondistributorship. Next, he decided to expand bybuying all the Exxon assets on bid in Virginia,Maryland and Delaware. That gave him 298 stores,making his company the largest Exxon distributorin the U.S. That was in 2010.
But Uphoff didn’t want to be active exclusively inthe volatile-margin business of oil and gas. Two yearsbefore the Exxon buy, he and his wife, Linda, formedUphoff Ventures to buy real estate and develop it intovalue-added property. In 2011 he stepped downfrom the Exxon stations as CEO and decided to get
seriously into the entertainment business.“We liked the idea that the entertainment business was diversified. It
seemed to be doing well in a weak economy. It seemed to be a nicheopportunity because you could build a boutique, something special,something unique, and the adage that if you build something nice theywill come, we felt there was some truth to that.”
Uphoff meant they will come if you build something really nice. His gasstations feature Uppy’s-brand convenience stores, averaging 3,500 squarefeet. It’s “hard to make a sexy gas station,” he says, but the stores are“absolutely clean, well-stocked and [offer] great service.” That chimed in withMoore’s inspiration for a bowling venue that would be something special.
Uphoff didn’t like the idea of setting up a bowling shop in the desertedsupermarket, but he loved the 14-1/2 acres Moore dug up nearby. A corner
Close-up of the boutique lanes. The customlanes and approaches, based on the nearbyJames River, were supplied by Brunswick.
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COVER STORY
was sold to a credit union, and plans call for a hotel of 4-10 stories (200-600 rooms) and possibly a waterpark, but bowling is the main concernat the moment. That will probably have to include a new multi-levelparking garage, Uphoff reports, given the number of patrons UptownAlley has been attracting.
� � �
The early designs for the bowling venue, drawn by the architect for the
convenience stores, were in progress when Uphoffand Moore contacted Brunswick, looking for a bowlingsupplier. As Moore recalls it, Brunswick focused rightaway on how these oil-and-gas people, obviouslybusiness-savvy but not familiar with bowling, weregoing to operate a bowling center.
They were also unfamiliar with boutique bowlingmodules—a problem that photos of Brunswick’s BigAl’s project in Portland, OR remedied immediately.“As soon as we saw that—the whole concept—like‘Wow!’” Moore remembers.
As to day-to-day operations, Brunswick’s newclients would just hunt up a manager. “Howcomplicated could [that] be?” Moore thought.
Quite complicated, if you still have to work out theoperational concept. Enter Trifecta ManagementGroup of Agoura Hills (Los Angeles), CA, a strategicpartner of Brunswick. Trifecta specializes in conceptdevelopment and operational management.
“Turnkey,” managing partner Mike Auger says,describing the services on offer to Trifecta’s clients. Thegroup can create all the operating systems andprocedures for daily operation, all the training contentand materials, all the recipes and plate presentations for
The 14 lanes in the boutique module. Off-camera are the Rotunda “ultra lounge” andlive entertainment space.
Photo provided by Page Dowdy .
32 IBI March 2013
COVER STORY
the food, hire and train the management and staff, andsupply the branding from logo to group sales and PR.
After a meet-and-greet with the Uphoff family and theirgo-ahead, Trifecta began with a three-week study of theRichmond market. “We’re going to get the bowlingbusiness,” Auger was sure when the study results camein. “It’s somewhat undersold here. Just by building it, thebowling portion of the business is going to happen. Thekey is how do we get them to spend money on food andbeverage, on games, how do we animate space so thatpeople will have their retirement parties, their birthday
“If you’re goingto partner with somebody, you
better damn well trust them, right?Otherwise you’ve got the wrongperson,” Steve Uphoff says.
So when Trifecta ManagementGroup, partnering with Uphoff in his first bowlingentertainment project, suggested he take alook at a shuttered bowling property in Surprise,AZ, about 45 minutes from Phoenix, he did.
He found a 60,000-square-foot 40-laner,“very similar” to what he was then building inRichmond, VA, with his son-in-law, StevenMoore. Two and a half years after its doorsclosed, the balls and shoes, the pinsettersand the furniture were still there and so werethe 40 screens for the lanes. Seventy percentcomplete, Uphoff says.
The two men thought the former BoulevardEXP was “really nice,” that it could be finishedvery easily “but there must be liens up theying-yang,” Uphoff surmised.
When they sat down with the developer,Adam Mays of A.R. Mays in Scottsdale, Uphoffasked, “How many people are unhappy?”Mays answered, “There are no liens. Everyonewas paid in full. The bank wrote us a check andevery one of our subs was paid, and we havelien waivers from every one of them.”
Mays had another comment. “Steve, I wantto finish the job,” he said. “Please consider
me. I think it’s a greatfacility. The people of Surprise want to see it.They’ve been waiting for five years”—areference to the launching of the original project,which folded with the economy in 2008.
It sounded too good to be true, Uphoffreports, so he and Moore promptly set out to verify it. Sure enough,there were no liens—and nothing like this center within 20 miles. He wasalso mindful that Trifecta, who would manage the center if he bought, was45 minutes away by air if executive presence was needed in a hurry.
Uphoff bought it for 25 cents on the dollar; added a patio, eliminateda concession stand and redesigned the restaurant at Trifecta’s suggestion;and opened it four months later. That was last May, about six months beforehis bowling venue in Richmond debuted. “It’s been doing great eversince,” Uphoff says happily. He or Moore flies in once a month to checkoperations personally.
The Surprise property, like its Eastward sibling, wears the Uptown Alleyname tag. The attractions at Uptown Alley #2, as the center is known withinthe company, has updated and expanded attractions for the entire family.The arcade features 80+ video, prize and redemption games. The sportstheater rotunda provides all the popular sports packages, year round. Thereis a billiards room with live entertainment on theweekends. The Approach is touted as "the" place foradult socialization, corporate events and parties. And,to top it all off is a state-of-the-art laser tag system fromZone Laser Tag. Erik Guthrie, Zone’s VP of Sales &Marketing states, “The Uptown Alley folks had a clearidea on bringing their vision to life. Zone is proud tohave partnered with them to create a first-class facility.”With all this fun, it's no surprise that Uptown Alley willbe a success.
38 open lanes are part of 57,000-square-footRichmond location, hub of a $20 million complex.
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34 IBI March 2013
Fred Groh is a regular contributor toIBI and former managing editor ofthe magazine.
parties or their corporateevents [here]?”
With the right look andfeel of the space, its“fidelity,” as Auger callsit. That’s a matter ofwhere the lanes go,where the kitchen is, yes,but it’s as much in thedetails of fabric selectionsand color boards andmaterials for the flooring,he says. The intent isalways to create venuesthat are contemporaryand very...comfortable.He uses the word severaltimes as we talk.
For example, the two bars at Uptown Alley have different personalities—anidea Trifecta brought to the discussions. Downstairs, a bar is part of the Red Embersrestaurant. Upstairs, the Rotunda bar is attached to a live entertainment area witha dance floor and live bands. “It’s a little edgier. They’re both very comfortable,but one speaks more as a night spot.”
Meanwhile, Brunswick was at work on a spectacular set of 14 lanes for theboutique module upstairs, steps from the Rotunda. Taking their cue from the JamesRiver, which flows through Richmond, the lanes are printed with a fall river scene.Standing on the approach, you seem to be looking down through clear water torocks strewn on the riverbed or watching autumn leaves lying quietly on the surface.
For nine months Brunswick in the person of Joe Orr, Eric Lindfors or Kurt Harz,plus Trifecta, Uphoff and Moore met in the architect’s office, in Uphoff’s office, inrestaurants, talking details. Trifecta paid a visit every other week for several daysat a stretch. Everything went to the architect for final interpretation in thearchitectural and design plans.
Then ground was broken for a 15-month, ground-up construction.Midway through, Uphoff hosted a thank-you dinner for those working on the project.
Also in attendance were county political officials. Harz, Brunswick’s vice president forNorth American sales, stood up and “made a fabulous speech about this facility, the
relationship they [Brunswick] had with us, withTrifecta, what [it would mean] to the communityto build this facility—just supported us in frontof our Chesterfield County officials who werethere to get a feel for what this facility wouldbe. So did Trifecta [managing partner BruceNussbaum],” says Moore.
� � �
“Ever heard of the game called Captain’sChoice?” Uphoff asks. “It’s when fouraverage golfers tee off and the best ballon the fairway is played. The other threeplayers pick up their ball and bring it to thebest ball [location] and they hit again.
“Four duffers that play a horrible gametypically will come in below par. The reasonis that it’s a collaborative effort of fourpeople, creating a magical result.
“You do not go into business doingsomething you don’t know anything about,”he continues. “You sure as hell can’t getfinancing if you’re going to go try it withoutsome level of expertise, and you’re a fool inbusiness if you try. Uphoff Ventures is not anoperator of bowling facilities. So what didwe do? We aligned ourselves with Trifecta.”
The results have been, as Uphoff mightput it, magical so far. Sixty-five percent ofUptown Alley revenue is coming from F&B,with diners often not bowling at all. AsAuger says, the restaurant is designed as astand-alone attraction. Patrons are alsodriving in from 40 miles away—almost twicethe distance envisioned in the market study.And despite a grand opening on top ofThanksgiving, the entire upstairs was rentedfor private parties every day during theholidays—not a cheap buy at $10,000 or$15,000 for a four-hour affair.
It’s too early to tell if Uphoff will be asspectacular in the bowling business as he hasbeen in oil, but he is off to the same faststart. He is “looking to add” additionalbowling facilities in Virginia, North Carolinaand Phoenix, he says. ❖
9-foot billiard forums upstairs.
COVER STORY
Below, Red Embers, the bar and grill, with 20-footprojection TV and surrounding screens. Upstairs,the boutique module.
Photo provided by 88 Love Stories.
Photo provided by Page Dowdy .
36 IBI March 2013
SHOWCASE
MASKING UNITSColorfully and unmistakablydecorate your center withBrunswick's newly redesignedmasking units, sure to capturebowlers' attention and heightenthe all-around sensory experience. A cut above the rest, ourmasking units have superior glow effect with long-lastingaccurate color. For more information, log on anytime towww.brunswickbowling.com/products/masking-units/ to seethe latest designs. Check frequently for new design additions.
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BES XQubicaAMF introduces thenewest, and world’s only, BowlerEntertainment System. BES X hasbeen engineered to redefine thebowling experience and help centers grow their business.BES X delivers more fun, competitive excitement, whilemaking bowling easier and more comfortable for people of allages through unique and innovative features designed totarget specific customer segments. For more information onhow BES X can redefine the bowling experience and growcenter revenue, go to www.qubicaamf.com.
LED EVOLUTIONThe Lighting Store introduces LED WritingBoards, which are making headway as beingthe most ideal fluorescent board for increas-ing revenue and customer base. Their manylights emitting diodes (LED) positioned toreflect bright light on the writing surfacemakes it great for drawing attention. You can create your owndesign in a multitude of colors with LED marker, allowing youto create a custom display board. To find out more about thisunique way of advertisement, go to http://www.soundand-lightkaraoke.com.
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DATEBOOK
38 IBI March 2013
OFF THE CLOCK
By Ben Breuner
39IBI March 2013
OFF THE CLOCK
ark Marchido is a nature guy. Like a backpacker or a hiker, he loves toget into the outdoors—only Marchido uses a more extreme form oftransportation. When he’s not selling bowling lanes and laser tagarenas, the 41-year-old father fuels his souped up rock-hungry Jeep
into the wilderness to tackle some of the most difficult terrain California has to offer. Marchido is a rock crawler, a term reserved for the most skilled off-roading
hobbyists, who push their vehicles to the limits of rubber and physics. Workingfrom his home in Eastvale, California, Marchido helps run a group called SoCalJeepers that brings together enthusiasts from around the area to embark onbiweekly adventures.
"My nickname is Crazy. Crazy Mark,” Marchido said. “I'm always the one thatwill try anything. If anybody dares me, I typically do it.” Every month or so, he takeshis whole family—including his two kids and his wife—out on technical four-wheeling expeditions. “My kids love it,” he said. “We'll be going down two-tracks and they'll be saying, 'Daddy this is boring, can you go climb that mountainover there?'”
And despite spending the extra money for a reinforced roll cage and 5-pointharnesses for his kids, Marchido said he still pulls his family out of the car on themore dangerous terrain. Originally from Waukegan, Michigan, Marchido movedout to California in 2000 to start a job at US Bowling Corp. He worked there forover a decade, serving as vice president of sales for the last eight years.
In May, he left US Bowling to start his own company, Indoor Fun and Games,which specializes in family entertainment center attractions, including bowling alleys,rock climbing walls, laser tag equipment and many others. But Marchido’s realpassion is Jeeping. A former professional sailboat racer, Marchido owned a Jeepas a teenager and got hooked on rock crawling when he moved to California. Heeven bought his five-year-old son Logan a small plastic Jeep to race on.
“Mark put a full-size battery in it so it'll go faster—a full-size car battery in hislittle Jeep!” said 42-year-old Tara Marchido, Mark’s wife. “I love it. It’s a really funthing to do with our whole family.”
Tara admits that she often gets fearful when riding with her husband. Yet Marchido said he has never been scared. He said the thing to be wary of
when Jeeping is not hurting yourself, but hurting the vehicle. "It's technical driving,the thrill is that if I don't listen to my spotter and do the right thing, I'm going toroll this Jeep and cause thousands of dollars in damage,” he said. “Gettingthrough it and not putting a scratch on the vehicle, it gets your adrenaline going."
Marchido currently owns a 2010 four-door Jeep Rubicon with a V6 engine, 37-inch tires and a smorgasbord of other after-market parts. He previously owned atwo-door jeep, but upgraded to a four-door to make more room for his family.
He leads groups of 8-12 people on weekend trips all over the Southern Californiaarea. Because he is a very experienced driver, Marchido typically drives first in thepack of cars to choose the best lines for his group to follow. “I don't only need toget myself through, I have the responsibility of getting my guys behind me throughwho don't have the expensive jeep setup that I have,” he said. “So I need to makesure that if I'm hitting a trail, they can get through, too.”
Marchido likes to push people in his group to realize how versatile their vehiclesare. “The Jeeps can do almost anything—it's getting the driver to know that theirJeep can it roll over,” he said. “They listen to me and they get through it and theygo, ‘Oh my god, my adrenaline! My heart's pounding! But oh that was so fun!' It'sthat excitement that I love."
M
Marchido poses beside his trusty Jeepwith son Logan and daughter Emily.
40 IBI March 2013
OFF THE CLOCK
Sometimes though, the fear of rolling the car can overwhelm people, and Marchidohas many stories of times he’s had to climb in group member’s cars to get them downtough terrain. "One woman one time was looking at a pretty steep hill. She saw mecoming down with the other organizer, and we were going to get in her Jeep anddrive it up for her,” Marchido said. “She saw that I was coming down and shestepped on the gas and she made it up to the top by herself. She was so scared, shewas crying. But when she made it to the top, she was happy as ever—and she's beenfearless ever since.”
Yet Marchido said you don’t have to have nerves of steel to become an off-roadenthusiast. “Anybody who wants to get outdoors and wants to go camping, it'sgreat,” he said. “A lot of our members are hikers. A jeep can take you anywhere,
Ben Breuner is a sophomorejournalism undergrad studyingat Northwestern University.Originally from San Francisco,he spends his time writing,sailing and enjoying life.
Parkway LanesTrenton, MI (32 Lanes)
Bowling’s Only Full-Service Brokers,Appraisers & Financial Advisors
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(800) 222 • 9131
We congratulate David Patz, JohnMartin and David Martin on theirpurchase of this fine center, andthank Kenneth Roth and David
Roth for trusting us to handle thesale. We wish them them all the
best.
to go do anything.” Even Marchido’s eight-year-old
daughter Emily loves to Jeep. The kidsgo adventuring with their fatherwhenever sports or other commitmentsdon’t get in the way. “It's just reallyfun. You can look out and you see somuch nature but when you're sidewaysyou just see dirt,” Emily said. She alsoadded that she enjoys Jeeping morethan bowling. "Bowling you just do thesame thing. When you're bowling,you're just throwing a ball into the pins.When you're Jeeping, you're climbingon mountains!"
Marchido said he loves to educatepeople about the sport, and he gets athrill from teaching people how to pushtheir Jeeps to the limit. He encouragesthose interested to try it out. “It's a funsport,” he said. “It'll take you places--you'll come across waterfalls that youwould have never seen hiking. It's afamily sport, we spend a lot of timetogether outdoors. We get to camp withfriends—it's a great social gathering." ❖
41IBI March 2013
TRIBUTE
e did not know John Davis the way Len Nicholson did,or Chris Chartrand or Pat Ciniello, all three friends andcolleagues of Davis’s for years who spoke at the memorialservice for him in February. It was held at the most appropriate
possible place: the Kegel Training Center at Kegel headquarters in Lake Wales,FL. Davis died Jan. 25.
We knew some of Davis’s story, the part everyone knows. “He tried to do something that no one else did,” as Nicholson says. “He tried
to make the sport as fair as possible.” The two met in 1988, when Nicholsonhad already been doing the PBA Tour lanes for 27 years.
“John knew more about bowling than anybody I had ever met. He said he
WBy Fred Groh
42 IBI March 2013
TRIBUTE
wanted to learn more. So he volunteeredto come out and observe and help usany way he could. He studied everythingwe did.
“Once he started doing the lanes onthe tour, he realized it wasn’t just the oilpatterns. The shape of the lane causeda lot of problems. So when he built theTraining Center he had cables putunderneath the lane, where you couldadjust the lane to make it flat, depressed,crowned.” He also devised a machine toanalyze and measure the topographyof a lane, the LaneMapper.
“You remember that Applecommercial ‘Think different’?” asksChartrand, Kegel president. “‘Here’s tothe crazy ones, the rebels. They rejectthe status quo and they move the humanrace forward.’ The last line is, ‘Thosethat are crazy enough to change theworld are the ones who do.’ That’s John.He was crazy enough to think that oursport can be saved and could be aglorious activity and sport again. Thatcore belief drove the way he ran hisbusiness much more than profits or hisown self-interest in it [did].”
The word—the word everyone uses
about Davis—is ‘passion.’ “John’spassion for bowling can never beduplicated,” Ciniello says. President ofQubicaAMF Worldwide, he, too, metDavis in the ’80s, when Davis stopped atCiniello’s center to pitch him on Davis’sfirst lane device, The Key. “He believedin the legitimacy of the sport. He felt thatif the sport was gone, the game just[wouldn’t be] enough.
“He was the Steve Jobs of the bowlingindustry,” Ciniello adds, “this personwho had this vision of what a perfectbowling world would be, where thecompetition was there and everybodywas playing on a level field. He kept ontrying to make that level playing field tothe last days of his life.”
We knew that part of the story, but wedid not know the difference Davis made
in many lives, Chartrand’s, for one. “I was 22 years old when I came to Kegel. The position I was being [considered]
for was sales for this whole company. I wasn’t qualified for it, I didn’t know what I wasdoing, I didn’t know how to do it, I was totally unprepared. He gave me an opportunitythat I don’t think any other person would.
“It was because we connected in terms of character and judgment and ethics.He said, ‘All that other stuff will work itself out; we’ll learn that together.’ It was thislong conversation on his back porch about life and about bowling. I think back: at
John and Linda Davis
Loretta Davis and her four sons. From left to right, top row: John Davis, Dennis Davis and Dale Davis.Bottom row: Mark Davis, Loretta Davis and Greg Davis.
44 IBI March 2013
TRIBUTE
23, I’m sitting across from theseinternational distributors. The amountof trust he placed in me wastremendous.”
Ciniello says, “Lisa [his wife] and Iwould be in Orlando and stop atSebring and we would go into hisoffice. This is when he was starting towork on prototypes. On his Mac, hewould show me the distribution of adrop of oil going across the lanes. Wewould talk for hours.
“It was always a dream—this is pre-AMF (merger)—if we combined Qubica andKegel, what a powerhouse that would be! What respect we would get from theindustry because of our shared vision of how you should treat a customer and ourlove of bowling. We talked about that many, many times. ‘Hey John, if we could gettogether we could do this, we could do that!’ We [Ciniello] were in Lake Hamiltonand they [Davis] were in Lake Wales, maybe 20 miles, 30 miles [apart]. We wouldget together and talk, talk about how we grew the businesses and how [our]
philosophies were so much alike.”After Davis died, unexpectedly,
“Uncle Lenny” Nicholson went to staywith Davis’s grandkids to help themover the ordeal. He calls Davis “thegreatest family man I ever met.” Hetells of times when Davis would get tothe Orlando airport only to announce,“Hell, I ain’t going. I’ll send somebodyelse. I’ve got to stay with my family. Myfamily needs me.” But that quality ofregard wasn’t limited by blood.
Sometimes Davis would stay overon a trip. One time Nicholson asked himwhy. “I met this young man, a 160-average bowler. He wanted me to helphim, so I spent a day helping him withhis game.”
“I can’t tell you how many times hetold me, ‘You know what bothers me?I’m not going to have enough to beable to sustain the 100 families I have’,”Nicholson remembers. Davis was talkingabout his employees.
“I [knew] him like a brother. In someways, he was like a father to me. I’m 72and John was going to be 65 next month[March]. We traveled a lot together andit got hard to travel because we weregetting older. He always worried aboutmy health. We both smoked too much.This past Christmas I had a little bout. We[talked] a lot on the phone and Skype.He said, ‘How you doing?’ ‘Fine.’ ‘I’m
John Davis andLen Nicholson
46 IBI March 2013
TRIBUTE
hearing things.’ He had a grapevine [where] he’d [find] out everything. Hesaid, ‘You better start taking care of yourself. I quit smoking six months ago andI’m eating vegetables. You gotta quit smoking.’ We talked for an hour. He diedthat night.”
“I hope,” says Chartrand, “that his legacy is that more people will think a littlelike he [did] or make decisions more about what’s best for our industry or what’sbest for our sport as opposed to what’s best for my company’s interest in it.
On the LaneMapper, “We have invested easily a million dollars. The first dollarof profit on that investment is not anywhere in sight.”
The Kegel Training Center “doesn’t make any money, has never made anymoney, it was never intended to make any money. He started the TrainingCenter in 1997 as a dream, to have a place where people could go to learn thegame, to have the tools, the best coaching.
“Providing staff and high-level equipment to take care of maintenance attournaments, to place importance on maintenance and fair play at tournamentsaround the world was not done until John made it a priority.”
“It really hit me the other day,” Nicholson offers. “Somebody said, ‘It’s too
bad John left so early because he wasworking on a couple of projects.’ I said, ’Youknow what? John would never get donewith projects. Once he got through thosetwo, he’d be working on something else.’ Hereminded me in a way of Eddie Elias [PBAfounder]: looking past the horizon.”
���The last time we saw John Davis was over
drinks at the opening of IBC. It had been thebetter part of ten years since we had donea cover story about him (May 2001), a piecewe called “The Keeper of the Flame.” Thehair had thinned a little, it was graying andhe wore it long in back, but the eyes were justas alert and quick.
We thought it might be about time toupdate John’s story for our readers, buttrying to pin him down was, as always, liketrying to nail quicksilver.
He drifted away, falling into conversationwith some other people in the room. Wethought as he took his leave, as we had thoughtmany times and as we remember him now: hewas innovation advancing the tradition. ❖
Fred Groh is a regular contributorto IBI and former managing editor ofthe magazine.
John Davis served four years in the Air Force from1966 to 1970 as a jet mechanic. His service include
one tour of duty in Vietnam.
47IBI March 2013
CLASSIFIEDS
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48 IBI March 2013
CLASSIFIEDS
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FOR SALE: 20 ea. Wells-Gardner 28”monitor boards for Qubica automatic scoring.$200/ea. – in working order when removed.Call Autumn Lanes (828) 286-9149.
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Brunswick AS-80 scoring: over 32lanes, complete package with extraparts. Excellent condition. $6,000 ormake offer. Could be sold by the lane orindividual parts. Contact Bill Henderson,Clearview Lanes (717) 653-1818.
FOR SALE: 16 pair 36” Frameworxoverhead monitors. $500/pair includeshanging brackets. Available May 25.Call Jason @ (816) 322-0488.
CENTER FOR SALE
NEW YORK STATE: Thousand Islandregion. 8-lane Brunswick center w/ cosmicbowling, auto scoring. Established leagues+ many improvements. $309,000. Call Jill@ Lori Gervera Real Estate (315) 771-9302.
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EQUIPMENT WANTED
LANE MACHINES WANTED. We willpurchase your KEGEL-built machine, any ageor condition. Call (608) 764-1464.
(818) 789-2695SELL YOUR CENTER
49IBI March 2013
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50 IBI March 2013
CLASSIFIEDS
CENTER FOR SALE
WASHINGTON COAST: 8-lane AMF centerwith automatic scoring & snack bar. Ownercontract to buy business for $150,000 and/orlease to buy. Good league [email protected].
CENTRAL IDAHO: 8-lane center andrestaurant in central Idaho mountains.Small town. Only center within 60-mileradius. Brunswick A-2 machines;Anvilane lane beds; automatic scoring.(208) 879-4448.
NE MINNESOTA: Food, Liquor &Bowling. Established 8 lanes between Mpls& Duluth w/ large bar, dining room,banquet area. Two large Stateemployment facilities nearby. High sixfigure gross. Call Bryan (218) 380-8089.www.majesticpine.com.
EASTERN NORTH DAKOTA: 6-laneBrunswick center, bar & grill, drive-thruliquor store in small college town. Also, 3apartment buildings with 40 units, goodrental history. Call (701) 330-7757 or(701) 430-1490.
SOUTHWEST KANSAS: well-maintained8-lane center, A-2s, full-service restaurant.Includes business and real estate. Nice,smaller community. Owner retiring.$212,000. Leave message (620) 397-5828.
16-lane center in Southern Coloradomountains. Great condition. 18,000s/f building w/ restaurant & lounge.Paved parking 100 + vehicles.Established leagues & tournaments.$950,000 or make offer. Kipp (719) 852-0155.
CENTRAL ILLINOIS: PRICED TOSELL!! 8-lane center with AMF 82-70s, fullservice restaurant, pro shop. Plus pooltables, karaoke machine & DJ system.Asking $125,000.00 with RE. (217) 351-5152 or [email protected].
NW KANSAS: 12-lane center, AS-80s,Lane Shield, snack bar, pro shop, game &pool rooms. See pics andinfo @ www.visitcolby.com or contactCharles (785) 443-3477.
WISCONSIN, Gilman: Profitable 6-lanecenter with bar & grill, pizza kitchen,banquet hall. Owner financing orlease/purchase possible. PRICE REDUCEDBY $50K (715) 447-8770 [email protected].
51IBI March 2013
CLASSIFIEDS
52 IBI March 2013
CLASSIFIEDS
AMF and some BRUNSWICK PC boardrepair/exchange. 6-month warranty, fastturnaround. Call or write: WB8YJF Service
5586 Babbitt Road, New Albany, Ohio 43054Toll Free: 888-902-BOWL (2695)
Ph./Fax: (614) 855-3022 (Jon)E-mail: [email protected]
Visit us on the WEB!http://home.earthlink.net/~wb8yjf/
POSITION WANTED
Seeking General Manager position—West Coast, Nevada, New Mexicoand/or Southern region. 40 years in theindustry—owner, GM & District Manager.Familiar with F&B, marketing, special eventsand youth programs. Has served on theIndiana BPA Board of Directors for 4 years.Resume and references available. RudyHinojosa (317) 590-5499 or email:[email protected].
SERVICES AVAILABLE
Drill Bit Sharpening and Measuring BallRepair. Jayhawk Bowling Supply. 800-255-6436 or Jayhawkbowling.com.
See a list that will help centers fill lanes w/1200+New Bowlers, Birthday Parties &Corporate Outings that generate $15,800—a 600% ROI from 4 payments starting at$378. Visit mcprs.bmamkt.com or call(888) 243-0685.
AMF 5850 & 6525 CHASSIS. Exchangeyour tired or damaged chassis for anupgraded, rewired, cleaned, painted andready-to-run chassis. Fast turnaround.Lifetime guarantee. References available.CHASSIS DOCTORS (330) 314-8951.
MANAGER WANTED
Don't miss your chance to grow withan Industry Leader! Looking forExperienced, Service-OrientedGeneral Managers for our U.S.bowling retail center locations.Please check us out atwww.brunswickcareers.apply2jobs.com for more details on our currentopenings. Act Now! Apply Today!
CENTERS FOR SALE
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI: 8-lane familyowned center w/ snack bar & large gameroom. 10-year-old AMF equipment. Only centerin the county. Email: [email protected] inquiries only please.
CENTRAL MINNESOTA: 6-lane center.Owner retiring. $99,[email protected]. (320) 760-3377.
MICHIGAN-SOUTH CENTRAL: Largecenter with late model equipment. Strongleague base plus high-volume franchise. REincluded. Sandy Hansell (800) 222-9131.
OREGON: 16 lanes near Portland with goodrevenue and cash flow. Ken Paton (503)645-5630.
SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN: 8-laneBrunswick center w/ bar & grill & manyimprovements. Established leagues &tournaments. Six figure gross. Ownerretiring. Serious inquiries only. Call & leavemessage @ (608) 767-3136.
CENTERS FOR SALE
WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/BOWLINGFAN
SELL YOUR CENTEROR EQUIPMENT
(818) 789-2695
53IBI March 2013
CLASSIFIEDS
Michael P. Davies (321) 254-7849291 Sandy Run, Melbourne, FL 32940
on the web: bowlingscorer.com email: [email protected]
AS80/90 • BOARD REPAIR • FrameworxSERVICE CALLS WORLDWIDE • PRE-SHIPS • WE SELL
NEW KEYPADS • FRONT DESK LCD MONITORS
ForFLORIDA CENTERS
CallDAVID DRISCOLL& ASSOCIATES
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SANDY HANSELL & ASSOCIATES Orange County Security Consultants
•Keys & ComboLocks for allTypes ofLockers.
•One weekturnaroundon mostorders.
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CALL TOLL FREE 1-800-700-4KEYINT’L 530-432-1027
E-mail: [email protected] YOUR ORDER TO US AT:
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MINIATURE GOLF COURSESIndoor/Outdoor. Portable/Pre-Fab. Black
Light/Traditional/Pro Putter.
"Bowling Center Construction Specialists"
�New Center Construction �Family Entertainment Centers�Residential Bowling Lanes�Modernization�Mini Bowling Lanes�Automatic Scoring
Toll Free: (866) 961-7633Office: (734) 469-4293
Email: [email protected]
CONTACT BRIAN ESTES
54 IBI March 2013
REMEMBER WHEN
anity Fair, a pop culture, fashion magazinestarted back in 1913, was revived in 1983and has been definitely au currant since.Its covers have been iconic and jarring, an
example being a naked, pregnant Demi Moore. Thearticles are cutting edge and often focus on high profilecelebs. It is definitely a cultural catalyst.
So here in the 1998 Vanity Fair issue, we have aTanqueray gin ad with Mr. Jenkins, older, buttoned-
down, sedate, and alittle supercilious but with obviousgood taste, observing the less than composed, bobble-headhilarity on the lanes. The “communal footwear” mentionedmight be a snub, but Mr. Jenkins does have a bowling bag! Sowhether taking a punch or not, we realize that bowling capturesthe fun.
“Do drink responsibility, won’t you?” But of course! Bowl responsibly? Yes, and often! ❖
1998
V
