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Author Topic: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes  (Read 9208 times)

bradl

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Subject says it all.

https://www.kansas.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/carrie-rengers/article261706207.html

Quote
World’s largest bowling center owner to acquire three longtime Wichita-owned centers
BY CARRIE RENGERS
UPDATED MAY 23, 2022 11:34 AM

The world’s largest bowling center owner, New York-based Bowlero Corp., has a deal to acquire three Wichita Joma Bowling Co. bowling alleys.

After a week of not responding to The Wichita Eagle’s requests for comment about a possible sale, Bowlero issued the information in a news release on Monday.

Frank and Cathy DeSocio owned Joma together for years, but last week, Frank DeSocio said Cathy DeSocio is the one to talk to for any questions about the company. Cathy DeSocio hasn’t returned several calls for comment.

The release does not mention Joma or the DeSocios.

“Bowlero Corp is committed to delivering a world class bowling experience to the guests we serve each year and we’re thrilled to welcome these three new centers to our portfolio,” said Bowlero chairman and CEO Tom Shannon in the news release.

One of the three bowling alleys included in the deal is Northrock Lanes at 3232 N. Rock Road, which the release said is the state’s largest bowling complex, with 48 lanes, an arcade, banquet hall and grill.

Also included is the Alley Indoor Entertainment at the Plazzio development at 13th and Greenwich, which has 32 lanes, an arcade, an escape room, electric go-karts and a grill.

The third bowling center in the deal is West Acres at 749 N. Ridge Road, which has 36 lanes, a pro shop, cosmic bowling and a bar.

According to the release, Bowlero will have “new offers and exclusive promotions” at the centers once the deal is done, which should be in about three months.

Bowlero owns more than 300 bowling centers in North America under the brands Bowlero, AMF and Bowlmor Lanes.

It also owns the Professional Bowlers Association, but there’s no indication in the release that the association will have any future events at the Wichita bowling centers that are part of the deal.

Weird how the husband tells everyone to talk to the wife, and the wife has no comment, and Bowlero ends up releasing a statement to break the news.. it's almost as if they knew that this was going to not turn out well or go down well with the bowling community, let alone the locals.

Speaking of locals, it makes me also wonder how leagues are going to be there, since there are a lot of them in the area, Packy's house is there, and that's Wichita State's practice house. I can see a lot of that possibly changing if Bowlero doesn't keep things as is now. I don't know how it Bowlero is in the midwest, as the closest one in a 200 mile radius of Omaha is in Kansas City, then Oklahoma City. But I certainly can't see this going down well.. I hope it does, but I have reservations.

BL.

 

Pinbuster

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #1 on: May 23, 2022, 05:38:59 PM »
I have been hearing rumors of the sale for a couple of months.

My understanding JOMA is wanting to sell all of its centers but Bowlero only wanted the ones in Wichita. Cathy's parents founded the company.

I have reservations about the sale but only time will tell how Bowlero ends up treating leagues.

Bowler19525

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #2 on: May 23, 2022, 06:31:19 PM »
Our center was bought by Bowlero over a year ago, along with two other centers owned by the same family.  We were concerned about leagues, but so far there has been no change in the number of leagues at any of the centers.  The issues have been pricing and customer service for the most part.

itsallaboutme

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #3 on: May 23, 2022, 07:08:56 PM »
Riggs reported DeSocio divorce.

As the seller's lawyer told me when I bought one of my houses they had to sell as part of a divorce, "happens every day".

SpinBowler300

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #4 on: May 24, 2022, 10:36:23 AM »
Bowlero will ruin those centers just like they have every other house they bought. They won't hesitate to kick your league out for a week to run a more profitable event.
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tloy

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #5 on: May 24, 2022, 11:10:04 AM »
"Bowlero will ruin those centers just like they have every other house they bought. They won't hesitate to kick your league out for a week to run a more profitable event."

100% agree

Bowler19525

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #6 on: May 24, 2022, 03:03:36 PM »
Bowlero has not yet done that to any leagues in our center, and they have had plenty of opportunities to try such a tactic if they wanted to.

SpinBowler300

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2022, 10:45:27 AM »
Count your blessings because I know they've done it elsewhere. It may just be a matter of time or you have one appreciative manager who respects league bowling obligations.
Balls: Motiv Jackal Ambush, Motiv Trident Abyss, Motiv Mythic Jackal, Motiv Trident Odyssey, Motiv Hydra and Motiv Plastic Jackal. All made in the USA.

Bowls 300s

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #8 on: June 04, 2022, 09:05:33 AM »
Count your blessings because I know they've done it elsewhere. It may just be a matter of time or you have one appreciative manager who respects league bowling obligations.

I doubt Bowlero allows managers to think for themselves, run a center as they deem best or step out of their cookie cutter style.

AMF District Managers were available to the Center Managers to discuss and possibly approve how they wanted to manage their center.

What was noticable to me meeting monthly with 16 area AMF managers is most did not come out of bowling and often were retail or grocery store managers and this lack of experience impacted their centers. I would listen to some managers whoms lack of experience was obvious why their centers were perfoming poorly and wishing had same center knowing lineage would increase and consider approval for 24 hours 7 days a week going forward. Then the seasoned managers just lazy and burned out, keeping poorly performing porters, desk and waitresses because its easier than hiring and retraining.

Bowlero may be coming around but they have so far been a scourge on this game as a sport and both AMF and Brunswick corp owned centers did focus on leagues and balanced Glow Bowling with it. It strikes me that food and beverage is strong revenue sources and they do not factor how may come in just to watch league bowlers and buying these things for the 2 plus hours (they fill the lobby) they are there. Also, your not going to sell a ball to a rec only player nor are you going to fill monday - thurs nights with them (hence the shorten hours and decline of sr day leagues).

Bowleros center staff on every level lacks industry experience and as far as I am concerned and all the way to the top. I see the difference how a AMF center I managed ran and now how it is ran by Bowlero. Its a shitz show on every level from lane maintenace to machine maintence and think the center employees fresh from jobs at Arby's not to mention the lose of daytime center leagues and overall decrease.

Corporations have never owned such a large percentage of houses nor has a single corporation ever owned 1 in 12. This is a huge huge problem if Bowlero dose not change their thinking. This decade will go done as the demise of it as a sport and solidify it as a recreation. On so many levels there is no more important customer than a league bowler and my same thinking way way before my first center manager job at barely age 16 forty-three years ago.

Last thought, you can have two centers within blocks with one failing and one wildly sucessfull or both sucessfull and difference will be hardworking managers and owners. Corporations running cookie cutter style of management in this industry is just ignorant and don't factor how quickly a demograpic can change or the nuances to make, keep it successful.

End soap box.


Certified A Mechanic (1400 Hours) - Taylor Trained PSO - (4) Professional Bowling Camps - Center Manager Independant & Corporate. Family owned Centers since 50s.

Pinbuster

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2023, 05:22:43 PM »
Well our league season is almost over at the Alley.

Bowlero either ran off or couldn't get any of the centers help to stay so it is an all new crew.

Most don't understand any basic bowling lingo and have to come to the lanes to understand balls stuck or reset the 10 pin.

Food beverage prices went up about 20 percent.

Lane conditions have remained pretty constant from last year.

They ran off at least one  coffee cup league that bowled in the morning because they didn't want to open that early.

The first travel league showed up and they didn't know how to turn the league bowling on, they only knew how to do open bowling.

The last couple of months we have had constant issues with certain lanes breaking down with the same problem week after week. The last two weeks my team has had to change lanes for mechanical issues that couldn't be fixed.

The have covered up the masking units with a blank white screen that throws a glare on the lanes but it allows them to show videos during black light bowling.

I'm not sure our league will survive. We currently have 10 teams but I believe I know of at least 5 teams that will not be back. I have heard of 3 other leagues in the house that are in danger of shutting down as well which will pretty much kill all league play.

The did a remodel that took away any place to hang coats and to store extra equipment and replaced it with tables and group seating.

I don't know about North Rock lanes but I've heard of a lot of teams leaving West Acres. West Acres have removed all the bowling ball lockers and converted that space to arcade games.

I've heard rumors that Bowlero wants all the league play to move to North Rock and the other two centers to become entertainment centers only. They will not open till 4 PM during the week.

soonerdallas

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #10 on: April 28, 2023, 03:48:46 PM »
Wonder if they will allow the Swiss trios at northrock to continue being ran.
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bowling4burgers

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #11 on: April 30, 2023, 08:57:17 AM »

I've heard rumors that Bowlero wants all the league play to move to North Rock and the other two centers to become entertainment centers only. They will not open till 4 PM during the week.
4? That's early  :P
All the AMFs around me are now Bowleros and standard seems to be 5 Monday, Tuesday, Thursday. 1 or 2 Wednesday, 3 Friday, 12 Saturday, 12 or 1 Sunday. Leagues are still a thing but a local chain has the "good" bowlers locked up. My favorite (beat up wood) center closes for summer so I might try an "easy" Bowlero league before they disappear  :-\
The Future of Bowling: Bowling is a once-popular tavern game played with a heavy ball and ten pins.

Bowler19525

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Re: Bowlero buys 3 major alleys in Wichita, including Northrock Lanes
« Reply #12 on: April 30, 2023, 12:28:12 PM »
Our local Bowlero just changed their hours.  Mon/Wed/Thurs/Fri they open at 4PM.  Tues/Sat they open at 9AM.  Sun they open at 10AM.  The hours change regularly, I'm assuming due to staffing issues.  League participation has noticeably dropped off at Bowlero, but is growing at the independent center across town.

Prior to Bowlero ownership the center opened every day at 9AM...and leagues were always full.  It's been amazing to see how people's attitudes about bowling have changed under Bowlero ownership.  I don't get how Bowlero stays in business and continues to have money to acquire more and more centers across the country.