Kegling, ninepin, bowling: whatever you call it, it’s fun and it’s been around a long time.
One family has been running an alley in these parts for 57 years!
“That’s true, my dad built our first bowling center in Traverse City in 1961,” said David Mohrhardt, Luck Jack’s.
They have been keeping the alleys oiled.
Things have changed over the years. It’s now less of a bowling center and more of a family entertainment center.
The new model is arcade games and more to go along with the bowling, but bowling is still the king pin!
“Yeah, it’s a game that will always be there. It’s never going away, everyone has done it,” explained David.
The grease pencil and overhead projectors are out for scoring, computers do it automatically.
Behind the alleys it’s fun to watch the pinsetters pick them up and set them back down.
The game also has changed with the composition of the ball. Modern materials mean higher scores.
The 300 game isn’t as rare as it used to be.
“Just last year we had like 15 of them bowled. Scores are up and technology is taking over the game,” said David.
Some things don’t change. The iconic bowling shoe is as fashionable as ever!
“They pretty much look like they did 57 years ago. That hasn’t changed,” said David.
I hadn’t bowled in years, and it showed. I should have asked for the bumpers!
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