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Author Topic: Bowlmor story  (Read 13344 times)

LyalC52

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Bowlmor story
« on: December 29, 2016, 01:47:35 PM »
note: I've never bowled in a Bowlmor center

http://nbr.com/2016/12/23/how-i-made-my-millions-bowlmor-amf/
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Good Times Good Times

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #1 on: December 29, 2016, 01:59:03 PM »
Hopefully that guy drowns in a pool of "his millions".
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GTx2

Brickguy221

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #2 on: December 29, 2016, 02:14:26 PM »
Quote from: Good Times Good Times on December 29, 2016, 01:59:03 PM
Hopefully that guy drowns in a pool of "his millions".
+1 ... Amen to that GT
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charlest

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #3 on: December 29, 2016, 03:49:29 PM »
A scumbag by any other name is still a scumbag.
And that's that story.
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xrayjay

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #4 on: December 29, 2016, 05:10:17 PM »
they should go and spend time at LANDPARK LANES and see the BULL DOO DOO that goes on there. Short staff, break downs in equipment, some employees lack training to run both the snack bar and front desk - if they are trying to cut down on labor cost, train everyone to do the front and back of the house duties.

After this video, I hope they turn Landpark into a church!! I really feel like not coming back after the holiday break. but I can't do that to my league and teammates. I don't show my irritation, I try to put myself in a happy or goofy mood so not to ruin my bowling night. But AMF landpark lanes is really horrible.  At least the last manager gave us free large pizza and a pitcher of pepsi when lanes broke down and we had to wait.

30-45 minutes drive doesn't seem long anymore...
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CoorZero

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #5 on: December 29, 2016, 06:09:51 PM »
Just think, that extra driving time is somewhat offset by the amount of time you're stuck waiting when lanes break down every week. I agree don't quit on your team and league in the middle of the season but next year? Go for it. Nobody should have to be constantly frustrated when doing something that should be something enjoyable. We don't have enough time for that.
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leftybowler70

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #6 on: December 29, 2016, 06:12:06 PM »
Couldn't agree more.
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ignitebowling

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #7 on: December 29, 2016, 06:45:00 PM »
Points of interest.

Buys one bowling alley.

Says the center was very run down and didn't looks like it had been updated in 30 years.

The before pictures confirms this......this is what many of the bowling centers across the country look like. Late 70s or 80s equipment, dirty, dark, and not maintained or cleaned.


This is ONE of the reasons people quite bowling. Why waste your time and money going into a building that should be condemned and leveled week after week never to see any renovations or improvements for 36 weeks a year. Then watch things get worst.

I've bowled in several of these places locally, and they are now all gone. Empty lots or empty buildings in most cases.

If you want to be mad at someone....be mad at the people who do not re-invest in their business. They run it into the ground and in the end hurt bowling. It happens in many different businesses including restaurants.

Last key notes......This guy runs 308 bowling centers, is currently employing 9000 people and makes $550 million in revenue annually.

I guess we would rather see those buildings empty, people unemployed, and still say well I remember when. Open bowlers out weigh league bowlers in huge numbers. Where others were failing someone else is succeeding by tapping into the market others over looked. I love to bowl. I think bowling is fun. I don't think the world revolves around me as a league/tournament bowler.

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CoorZero

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #8 on: December 29, 2016, 07:44:58 PM »
Quote from: ignitebowling on December 29, 2016, 06:45:00 PM
If you want to be mad at someone....be mad at the people who do not re-invest in their business. They run it into the ground and in the end hurt bowling. It happens in many different businesses including restaurants.

This. I haven't bowled in a Bowlmor house so I don't share the angst against them that so many seem to have, but I would still think it's far more of a case-by-case basis than anything else. Is a Bowlmor house bad because it's a Bowlmor house or is it bad because of the individual people directly involved? I'm betting on the latter.

With that said my post above still stands. A bad house is a bad house regardless of the owners. Don't put yourself through that crap if you don't have to.
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xrayjay

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #9 on: December 29, 2016, 07:46:35 PM »
why is it other AMF houses not far far from landpark have..... such a nicer place, plain and simple. It's like land park is a step child of bowling allies to this company. So why not turn it into church or some other business site.  11 ppl or so will be out of a job temporary - or transfer to another AMF.  if the site turns into another business, more ppl will be employed. OR fix the bowling alley and hire more ppl.

Those rec bowlers, some will turn into league bowlers and I'm all for that of course.

multi-millions huh....... can landpark borrow 300K? lol
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Juggernaut

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #10 on: December 29, 2016, 09:13:55 PM »
 Don't be mad at him, be glad for him. He is not the reason his "formula" seems successful, it is the bowlers themselves.

 We here at ballreviews tend to greatly under estimate the greater number of recreational bowlers, and their influence on the game. Let me just re-state that there are almost 70,000,000 people who bowl, but only 1,500,000 who are sanctioned league bowlers.

 That is a ratio of 70 to 1.5. That means there are almost 50 times more open bowlers than sanctioned league bowlers.

 Who would you cater to, especially if you were in it purely as a financial business, not something you were emotionally tied to?

 I hate that his formula is successful, and I hate the direction bowling is going, but that seems to be where it is headed, I just hope there is still room for people like us, the dedicated league bowlers who love it this way, and that we're not relegated to the "back burner of history" like some almost firgotten footnote.

 Be happy for Mr. Shannon, but be sad for bowling. The reason it works ain't his fault.
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charlest

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #11 on: December 29, 2016, 09:40:04 PM »
Darreyl,

You're invoking one set of statistics, while ignoring the other. I've seen 2 (Bowlmor) centers get into financial problems recently just because they ignored the value of repeat customers - the league bowler.

While there are many more recreational bowlers than league bowlers, the vast, vast majority of them bowl ONCE a year. League bowlers bowl regularly once a week. That more than balances out the proportion of recreational to league.

Those centers were so bold (and stupid) as to tell several of their large leagues to "take hike". That bad business decision wound up costing them MILLIONS of dollars.

While I expect Shannon to continue to make money witt new centers devoted to recreational bowlers, I guarantee that he will lose money converting established centers which have, or should l say, had a strong basis in league bowlers to try ti have a business basis in attracting REGULAR (Key word, here, REGULAR) recreational bowlers and regular business party bowlers. As I said, I have already seen 2 LARGE centers have major problems doing that.
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Mbosco

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #12 on: December 29, 2016, 10:21:59 PM »
Quote from: charlest on December 29, 2016, 09:40:04 PM
Darreyl,

You're invoking one set of statistics, while ignoring the other. I've seen 2 (Bowlmor) centers get into financial problems recently just because they ignored the value of repeat customers - the league bowler.

While there are many more recreational bowlers than league bowlers, the vast, vast majority of them bowl ONCE a year. League bowlers bowl regularly once a week. That more than balances out the proportion of recreational to league.


Actually since a league bowler will bowl 40 something weeks in a year (if they bowl all year long) and there are 40 something times more open play bowlers than league bowlers, they kind of wash at first look.  Assuming they purchase concessions at the same rate, at least.  However, I would suggest that the percentage of open play bowlers who bowl 2/3/4/5 times a year is higher than the percentage of league bowlers who bowl 2/3/4/5 leagues a week.  That would explain why open play is now (generally) responsible for the majority of lineage.

Also, I know they burned you guys pretty bad at Carolier (I don't recall what the other center was), but I wouldn't conclude that converting established centers to recreational bowling doesn't work well off that one (or two).  Carolier is certainly one of, and maybe the most, well known center amongst competitive bowlers.  When it comes to this specific topic it's very likely to be an outlier.
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MI 2 AZ

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #13 on: December 29, 2016, 10:23:56 PM »
Out of those 70 million open bowlers, some of those are also league bowlers doing open bowling.  I bowl in 3 leagues and open bowl twice a week.  I think the average league bowler bowls more games a year than the average open bowler (who does not bowl league).
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charlest

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Re: Bowlmor story
« Reply #14 on: December 30, 2016, 06:05:56 AM »
Quote from: Mbosco on December 29, 2016, 10:21:59 PM
Quote from: charlest on December 29, 2016, 09:40:04 PM
Darreyl,

You're invoking one set of statistics, while ignoring the other. I've seen 2 (Bowlmor) centers get into financial problems recently just because they ignored the value of repeat customers - the league bowler.

While there are many more recreational bowlers than league bowlers, the vast, vast majority of them bowl ONCE a year. League bowlers bowl regularly once a week. That more than balances out the proportion of recreational to league.


Actually since a league bowler will bowl 40 something weeks in a year (if they bowl all year long) and there are 40 something times more open play bowlers than league bowlers, they kind of wash at first look.  Assuming they purchase concessions at the same rate, at least.  However, I would suggest that the percentage of open play bowlers who bowl 2/3/4/5 times a year is higher than the percentage of league bowlers who bowl 2/3/4/5 leagues a week.  That would explain why open play is now (generally) responsible for the majority of lineage.

Also, I know they burned you guys pretty bad at Carolier (I don't recall what the other center was), but I wouldn't conclude that converting established centers to recreational bowling doesn't work well off that one (or two).  Carolier is certainly one of, and maybe the most, well known center amongst competitive bowlers.  When it comes to this specific topic it's very likely to be an outlier.
The other center was called AMF Strike n Spare; it's now called Bowlmor Greenbrook. At one point it was the highest grossing AMF center on the entire Eastern seaboard. Last year they expected to gross $11M; because they kicked out so many leagues, and they did not bring in all the business parties and open bowlers they needed, their gross was $4M. Sometime in late winter, all of us who used to bowl league there got emails BEGGING us to bring our leagues back to them. Didn't happen. As far I can tell from those I know who still bowl league there, almost everyone's average is down 10 - 20 points from the sheer negligence in oil and lane maintenance.

As for me, next time I enter those doors, hell will have frozen over.
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