Author Topic: A year later at Bowlmor (Read 5759 times)

thedjs · « **on:** September 11, 2016, 01:46:38 PM »

About a year ago I wrote in about the conditions at our alley since Bowlmor took over. Well here's what's happened since then. We have new over-head monitors and new controls. That's about it. Many of the chairs are missing. At least one pair of lanes has no chair at the scorers table. Lanes are filthy and sometimes you need a cleaner to get the "gook" off the ball while your bowling. Oh and the new score controls, they don't work half the time and there are only a couple of people working at the alley who know how to make corrections. The oiling is left up to the mechanic and you never know what the shot will be. Two weeks ago I didn't have a ball in my bag that would hook. The next week I had to move outside the 35 board and throw my Scout. Probably should have used plastic. They are not open till after 4 during the week and that makes it hard to get in any practice. Probably wouldn't help because they don't oil unless it's just before a league. By the way, the new manager has experience running an alley and is a good bowler so I don't think we can blame him for all of this. I just don't think they will let him spend any money for improvements. Makes you wonder how much longer they will be in business. OR, maybe they just don't want leagues and serious bowlers.

How is it at your Bolwmor?

squirrelywrath1 · « **Reply #1 on:** September 11, 2016, 02:18:30 PM »

Bad here too. I'm told they have to keep the Brunswick Zone signs up for 2 more years.

Anyway, I bowl Sunday Morning Mens at my house. Still popcorn and other crap on the approaches from the night before. Only one employee on duty, got us off and running 20 minutes late. In our contract, we are supposed to have hot coffee available.... but that didn't get brewed until nearly an hour after we started.

Ceiling tiles falling apart from the leaky roof. Ok so far this year, but last year some actually crumbled down onto a pair of lanes our league uses.

Just a couple years ago, the place would be fairly busy with the $1.59 open bowling rate at the other end of the house. Then they raised the price to $5.29 a line all day and chased everyone away. Brought it back to $1.99 till noon, but it seems most of the old customers are simply going elsewhere.

The pro shop in there is shutting down later this month too. Sad, very sad.

I'm tempted to quit myself and take up billiards or something.

charlest · « **Reply #2 on:** September 11, 2016, 03:26:25 PM »

Both of the centers that used to be my home houses are now owned and run by Bowlmor; I refuse to enter their doorways any longer, without a box of matches and ten 5 gallon drums of kerosene. The area manager who runs both places, I'd like to re-circumsize with a rusty razor blade.

And I'm holding most of my bad feelings inside!!

Impending Doom · « **Reply #3 on:** September 11, 2016, 07:08:48 PM »

Quote from: charlest on September 11, 2016, 03:26:25 PM

Both of the centers that used to be my home houses are now owned and run by Bowlmor; I refuse to enter their doorways any longer, without a box of matches and ten 5 gallon drums of kerosene. The area manager who runs both places, I'd like to re-circumsize with a rusty razor blade.

And I'm holding most of my bad feelings inside!!

Can you show us on the doll where the bad Bowlmor touched you??

I like this a lot.

SG17 · « **Reply #4 on:** September 11, 2016, 08:33:41 PM »

Quote from: Impending Doom on September 11, 2016, 07:08:48 PM

Quote from: charlest on September 11, 2016, 03:26:25 PM
Both of the centers that used to be my home houses are now owned and run by Bowlmor; I refuse to enter their doorways any longer, without a box of matches and ten 5 gallon drums of kerosene. The area manager who runs both places, I'd like to re-circumsize with a rusty razor blade.

And I'm holding most of my bad feelings inside!!

Can you show us on the doll where the bad Bowlmor touched you??

I like this a lot.

well, the bowlmor lanes and returns all touched my balls......

sorry, but that felt like a hanging curveball and I had to take a swing.

spmcgivern · « **Reply #5 on:** September 12, 2016, 08:02:05 AM »

I will be the one guy with a positive image of AMF/BowlMor, though I realize I am i n the minority.

The Good:

Our center is the one AMF/BowlMor center in the area with major tournaments being held there (state, city, and local scratch tournaments). They also have leagues every night and all lanes are typically used up by leagues. Our men's league had to turn bowlers away. They area also trying to update the place little by little.

Now the Bad:

Updates are more open play based instead of league based. Imagine a house full of 5 member teams and small tables in the concourse with 4 chairs. Lighting is odd with very yellow lights throughout the center, or the seem very yellow. We did have "daylight" florescents before so it could be the difference is just extreme. The staff seems to have a constant turnover so education is lacking at times on how to work in a bowling center, much less a competitive league.

But all in all, I think they are doing a good job. I am by nature a very critical person. I even used to manage this particular center when it was owned by AMF alone (14 years ago) so I understand the regulars and at the same time I understand the difficulty with the corporate side. The GM is trying to get tournaments and increase the league base the best she can and is doing a very good job.

I just wish other centers were like this. I usually defend AMF/BowlMor on these sites since I am lucky and have a decent center. But I also understand they can screw up a perfectly good center also.

bowl400 · « **Reply #6 on:** September 12, 2016, 02:33:34 PM »

Just started at our AMF center. First week was good with only two problems. A keyboard with non functioning A and 1 keys, making it hard to put a vacancy score in. And they left the Christmas lights on (lines the gutter from foul line to pin deck), was told that corporate policy required them to be on at all times.

Bowlaholic · « **Reply #7 on:** September 12, 2016, 03:03:44 PM »

I belong to a traveling bowling club that bowls tournaments on a once per month basis in central Florida. Of the twelve houses, six are AMF. I have to say all of the six have been repainted (inside & out). Carpeting has been cleaned and the bathrooms are very clean and some have been updated to modern times. Snack bar food is good, but pricey.
They are a little skimpy on the lane oil, but not terrible by any means.
Yet, in other areas of Florida and other states when my wife & I travel are not so good. Maybe we in central Florida were on the top of the list for updating. If so, I hope the other Bowlmor centers catch up soon, especially the ones Charlest bowls at, because it must be quite a strain on him lugging all those 5 gallon drums around with him when he bowls there. lol

charlest · « **Reply #8 on:** September 12, 2016, 03:21:30 PM »

Quote from: Bowlaholic on September 12, 2016, 03:03:44 PM

I belong to a traveling bowling club that bowls tournaments on a once per month basis in central Florida. Of the twelve houses, six are AMF. I have to say all of the six have been repainted (inside & out). Carpeting has been cleaned and the bathrooms are very clean and some have been updated to modern times. Snack bar food is good, but pricey.
They are a little skimpy on the lane oil, but not terrible by any means.
Yet, in other areas of Florida and other states when my wife & I travel are not so good. Maybe we in central Florida were on the top of the list for updating. If so, I hope the other Bowlmor centers catch up soon, especially the ones Charlest bowls at, because it must be quite a strain on him lugging all those 5 gallon drums around with him when he bowls there. lol

Honestly, I refuse to go into these places any more.
I wish the rest of you good luck if you have to bowl in Bowlmor owned centers. It totally depends on what the local manager can wring out of the area manager.

Steven · « **Reply #9 on:** September 12, 2016, 03:39:47 PM »

Our local AMF house became a Bowlmor a few years ago. After converting to a failed hybrid of old school and party bowling, and in the process alienating most established leagues, they converted to a Bowlero. It's now a dead zone for what we know as traditional bowling.

I could be wrong, but I think that's the strategic end-game for most existing Bowlmor locations.

charlest · « **Reply #10 on:** September 12, 2016, 07:02:14 PM »

Quote from: Steven on September 12, 2016, 03:39:47 PM

Our local AMF house became a Bowlmor a few years ago. After converting to a failed hybrid of old school and party bowling, and in the process alienating most established leagues, they converted to a Bowlero. It's now a dead zone for what we know as traditional bowling.

I could be wrong, but I think that's the strategic end-game for most existing Bowlmor locations.

That is what has happened at Brunswick Zone Carolier, former home of the PBA's US Open and the Johnny Petraglia Open. The most used lanes in the major part of the center, Lanes 1-48 are being converted to "Bowlero", whatever the bleep that is. All lanes now have to survive downstairs on remaining 34 lanes, 49 - 82. Our league chose to move to a new house 10 miles down the road.

tburky · « **Reply #11 on:** September 12, 2016, 09:56:13 PM »

Quote from: Impending Doom on September 11, 2016, 07:08:48 PM

Quote from: charlest on September 11, 2016, 03:26:25 PM
Both of the centers that used to be my home houses are now owned and run by Bowlmor; I refuse to enter their doorways any longer, without a box of matches and ten 5 gallon drums of kerosene. The area manager who runs both places, I'd like to re-circumsize with a rusty razor blade.

And I'm holding most of my bad feelings inside!!

Can you show us on the doll where the bad Bowlmor touched you??

I like this a lot.

lmfao

cheech · « **Reply #12 on:** September 12, 2016, 11:55:18 PM »

my local bowlmor house is DISGUSTING. the actual concourse is nice and clean. overpriced bar and snack bar as to be expected from an AMF house but i am talking about the actual lanes. my area trends on the lighter side of medium oil in general but this house is even lighter. they also comply with the "no oil on the first 12" of lane" policy which the good bowlers cant get a ball through the heads without it burning up but besides that the amount of dirt and grime coming back on the balls is unbelievable. by the end of the night the balls are gross. your hands and clothes have black marks on them. you just feel grimy. makes you wonder if they EVER clean the lanes or machines or any mechanical moving part in the operation. my sport league which bowls at a different bowlmor house actually had to beg and request the house to oil to the foul line and sign the contract with an injury release statement in it. i try to avoid AMF houses at all costs outside of tournaments

Bowlaholic · « **Reply #13 on:** September 13, 2016, 12:14:35 AM »

I feel your pain. Yet. I think Tom Shannon the CEO of Bowlmor could care less.
He is into boutique/cosmic /entertainment bowling (if you call it that).
That's why I don't understand why the AMF houses in central Florida still seem to want leagues/tournaments.
I don't believe the national marketing plan be that different from region to region. I'm stumped!

Impending Doom · « **Reply #14 on:** September 13, 2016, 09:02:10 AM »

No oil the first 12 feet? What kind of madness is that?

Author Topic: A year later at Bowlmor (Read 5759 times)

thedjs

A year later at Bowlmor

squirrelywrath1

Re: A year later at Bowlmor

charlest

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Impending Doom

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SG17

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spmcgivern

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bowl400

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Bowlaholic

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charlest

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Steven

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charlest

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tburky

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cheech

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Bowlaholic

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Impending Doom

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