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Author Topic: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes  (Read 13090 times)

tommyboy74

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Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« on: December 11, 2014, 03:25:02 PM »
Well, the Buffalo, NY area now has a casualty from the Bowlmor/AMF merger.  On The Edge Bowling Center's facebook page, this was announced today:

AMF Thruway lanes manager Mary Chase is holding a meeting this weekend to announce the centers closure. We will do whatever we can to help your league relocate and finish out the season if it happens in January like many of us are hearing. The Edge Bowling Center is owned and operated by bowlers Sue Jeziorski and Jon Kroll and we take pride in offering exceptional service, The best running machines in Buffalo (thanks to Mike Schlager and Rob Janusz), great drink prices and most importantly the owner is in house for EVERY league, party, and event to make sure you have the best experience possible! We look forward to serving you!

The ironic thing is that AMF Lancaster is in much worse shape and Thruway/Airport Lanes are the 2 best AMF centers around here.  Plus, Thruway has held numerous tournaments and PBA stops over the years.  Unfortunately, the 60 lane house will be no more in 2015. 

Sue Jeziorski is the former operator of the pro shop at Thruway, after refusing an $18k/month rent increase.  Instead, she now owns The Edge Bowling Center in Buffalo and also owns Cutting Edge Pro Shop in Cheektowaga, NY.
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spmcgivern

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #16 on: December 15, 2014, 08:43:40 AM »
I am not native to the area and don't know anything about the situation.  But the continual closing of AMF centers has been, and will continue to be difficult for many bowlers. 

Bowling centers are not the most profitable per sq. ft. and I am guessing Bowlmor will continue to evaluate each center individually to determine profitability. 

Unfortunately, many storied centers will be closed.  Hopefully there won't be too much backlash, after all, many privately owned centers are closing and there isn't the same level of backlash for them.  These closings are business decisions and not hateful acts.
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tommyboy74

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #17 on: January 04, 2015, 11:51:32 PM »
It's official.  After 57 years, Thruway Lanes closed at 2pm on 1/4/15.  No word on what happened with the leagues.
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bradl

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #18 on: January 05, 2015, 02:37:34 AM »
Quote from: tommyboy74 on January 04, 2015, 11:51:32 PM
It's official.  After 57 years, Thruway Lanes closed at 2pm on 1/4/15.  No word on what happened with the leagues.

That totally sucks.  >:( We knew it was coming, but it still sucks.

Two questions from me: Were there youth leagues there this year? If so, what happens to the money put in for the kids' scholarships/awards, etc.?

Second, how old are the lanes? I know that when a couple alleys I bowled at closed, another house bought the lanes and had them installed, mainly because they were newer than the lanes they had. Any chance of knowing the age of them there, and if they may be used elsewhere?

BL.
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MTFD24

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #19 on: January 05, 2015, 09:53:30 AM »
The only word about leages is that many are moving to Airport Lanes about 5-10 mins away. Lancaster Lanes is absorbing one or two and Broadway is absorbing one or two. This coming from a manager at Airport Lanes last monday.
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jls

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #20 on: January 07, 2015, 10:03:56 AM »
On Jan. 5th, they closed another center in the south suburbs of Chicago...


The Brunswick Zone in Homewood, Il.
« Last Edit: January 07, 2015, 10:06:25 AM by jls »
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JOE FALCO

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #21 on: January 07, 2015, 10:32:22 AM »
In the Raleigh NC area one AMF house put a Pro Shop operator (in thee shop for over 15 years) , out of the shop. He was giving 30 days to evacuate! A young neighborhood fellow made a deal with the Pro Shop guy and AMF to take over the shop about 1 year ago. Now the young guy was told he had to go in 30 days. January 1st he was GONE!
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jls

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #22 on: January 07, 2015, 10:43:58 AM »
Quote from: JOE FALCO on January 07, 2015, 10:32:22 AM
In the Raleigh NC area one AMF house put a Pro Shop operator (in thee shop for over 15 years) , out of the shop. He was giving 30 days to evacuate! A young neighborhood fellow made a deal with the Pro Shop guy and AMF to take over the shop about 1 year ago. Now the young guy was told he had to go in 30 days. January 1st he was GONE!
Joe...I think more and more Centers will get rid of pro shops in the future...Many shops pay little or no rent...And Centers are realizing they can use the space and make more money...
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2handedrook12

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #23 on: January 07, 2015, 11:39:39 AM »
Quote from: jls on January 07, 2015, 10:03:56 AM
On Jan. 5th, they closed another center in the south suburbs of Chicago...


The Brunswick Zone in Homewood, Il.
That one officially sealed my fate with AMF. My girlfriend and good friend of mine lost their high school home lanes. Furthermore, PSO Shaun Quinn loses his business! I was about to have him drill a ball up for me :(
This makes me realize bowling is truly dying.
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tommyboy74

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Re: Bowlmor/AMF closing Thruway Lanes
« Reply #24 on: January 07, 2015, 04:45:27 PM »
Quote from: bradl on January 05, 2015, 02:37:34 AM
Quote from: tommyboy74 on January 04, 2015, 11:51:32 PM
It's official.  After 57 years, Thruway Lanes closed at 2pm on 1/4/15.  No word on what happened with the leagues.

That totally sucks.  >:( We knew it was coming, but it still sucks.

Two questions from me: Were there youth leagues there this year? If so, what happens to the money put in for the kids' scholarships/awards, etc.?

Second, how old are the lanes? I know that when a couple alleys I bowled at closed, another house bought the lanes and had them installed, mainly because they were newer than the lanes they had. Any chance of knowing the age of them there, and if they may be used elsewhere?

BL.


The lanes were AMF HPL synthetics which were relatively newer combined with wood approaches.  I'd venture a guess of less than 10 years.  I still remember when the place was owned by Conbow and had Brunswick wood lanes originally.  I haven't heard if they're going to be reused.  Also, the AMF ball returns were relatively newer, most likely installed when the synthetics were put in.  Scoring was the old Brunswick 2000 automatic scoring from the early 90's with new Qubica AMF flat panels on the ceiling put in about 2-3 years ago.

With Thruway now closed, it could explain why Airport Lanes ended up with brand new AMF SPL II synthetics and a renovation last summer, right before the Jr. Gold tournament.  The original wood approaches remain.
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