even though its a hobby and doesn't seem like work, something about putting in 60 hrs a week for $35k/yr salary (maybe?) doesn't appeal to me.... 

Who said anything about money. It's more than a hobby to me. If I make as much as I do now but do what I love to do, I'd change that in a heartbeat. Not everyone makes 35k a year doing what they love. I make that much now but I hate what I do day in and day out, same thing day after day. I love the sport if bowling and always been my dream to have a shop or a bowling alley.

Depending where you live, mall rent can be very expensive.  A small store in the malls by me can run around 5,000-6,000 a month. 

Coming up on 3 years of running our own shop after working in shops for years previous. The one thing I would warn you is, if you are doing it full time to pay your bills it will quickly become a job and lose some of the fun. Honestly my brother and I have good paying day jobs and even still it has lost some of the enjoyment as the buck stops with you.

Instead of handing off customer complaints to the owner you have to deal with them yourself....sometimes at a loss even if it isn't necessarily your fault. I still enjoy having a guy walk in and setting them up with a new fit, in a good ball, and watching their face light up like it is an all new game. But there are many things that take some of the fun out of it.

When you look at the clock and you "have to" go to the shop it starts being a job and then it isn't just a hibby anymore. Just sayin'

If it's your dream, truly a hobby, and you don't need the income to survive, do it.  I wouldn't do it in a mall though.  You wont find anybody buying bowling equipment in a mall. 

I concur with the above post.  I've bowled one full season, 4 games a week since I left the proshop business in early 2009.  The downside, like others have said is after struggling enough financially and the burn out from working 60+ hours a week, your work/life balance will suffer and you will eventually lose the love for the game.  Being away for a few years has kind of rekindled my interest in coming back next season, but I still wouldn't want to work in a shop full time.  I would love to have my own equipment in my house to drill for myself.  That's another avenue you might want to think about.  Make it a hobby shop and not a profession and I'm sure you will love it a lot longer.

If you don't "need" it to pay the bills & think you can make it work, then go for it & follow your dream.  A lot of very successful have failed first...  Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

That said, this is a tough time, economy & state of bowling wise, to be investing in getting a small business started...  If you have a base of clientele & know they are in the market for buying balls &/or plug & re-drills, surface changes, &/or rejuvinate/re-surface, then go for it. 

One thing I agree with another poster about is that I wouldn't put it in a mall... If you do, hopefully it's next to/near the bowling alley. Those are mostly women, clothes shopping for themselves or kids & teeny boppers "hanging out"...

If you do go with the mall idea, look for a vacant rental near the most male traffic. Food courts, sporting goods, jerseys & hats stores, memorabilia, etc... 

Other wise I'd recommend a location nearest to a bowling alley where your base would be bowling.  If it's not a far drive to the alley, people would be more likely to pop in.  Knowing they could pick up their ball & hop,skip over to the lanes & try it out... They have an issue, you are just a short skip back for them.