Bowling: ‘fun activity
for all skill levels’

Snohomish County Business Journal/KIMBERLY HILDEN David Brotherton, manager of the bowling alley at Lynnwood Bowl & Skate, sends his bowling ball down the lane while enjoying the music and lights of Extreme Bowling.

By Kimberly Hilden
SCBJ Assistant Editor

There’s a certain rhythm to bowling that’s almost hypnotic: The thud of the ball as it makes contact with the hard surface of the lane. The accelerating hum as it speeds its way toward the pins. The resulting crash as the ball makes contact. The swoosh of the machinery as the pins are reset and it all begins again.

Where to bowl Brunswick Majestic Lanes Address: 1222 164th St. SW, Lynnwood WA 98037 Phone: 425-743-4422 Web site: www.bowlbrunswick.com Evergreen Lanes Address: 5111 Claremont Way, Everett WA 98203 Phone: 425-259-7206 Web site: www.evergreenlanes.net Glacier Lanes Address: 9630 Evergreen Way, Everett, WA 98204 Phone: 425-353-8292 Web site: www.glacierlanes.com Lynnwood Bowl & Skate Address: 6210 200th St. SW, Lynnwood, WA 98036 Phone: 425-778-3133 Web site: www.bowlandskate.com Melady Lanes Address: 420 N. Olympic Ave., Arlington, WA 98223 Phone: 360-435-2466 Robin Hood Lanes Address: 9801 Edmonds Way, Edmonds WA 98020 Phone: 425-776-2101 Web site: www.robinhoodlanes.com Strawberry Lanes Address: 1067 Columbia Ave., Marysville WA 98270 Phone: 360-659-7641 Twin City Lanes Address: 27120 92nd Ave. NW, Stanwood, WA 98292 Phone: 360-629-3001

Apparently, I’m not the only one entranced by the game, as more than 53 million Americans participated in 2004 alone, according to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association. That’s more than the number of folks who played outdoor soccer (14.6 million), softball (14.3 million) and table tennis (14.3 million) combined.

Who are these bowlers? According to SGMA, 53 percent are male; 47 percent are female. They have an average age of 28.9 years and an annual household income of $62,300. While some lace up their bowling shoes for league action, others are bringing their family and friends to the alley for a good time.

“It’s a fun activity for people of all skill levels,” said Monica Lewis, a marketing official with Lynnwood Bowl & Skate. “For me, it’s not about the score; it’s about bringing some friends out, ordering a pizza and knocking down some pins.”

For those new to bowling, the game, according to the U.S. Bowling Congress, consists of 10 frames of play, with each player getting two opportunities to send a bowling ball down the lane to connect with 10 pins during each of the first nine frames. If a player knocks down all 10 pins with one ball, a move known as a strike, then he or she only gets one ball during that frame.

During the 10th frame, a player can get three opportunities to connect with the pins if a strike or spare (when, in the course of two balls being used, all 10 pins are knocked down) is scored, according to the USBC.

The goal is to knock down as many pins as possible to get the highest score.

Whether you’re looking to rack up a perfect 300 game or just hoping not to get too many gutter balls, there is plenty of fun to be had at bowling alleys throughout Snohomish County — both on the lanes and off.

The 24-lane Lynnwood Bowl & Skate, which recently underwent extensive renovations, connects to a skate rink for more fun and has a party room for rent as well as a full catering service, Lewis said. There is a cafe serving up burgers, fries, salads, nachos and other favorites as well as new pool tables and a remodeled lounge.

But the center’s new operator, Perfect Game Enterprises LLC, kept the 1970s-era bowling ball returns. They were just too “kitschy” to let go, Lewis said.

Strawberry Lanes in Marysville includes a full-service bar restaurant and pull tabs to go along with its 20 lanes of bowling, said Manager Margie Wells. On Saturday nights, the center offers Moonlight Bowling, with participants trying to knock down different colored pins to win money.

“You have to be 18 or older to do it,” she said.

And at Glacier Lanes in Everett, there is a full-service restaurant and pull tabs to go along with its 16-lane bowling operation.

According to SGMA, a trend among bowling center operators is investing in new sound equipment, lighting effects and even fog machines to entice younger crowds and families with “extreme” or “cosmic” bowling — complete with pounding music and special lighting.

At Lynnwood Bowl & Skate, a new sound and light system powers Extreme Bowling on Friday and Saturday nights, Lewis said. It has been a hit with the college- and high school-age crowd as well as with parents bringing in their preteens.

Strawberry Lanes has its own version of extreme bowling, called Galactic Bowling, as does Glacier Lanes, where it is known as Rock and Roll Bowling.

If a more sedate game of bowling is to your liking — but those darned gutters aren’t — many alleys supply bumpers to keep the ball in the lane.

“I use them on occasion, too. It brings up my average,” Lewis said with a grin.

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