Detroit Bowling Alleys

[BowlDetroit]

A while back I started a thread about Detroit bowling alleys [[in the old forum). Does anyone know of any photos of the Crest or Ramona bowling alleys...or any for that matter. But I would love to see a photo of Crest. Thanks

[pffft]

Looking at the entertainment ads in the '40s and '50s papers on microfilm, I was stunned at the number of bowling alleys in Detroit and suburbs...

[cman710]

Looking at the entertainment ads in the '40s and '50s papers on microfilm, I was stunned at the number of bowling alleys in Detroit and suburbs...

I bet many of the bowling alleys in the 1940s were of the 10 lane or less bar type places. Before the advent of pinsetters, bowling alleys tended to be smaller. I have never looked at numbers, but if I had to guess, I would say Detroit peaked in terms of total lanes in the late 1950s or early 1960s, after the automatic pinsetter boom.

[Chub]

Here is a pic I found in Wayne State's collection. Not sure which alley this is?

[Stosh]

Here is a pic I found in Wayne State's collection. Not sure which alley this is?

I thought it was a bowling alley along 8 Mile, but it might be the Mound Recreation and Bar. That was on the corner of 8 and Mound, where Auto Zone is now. That looks really familiar for some reason.

Here's the link to the HOF archive from the old forum, if you want to rummage through there.
http://atdetroit.net/forum/messages/76017/76838.html

[kc1detroit]

Here is a pic I found in Wayne State's collection. Not sure which alley this is?

This is Monte Carlo lanes it was located on the west side of Detroit on Plymouth rd.

[Danny]

This is Monte Carlo lanes it was located on the west side of Detroit on Plymouth rd.

The building is still there. It's now a day care center.

[Danny]

HERE IS SOME GREAT NEWS.

Starting in the summer of 2011 Star Lanes will be open below the Emagine Theatre Complex. It will be on the corner of 11 Mile Rd and Main St. In Downtown Royal Oak. Next to the Historic Maim Art Theater. The Main Art Theater will be spared from the wrecking ball for the moment.

Star Lanes will feature 16 lanes, with synthetic lanes and new state of the art electronic scoreboard.

There hasn't been a new bowling alley being built in the Metro-Detroit area in over 40 years.

[mtburb]

HERE IS SOME GREAT NEWS.

Starting in the summer of 2011 Star Lanes will be open below the Emagine Theatre Complex. It will be on the corner of 11 Mile Rd and Main St. In Downtown Royal Oak. Next to the Historic Maim Art Theater. The Main Art Theater will be spared from the wrecking ball for the moment.

Star Lanes will feature 16 lanes, with synthetic lanes and new state of the art electronic scoreboard.

There hasn't been a new bowling alley being built in the Metro-Detroit area in over 40 years.

Well, perhaps you never heard of the Lucky Strike alley at Fountain Walk in Novi [[located within eyesight of another Emagine theater, ironically enough)? And yes, both Star Lanes and the theater did open, in May 2011, a month before that year's summer officially started, in fact, it now even appears on Google Street View ever since it went through a major update nearly a week ago.

Anyways, the same person who posted what I've quoted also mentioned Oxford Lanes later in this thread. Well, it has since been torn down for a new Volkswagen dealership that opened earlier this year [[and it even has a Google "Business View") The aforementioned dealership is part of the LaFontaine dealership empire, which also operates Honda and Toyota dealerships across Telegraph Road.

Anyways, did any of you catch the pilot episode of a new "Bowling for Dollars" reboot on WADL a while ago? It was shot at Thunderbowl Lanes in Allen Park.

[CLAUDE G]

Here is a pic I found in Wayne State's collection. Not sure which alley this is?

Here is the today pic. This is right accross from the Bellair shopping center on 8 mile...

[highjinx]

I have a sneaking suspicions that this is the Pine Lanes that used to be located on Pinehurst and Warren Ave; 10540 Warren Road Dearborn.
I bowled at Pine Lanes when I was 12 to 13 years old; I lived on Pinehurst north of Joy Road and my mom would let me go on my own during the summer to bowl there; 20¢ a game during the daytime hours; had the place to myself most times.
I recall the island that was at the end of Pinehurst just before it came to Warren Road. It changed though, by the time I was driving.
It is now either a new or remodel building called Dearborn Outlet.
I recall the glass block windows from when I walked by the side of the building; the entrance was right on that corner of the building.
The house in the back ground, has the same type of roof line as the one there currently.
Wish I lived in the area, I'd go by and take a picture from the exact angle to see for sure.
Argyle on Northlawn south of Plymouth Rd. next to the Bell Telephone Building was the other bowling alley I most frequented.
Gremmels on West Chicago and Manor had one upstairs from it's lounge/restaurant; a manual pin setting lanes; too young to bowl there when it was in operation.

[Danny]

I have a sneaking suspicions that this is the Pine Lanes that used to be located on Pinehurst and Warren Ave; 10540 Warren Road Dearborn.
I bowled at Pine Lanes when I was 12 to 13 years old; I lived on Pinehurst north of Joy Road and my mom would let me go on my own during the summer to bowl there; 20¢ a game during the daytime hours; had the place to myself most times.
I recall the island that was at the end of Pinehurst just before it came to Warren Road. It changed though, by the time I was driving.
It is now either a new or remodel building called Dearborn Outlet.
I recall the glass block windows from when I walked by the side of the building; the entrance was right on that corner of the building.
The house in the back ground, has the same type of roof line as the one there currently.
Wish I lived in the area, I'd go by and take a picture from the exact angle to see for sure.
Argyle on Northlawn south of Plymouth Rd. next to the Bell Telephone Building was the other bowling alley I most frequented.
Gremmels on West Chicago and Manor had one upstairs from it's lounge/restaurant; a manual pin setting lanes; too young to bowl there when it was in operation.

I used to bowl at Pine Tree Lanes on W. Warren Rd and Pinehurst St. back in 1997 just a year before it closed. Dearborn Mercury Lanes on Schaefer Rd is the last neighborhood bowling alley in that city. Still family owned since 1948.

Oxford Lanes was closed in December 31st 2011.

Schaefer Lanes was closed in 1999 now its a Arab-owned strip mall.

Holiday Bowl on Schaefer Rd. was closed in 1997. Now its Islamic Mosque called The Islamic Institute of Knowledge and an Islamic School called Riverside Academy.

Argyle Lanes is lone gone, became a local bank before it closed and now a church.

[Danny]

Wonderland Lanes in Livonia is officially closed since 2009.

[Lowell]

Here is a sensational and dying one from yesterday -- the googiesque Cloverlanes on I 96 in Livonia. The eves are collapsing at several points.

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[Lowell]

And here is the link to the Detroit Bowling Alleys in the Hall of Fame threads.

[reddog289]

I can remember Cloverlanes from when I was a kid, Always thought that it was a neat building.

[jackie5275]

I can remember Cloverlanes from when I was a kid, Always thought that it was a neat building.

I remember them from when I was a kid too. My mom & neighbor were in a morning ladies league. They had a play area for the kids while the moms bowled.

[reddog289]

Danny, I think you bowl alot. But one thing. Even though the Sattelite Bowl is gone, I hope the Home Depot don't close. It has become my third home.
I found I like Ford Lanes, I like their bar.

[Danny]

One guy who used to be in my bowling league didn't like Ford Lanes because one of a while the mechanic only oil the lanes for league purposes.

[vetalalumni]

Danny, I think you bowl alot.

You think?

Anybody remember BowlARama on 7 mile & Lahser? Right near the Redford, I mean, Rogell golf course. How about North Lanes on 8 and Greenfield?

Yes, both are remembered.

I remember a few of these places. Nobody's mentioned Redford Lanes at Grand River & Lahser.

Redford Lanes rings a bell. Wasn't it on Lahser? Or near Chathams?

[DetroitDad]

Here is a sensational and dying one from yesterday -- the googiesque Cloverlanes on I 96 in Livonia. The eves are collapsing at several points.

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I will have to go through the archives of bowling threads, I'm sure something is mentioned about how that main entrance in the pictures of Clover Lanes, used to front the parking lot, which was raised to build I-96. Today, it appears boarded up, but has actually been insulated, and is now used as a party/birthday room for kids parties.

My wife, who is a professional bowler, visited Cloverlanes once with me, awhile back I think. She generally liked the lane conditions, if memory serves me correctly.

[BowlDetroit]

I grew up bowling here, although not this far back lol I started bowling there about 1965 at age 8

http://www.wayne-bowl.com/ambassadorlanes.jpg

[reddog289]

As with the case lately time for me to sleep, Yet while at the Home Depot at Michigan and Gulley on Sunday, I thought of the Sattilite Bowl and this thread.

[Danny]

Cloverlanes is still up and running for over 40 years. Controlled by Great Lakes Bowling Center who also ownes Fairlanes Bowl in Madison Heights, Royal Lanes in Warren [[ Possibly) and Taylor Lanes in Taylor, MI. Still have the old but refurbished wooden lanes and most of the time with heavy to medium oil pattern.

It recieved 80% of the African American bowling leagues. When I used to bowl over there in 2004, I joined a church bowling league called Meriman Road Baptist Church Bowling League. It was the only black young adult in the league. The rest of the leagues were mostly African American and little bit rowdy. After the recent shooting incident in October 2005 that cause Livonia Police to shut down the lanes for the night, the league decided to move on. I voted for it and move on to another bowling league near my home.

[Danny]

Satellite Bowl in Dearborn Heights is where I won my first tornament championship in 1994. It was big and beautiful until Home Depot with their greedy selves bought the area, torn down the bowling lanes and built their big box store destined to shut down 10 years.