Detroit Bowling Alleys

**Mkap** · August-31-09, 07:19 PM

Originally Posted by Detroit Signal

Apollo is on Gratiot north of 12 Mile across from the former site of the old Topper/Leisure Lanes. Timber was at 9 Mile-ish.

TimberTimber Lanes Bowling24550 Gratiot Avenue Eastpointe, MI 48021
[[810) 771-8980

Your right - my bad!

**jcole** · August-31-09, 09:21 AM

Here's a partial list of Detroit area bowling alleys from Detroit Memories. I found six on Gratiot. It says Centennial is at Gratiot and Toepfer, which is 9 1/2 mile.

**Danny** · August-31-09, 09:53 AM

Centennial Lanes became Eastpointe Bowl. It was shut down this year when the roof collapsed. The owner just recently brought Banaza Lanes from Community Bowling Centers on Hoover south of 10 Mile Rd. in Warren, MI. The owner decided to sell the Eastpointe Bowl to someone else and focus his profits on Banaza Lanes.

**zitro** · August-31-09, 10:11 AM

Originally Posted by Danny

Centennial/Timber Lanes became Eastpointe Bowl. It was shut down this year when the roof collapsed. The owner just recently brought Banaza Lanes from Community Bowling Centers on Hoover south of 10 Mile Rd. in Warren, MI. The owner decided to sell the Eastpointe Bowl to someone else and focus his profits on Banaza Lanes.

Timber and Centennial were separate bowling alleys.

**Fury13** · December-08-09, 06:33 AM

Originally Posted by jcole

Here's a partial list of Detroit area bowling alleys from Detroit Memories. I found six on Gratiot. It says Centennial is at Gratiot and Toepfer, which is 9 1/2 mile.

Toepfer is 8 1/2 Mile.

**slick** · December-08-09, 10:27 AM

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...8464/index.htm

Nice article on the great Stroh team with Tony Lindemann

**exmotowner** · December-08-09, 11:09 AM

In the gay bar GiGi's on Warren, [[under their parking lot) there is an old bowling alley that has been blocked up for years. You can [[or could) still access it through the basement. does anyone know when this was a working bowling alley [[years of operation) and the name of it? I've always wondered about it. Also, Todd's Bowling Disco on 7 and VanDyke. What was the name of that and the years of operation? Thanks for any info you can provide.

**zitro** · December-11-09, 01:40 PM

Originally Posted by exmotowner

In the gay bar GiGi's on Warren, [[under their parking lot) there is an old bowling alley that has been blocked up for years. You can [[or could) still access it through the basement. does anyone know when this was a working bowling alley [[years of operation) and the name of it? I've always wondered about it. Also, Todd's Bowling Disco on 7 and VanDyke. What was the name of that and the years of operation? Thanks for any info you can provide.

The bowling alley on Warren if it's eastisde it sounds like it could be part of the old Nottingham bar which had a small bowling alley inside.

The place on 7 & Van Dyke sounds like the old Falcon Lanes

**IrishSpartan** · December-12-09, 01:54 AM

Originally Posted by exmotowner

In the gay bar GiGi's on Warren, [[under their parking lot) there is an old bowling alley that has been blocked up for years. You can [[or could) still access it through the basement. does anyone know when this was a working bowling alley [[years of operation) and the name of it? I've always wondered about it. Also, Todd's Bowling Disco on 7 and VanDyke. What was the name of that and the years of operation? Thanks for any info you can provide.

Nortown Rec. was on 7 Mile just east of Van Dyke

**1_of_None** · August-31-09, 10:49 PM

Glad to help Jimaz
My family traveled everywhere rolling tournaments and leagues, but Colonial was home.

**KENSINGTONY** · September-24-09, 01:52 PM

That address for Timber Lanes would put it just south of where Pep Boys is now, a few blocks south of 10 Mile Road.

**a100driver** · September-24-09, 07:57 PM

For the record, I lived in that area when Timber Lanes came down. The Pep Boys IS where Timber Lanes was.

**zitro** · December-07-09, 09:29 AM

I saw this DN in yesterday's papers. Mr. Lindemann was a mainstay in the Detroit All-Star Classic for years.

LINDEMANN, ROLAND "TONY"
LINDEMANN ROLAND "TONY" December 4, 2009. Age 90. Beloved husband of the late Barbara. Loving father of Diana Rice. Proud grandfather of Robert [[Debra) Farmer, Gerald [[Nancy) Farmer, Marie Sheridan and Jade Rice and great-grandfather of Taylor, Jessica, Chase and Aaron. Dear brother of Walter and Robert [[Vivian) Lindemann. Also survived by many dear nieces and nephews. Mr. Lindemann was inducted in the Pro Bowler Hall of Fame in 1979. Visitation Monday 3-9 p.m. and Tuesday 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Funeral Service at Wujek-Calcaterra & Sons, Inc. 36900 Schoenherr at Metro Parkway [[16 Mile). Share memories with the family at their "On-Line Guest Book" at WujekCalcaterra.com.

**Detroit Signal** · December-07-09, 04:05 PM

Tony was a great guy. He will be missed.

**jerrytimes** · November-18-10, 05:39 AM

Originally Posted by a100driver

For the record, I lived in that area when Timber Lanes came down. The Pep Boys IS where Timber Lanes was.

No it's not. Pep Boys is across the street from where Timber was. Autozone is on the Timber site.

**exmotowner** · December-11-09, 01:26 PM

Just wanted to get this thread back on top because I would like to know about the two bowling alleys that were turned into gay bars.
Thanks, ex

**Campfire Girl** · December-11-09, 02:36 PM

I bowled at Van Dyke Lanes near Nevada and Van Dyke in the late 70s on a work league - I believe that Alley had lanes either above or below the main floor at one time. It's long gone now.

**Whitehouse** · December-12-09, 10:52 AM

I read a story about a bus in a state like the one above. Someone checked the history of that particular bus and it turned out to be the very same bus in which Rosa Parks sat.

Edit:
I don't think it's the same bus but if I remember correct it was more or less in the same state as the bus above when the rediscovered it. It's now housed at the Henry Ford Museum, looking pristene as the first day it entered service.

Huh?

Did someone move this post here?

**lalynch** · December-12-09, 10:50 PM

I'm not a bowler but Clemente's Restaurant in Lincoln Park has a cool 4 lane bowling alley.
Fort Park Bowl is cool but I wish Bill would give some TLC to the vintage/coolness of the place. Fort Park has a lot of history because it was built by the Quandt family, of of Lincoln Park's original families, in the 1930's.

I grew up in Farmington Hills so it was Farmington Lanes where my brother would bowl in an afterschool league. And at one point we lived close to Bel-Aire Lanes. Both are gone. Farmington Lanes

**zitro** · December-14-09, 11:10 AM

This was a classic yesterday when Tom Smallwood of Saginaw a laid off GM worker got up in the tenth and needed the first one to beat "The Big Nasty" for his first title and a major. I'm sure the $50,000 first place money will make for a nice Christmas around the Smallwood home.

http://freep.com/article/20091213/BL...et-on-PBA-Tour

**12468_laing** · December-14-09, 11:33 AM

anyone have any memories of Chandler on Harper on the east side? My dad worked at Fruehauf and had his league there - women's too, and Mom bowled there. Remember the place well - 17 lanes - the league took 16, and 17 was the only one open for a bored kid waiting for his dad to finish. Spent many a Sunday after church at that place.

**slick** · December-14-09, 11:49 AM

Bowled at Chandler lanes for many years on Monday Nights.
Harper Van Dyke league.
George ran the place cannot remember his last name.

They also hosted a nine pin no tap for many years.
I ran a squad actually 3 squads filled the house for the tournament.
I came in 6th place one year, was the leader for awhile, won a thousand dollars, biggest bowling tournament payoff for my career.

Before we bowled on Mondays for a few weeks two guys would be bowling, not that good, no big name, but around 50 guys would be watching them. Rumor was they had some really high stake betting on the match. Yes, they looked Italian to me.

Used to love the 10 -16 lane bowling alleys, always run by small business men, could talk and negotiate with them. Not like the big corporate places that no one can make a decision in. oh well, bowling has changed.

**markv** · December-23-09, 10:50 PM

Originally Posted by 12468_laing

anyone have any memories of Chandler on Harper on the east side? My dad worked at Fruehauf and had his league there - women's too, and Mom bowled there. Remember the place well - 17 lanes - the league took 16, and 17 was the only one open for a bored kid waiting for his dad to finish. Spent many a Sunday after church at that place.

I also worked for Fruehauf [[1975-1985) and bowled in their bowling leagues at Chandler Lanes. My last night of bowling in the league was the Championship roll-off and I had parked my car on Harper where it was broken into while I was bowling. Who were your Mom and Dad. I am sure I would have known them. There were several couples that bowled in the leagues that I remember. [[Andrea and Mark, Laurie and Al, Cheryl and Claude, - Mark V

**12468_laing** · December-14-09, 11:52 AM

had to be George DeSantis. I remember one guy who was bald who always worked the desk and the counter. Don't think he ever worked the bar though. This was all in the 60's till mid 70's.

**slick** · December-14-09, 01:03 PM

Yes, George DeSantis,
Hay George when does the house buy!
I think once he may have bought a round, but it was pure fun for everyone.

The league moved to Ramona Lanes. Cars were being broken into weekly at Chandler back in the mid 70's.