Detroit Bowling Alleys

[mikefmich]

I just read on facebook that Continental Lanes [[Gratiot/13 Mile in Roseville) has recently closed and will become a poker site. Anyone else hear this? Seems to me that bowling is a dying sport.

Didn't bowl there in a league or often otherwise, but I sure had lots of fun in the dance lounge in the very early 70's.

[Detroit Signal]

Continental Lanes will be demolished in February for an LA Fitness.

[Danny]

When I've bowled at Continental lanes in 2009 for the Red Wings League. They have a 1984 Mendez electronic scoreboards. They were old as a dinosaur. People were having problems programming their scores and they break down everytime. Parts were very difficult to replace. Lots of leagues were tired of that house and left recently.

[p69rrh51]

Great Lakes Bowling Center designed by H. E. Beyster Corp. Images from a 1946 issue of Michigan Architect and Engineer.

[p69rrh51]

Drawings by Ted Rogvoy for Warren and Crest Bowling Lanes from a 1946 issue of Michigan Architect and Engineer.

[p69rrh51]

Another drawing from Ted Rogvoy of Belmar Bowling Lanes.

[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.

[p69rrh51]

I am looking for another address this time Rolawile Lanes.

[Danny]

Another drawing from Ted Rogvoy of Belmar Bowling Lanes.

Belmar Lanes is on Fort St. near Goddard in Lincoln Park, MI. still open and bustling with fall leagues. They don't open much in the summer or have summer leagues. Just recently the owners have put new synthetic lanes ans made fewer modifications in the interior.

[Detroit Signal]

Rolawile Lanes - 7040 Puritan

[p69rrh51]

Rolawile Lanes - 7040 Puritan

Thx Detroit Signal!

[p69rrh51]

A drawing of Chandler Lanes by Ted Rogvoy, from a 1946 issue of 1946 issue of Michigan Architect and Engineer.

[p69rrh51]

Chandler Lanes on 7/7/13.

[p69rrh51]

a drawing of Lessel Lanes by Lawrence B. Jameson from a 1947 issue of Michigan Architect and Engineer.

[jerrytimes]

Continental Lanes will be demolished in February for an LA Fitness.

Wow... I can't believe that place is going to be torn down. I bowled there often growing up.... Sorta miffed that an LA fitness is going up.

[p69rrh51]

Does anyone know the address of Palmer Park Recreation?

[Detroit Signal]

Palmer Park Recreation 106 W. McNichols ph. TUlsa 3-0390

[mtburb]

The former site of Palmer Park Recreation in June 2011.

[p69rrh51]

Thx D.S. and mtburb!

[epickett]

Anybody know where Paradise Bowl was? I found a picture in my dad's stuff from a Postal Alliance League there in 1949-50. It would be cool if I could find out more about the league, the bowlers in it, and the house. Thanks!

[epickett]

By the way, if anyone wants current pictures of the site of any old centers, let me know the address and I'll see what I can do.

[archfan]

Anybody know where Paradise Bowl was? I found a picture in my dad's stuff from a Postal Alliance League there in 1949-50. It would be cool if I could find out more about the league, the bowlers in it, and the house. Thanks!

I found two links:

http://www.metrotimes.com/detroit/a-...nt?oid=2201876
Heavyweight champ Joe Louis loved bowling, and found funding and backers for his 20-lane Paradise Bowl in 1942. Aside from the dazzling live entertainment in Paradise Valley, the Paradise Bowl was black Detroiters’ favorite destination by some accounts.

This link:

https://books.google.com/books?id=AB...etroit&f=false

says it was next door to Club Three Sixes, 666 E. Adams near St. Antoine, now under I-375.

[Danny]

Finally Cloverlanes in Livonia, MI. now has AMF-Qubica synthetic lanes on the east end. Go try them out.

[epickett]

Thanks for those links! Interesting reading...

[G-DDT]

Have to throw out this story. Years ago, I was lingering on the last of my bottle after close with a few stragglers at the Garden Bowl. A group of them were celebrating the appointing of one them as a policeman. He was wasted. Worse still, he was showing off his new licensed piece, and he was begging the female bartender if he could just squeeze off one round down a lane at a line of pins. He was pleading and throwing hundreds of dollars on the table [["Please G-----, Puh-leeze! just one shot-I promise. I'm a good aim. I just want to take out one pin. I'll give you four hundred. No. no. I'll make it five! Just for one shot. Right down the cr*ppiest lane. Puh-leeze, G-----!"). She was standing there leaning on both arms, purse-mouthed, eyes up to the ceiling tiles, going "Hmmmmmmmmmm-no." Glad she didn't turn it into a Gunbowl.