Not crazy about the younger breed of newfangled bowling alleys cropping up across the city—places with blaring DJs, exorbitant drink prices, and some BS lounge-y atmosphere? If you prefer the smell of stale beer and tacky furnishings to compliment your game, click through for a journey to some of New York City's classic old school alleys; while they're a dying breed, they do exist, if you know where to look.
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Results tagged “bowling”
NYC's Finest Old-School Bowling Alleys
Bowlmor Puts Useless Newspaper Building to Good Use
Buy your ex-wife's Pomeranian a beer and come flash a piece out on the lanes at the new Bowlmor Times Square, opening today in the old New York Times building on West 44th Street. (You'll recall the paper of record sold the building in 2007 and moved to their flashy new headquarters in a 52-story skyscraper, which the company had to then mortgage off to cover spiraling debt.) Bowlmor has gobbled up 90,000 square feet of the building, which opened in 1913, and the massive bi-level venture boasts 50 lanes in seven New York City-themed bowling lounges. Celebrity chef David Burke has been contracted to handle the menus at a Stadium Grill Restaurant and Sports Bar, and there's also a "Tribeca Loft" nightclub and the New York Salon private banquet room. Yeah, we're a long way from league night and pitchers of Genny Cream.
Ballpark Lanes Closing For "Renovations"
Ballpark Lanes is closing...but is it forever, or just for a while? A worried reader wrote to us last night about the 51-year-old bowling alley, bar and meeting place that faces the old Yankee Stadium: "Ballpark Lanes, is closing on Saturday due to a landlord dispute. Unfortunately that is all I know but I was there tonight before the game against the Orioles and heard it from the employees directly. Ballpark Lanes has been open since 1959, it's an institution, landmark, and beloved by New Yorkers for over a generation." However, we spoke to Ballpark Lanes and found out that's not the case.
Found: Prohibition-Era Bowling Alley In Queens
Who doesn't love it when a little bit of history is unearthed underground? The Scout recently got a tip from some folks who purchased a building in Queens, who told him, "while clearing out the basement we discovered a two lane manual bowling alley in very good condition." After doing some research they discovered the basement in the old garment factory was likely a speakeasy during the Prohibition Era, with two bowling lanes for customers.
Lebowski Fest at Brooklyn Bowl: F%*king AMATEURS!
Lebowski Fest rolled into town this week for three nights instead of the usual two, and it was probably one night too many. On Tuesday, there was a concert and screening of the Coen brothers comic masterpiece at Terminal 5, followed Wednesday by a bowling and costume extravaganza at Lucky Strike, and then... some sort of awkward what-have-you last night at Brooklyn Bowl in Williamsburg. By all accounts, the blowout at Lucky Strike was (like last year) the main event, attracting the most dedicated fans and creative costumes.
Should Bowling Alleys Serve $13 Shakes?
Brooklyn Bowl has been open for a while now, and for the most part receiving favorable reviews... until Bloomberg News paid a visit, that is. While the establishment has fancy foods and couches, unlike the still-preferable Gutter, their writer points out that it may just be the ESPN Zone of Hipsterburg, complete with "barbecue-sauced balls." Being draped in leather couches and flat screen televisions comes with a price, of course, and the piece focuses on what they call lazy comfort food with a Times Square price tag. One menu item that isn't really fit for this economic climate is the $13 milkshake; it contains whatever a normal milkshake would, with the added ingredients of Nutella and whiskey (what, no truffles and gold flakes?). Sounds good, tastes good, but as the writer points out, "a $13 milkshake can’t be right. Leave my junk-food prices alone." Okay, so maybe Fred Flintstone wouldn't bowl here, but would you?
Brooklyn Bowl Readies For Opening
The folks behind Brooklyn Bowl have been sinking lots of money and time into their ambitious bowling alley/rock venue/restaurant hybrid, and the grand unveiling is coming soon...hopefully. The massive space boasts a 600 person capacity for concerts, 16 lanes, a stellar sound system (remember this place is brought to you by the Wetlands guys), a menu including french bread pizzas and burgers from Blue Ribbon, dining tables made out of old bowling lanes and aesthetic touches by one of the designers of Dressler.
Brooklyn Bowl Teams Up With Blue Ribbon
Earlier this month news of Brooklyn Bowl opening in Williamsburg started to spread. The bowling alley, located over by The Gutter and right next to the Brooklyn Brewery, is also a venue, and has promised to offer up some grub once they open in the fall. So far former Wetlands owner Peter Shapiro and manager Charley Ryan, who are opening the joint, have been hush hush about the dining options at the place, but now Eater reports that they'll have "a full Blue Ribbon menu." The downside? The menu might only be served in the VIP section, which (if true) would seriously harsh the vibe, Wetlands dudes.
Dwarf Bowling on Staten Island Lands in Gutter
A dwarf bowling tournament planned for Staten Island bar Big Nose Kate’s has been cancelled after an unidentified scold alerted the media to the event, which was to be hosted Saturday by d-list celebrity dwarf minstrel Beetlejuice (pictured), an occasional guest on the Howard Stern show. In dwarf bowling, players take turns rolling a dwarf (wearing protective gear) on a skateboard down makeshift bowling alleys toward small pins. In exchange for his dignity, the dwarf/bowling ball earns more than $100 an hour, according to Beetlejuice’s co-manager.
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