LYNNWOOD — This is bowling to attract the hipster crowd.
Prince turned up loud, 100-inch video screens at every lane with movies such as “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” and lots and lots of black lights.
The former Brunswick Majestic Lanes underwent a $2.4 million renovation to give it a boost and new energy to go along with a new name — Bowlero Lynnwood.
“Bowlero bowling is a shot of adrenaline in a Novocaine world, I always say,” said Kevin O’Connell, the district manager for Bowlero, which owns 300 bowling alleys in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The company has been transforming its bowling alleys including the one in Lynnwood, which it bought in 2014, making them more modern, adding better bars and giving them new vibes.
The goal: Keep the traditional bowler while attracting millennials. Bowlero celebrated the renovation at the bowling alley at 1222 164th St. SW over the weekend.
“This isn’t your mom-and-pop bowling alley anymore,” O’Connell said.
Everything about Bowlero Lynnwood is energy and creativity. The doors at the entrance are adorned with stick figures bowling and wearing crowns. A star-burst chandelier greets people walking into the lobby. Soft couches offer bowlers places to rest between frames.
Even the shoes are brand new.
“The kids love it, I like it,” said Ron Garner, Bowlero Lynnwood’s general manager, who has worked at the place since it opened in 1990. “I’ve watched this place change three times since it opened and this is the coolest.”
On one end of the 42-lane bowling alley, the word “Love” is written in giant letters on the wall. On the other end, the word “Luck” is written.
Bowlero’s logo — a bowling ball with antlers coming out — is everywhere.
The arcade has been expanded from 10 games to about 40, including a massive sit-down version of the arcade classic Space Invaders. The menu has been expanded to include such things as giant Bavarian Pretzels, Mega Hotdogs and Nine Napkin Nachos.
“Brunswick Lanes that used to be here was doing really well,” O’Connell said. “It was one of our top-earning bowling alleys in the country. We just saw a ton of potential here.”
Bowlero started construction on the project in October.
“During this transition time, we had a lot of very patient league bowlers,” O’Connell said. “We had tarps up, there was dust flying around. We cordoned everything off. We did everything in sections.”
Not everybody is a fan.
Take Alex Pettersen, of Lynnwood, who has been coming to the bowling alley since it first opened. He doesn’t like the changes at all.
“I’m sorry to say it, but I’m going to tell it like it is,” Pettersen said.
And what about attracting a younger bowler?
“I don’t care about the younger crowd,” Pettersen said. “I’m 80 years old.”
Another bowler likes the new look.
Saldie Delossantos was on a lane by himself Friday, practicing for league play later that night.
“The set up is nice,” Delossantos said. “It’s really modern compared to what it was like before.”
How about the new menu?
“The food? It’s good, it’s good, but I normally just order beer,” he said.
O’Connell, the district manager whose area covers from Washington to Arizona, said up to 30 percent of Bowlero’s bowling alleys have undergone renovations. He said the company does a lot of analysis of demographics before making the investment.
“Snohomish County is growing tremendously,” O’Connell said. “That’s one of our big reasons to renovate. We saw the influx of housing, apartments and businesses.”
He said bowling also is gaining in popularity with millennials.
“Bowling is back. What is old is new again,” he said. “Bowling is the new hip, cool thing to do. It’s cool to ask your wife, your date or partner, ‘Hey, let’s go to Bowlero Bowling in Lynnwood and do some bowling.’”
Jim Davis: 425-339-3097; jdavis@heraldnet.com; @HBJnews.
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