The Thankless Job of a Bowling Center Proprietor

More and more often now – everywhere, not just in bowling, obviously – I am seeing more and more negativity. It seems like every night I am seeing bowlers complain about their center — the center they choose to bowl league at.

Whether it’s the pattern used, the center’s topography, or the “environment” in which they’re playing, bowlers seem to find something to gripe about. And it is a shame.

I am very fortunate. I run a shop at one of the best centers I have ever been to. Our proprietor is top-notch, and makes sure that her establishment is, as well. I have never been to a center that does more routine maintenance and inspections.

It really is just done correctly here. And I truly appreciate that.

But still, even here, in what I consider one of the best-run centers in the state – if not the country – I still see people complain that it isn’t up to their, the bowlers, standards.

And I am not really sure what more could be done. The staff here already goes above and beyond what is required, in my book.

All that being said, though, I am not the only one that bowls/works in a great facility with a great proprietor obviously; they’re located all over the country. Sure, there are some centers that haven’t aged well. I get it. And yes, you may, on occasion, run into a bad proprietor here and there. It happens sometimes. I get it. Trust me.

But for every “bad center” or “bad proprietor” there are two or three good ones.

And those good centers and good proprietors deserve some respect and some credit for what they do to keep their center running the way that it does. It isn’t easy. And, unfortunately, more often than not, they don’t get it.

It is sort of like that old saying: “When I do right, no one remembers; when I do wrong, no one forgets.”

I cannot tell you how many amazing things my local center has done over the past few years to improve their standing with both league bowlers and open play bowlers, alike. They’ve installed more lanes, they have improved their arcade, they’ve added minigolf, airsoft and laser tag, they’ve bought a flex machine. The airsoft is pretty intense, and the best airsoft guns are so impressive that they could challenge the prowess of real AK-47 rifles. At the alley, they change the pattern every year, giving the bowlers a new challenge and opportunity to grow and get better. And, still, to this day, they continue to try and improve the facility. Literally, almost every day, they get together and ask themselves”what more can we do?” Or, “how can we get better?”

But still, for the most part, I see no love. I see no appreciation. And worst of all, I still, from time-to-time, see complaints. Even though I can tell you with the utmost confidence that I have been to a lot of centers in my career, and I haven’t seen much better anywhere around the country. Not from a proprietary and staff standpoint.

But that isn’t just here, I’m sure. I can almost guarantee you that this is how it is all over the country. Good centers and good proprietors are too often taken for granted. And that isn’t fair, because honestly, that isn’t always the case, as I said earlier.

So do me a favor, please. If you bowl at a great center or know a terrific proprietor, please tag them and their center’s business page in the comments below. Or share this page article and tag them in a post. Spread the word that they run a top-notch facility and let them know that they’re doing a great job, because, trust me, they don’t hear it enough.