Bowling business closes for good
New owner boards up Glen Burnie lanes
The Glen Burnie Bowl America permanently closed Tuesday after it was one of 17 locations recently acquired by Bowlero Corp., which says it is the largest owner and operator of bowling centers in the world.
Workers were at the location on 7155 Ritchie Highway on Tuesday boarding it up, which confused bowlers in the community who were signed up for seasonal league bowling set to begin Saturday.
Zachary Taylor, a former employee of Bowl America for six years, was sick to his stomach when he saw the bowling alley being boarded up. Taylor stopped working at the alley in 2017 and currently is the president of a Saturday bowling league that now has to look for a new location. The winter season was supposed to start Saturday but Taylor believes that won’t happen until after Labor Day.
As a worker there, Taylor worked his way up from wiping tables to being assistant manager.
“It was a great atmosphere and it was gratifying, but business started to decline over time,” Taylor said. “That is just how the bowling business is heading. I somewhat could see them closing down eventually, the center was deteriorating and every lane had mechanical or scoring issues, a lot of work would have to be done.”
Taylor and many other bowlers were notified Tuesday that they
had to remove all their equipment from the building.
Karen Alford has been bowling at the center for over 50 years and had to pick up her equipment Tuesday and left with tears. Alford started bowling when she was 6 years old and her mother worked at Bowl America for over 50 years when it was called “Johnny Unitas Colt lanes.”
Alford considers the staff at the bowling alley extended family, and she coached some of the league bowlers when they were in the youth league.
“We are all upset about it especially after how we were treated, we were told we would be able to have our fall season there,” Alford said.
Alford runs a Tuesday morning women’s league and will be moving it to Severna Park Lanes. She expects to have more than six teams. She said they have been bowling together for over 20 years and she just wants to keep them together.
Alford said during the pandemic, this alley was a lifesaver for many of them. She will miss the people the most.
“It is devastating. My career started there and this place has had the biggest impact on my life and I am sure it is the same for others as well,” Taylor said.
Taylor is disappointed the bowling alley never made renovations when they had the money to do it. He feels like it never reached its full potential.
Bowlero spokeswoman Jill Laufer confirmed the closure and encouraged bowlers to go to one of the nearby AMF alleys. In addition to AMF Southwest Lanes in Linthicum Heights, Bowlero also owns AMF Southdale Lanes on Jumpers Hole Road in Pasadena.
“This premium location just 5 miles away offers bowling in a space that’s perfectly suited for both league play and special events, with lanes available all season long,” she said in an email.
According to a news release, the Bowl America acquisition is Bowlero Corp.’s latest strategic growth initiative following last month’s announcement of plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange through a merger with Isos Acquisition Corp.