It was still advertising the Monday night special: 50-cent wings.‘Sound man extraordinaire’ Elliot Dicks was one of several live sound engineers who kept shows running at the Fireside. Lincoln Square Lanes’ website did not hint at the future. Many bowling alleys were converted into condominiums. Other owners have also sold recently, tempted by attractive offers for sought-after property, Schmidt and Clemen said. The “boutique”-style bowling alley, where the lanes are only part of the action, may be the wave of the future and a way to keep bowling alleys relevant, said Schmidt, who bowls in a weekly league in the suburbs and who visited Lincoln Square Lanes about a year ago. Harlem Ave., which shuttered in the spring, Schmidt said. Many family-owned alleys have closed, including Mont Clare Lanes and Banquets, 2957 N. The suburbs, home to some large, multi-lane facilities, have several dozen more. Chicago has only about a dozen bowling alleys certified by the United States Bowling Congress, although several smaller or boutique alleys like Lincoln Square Lanes are not included in the national governing body’s tally. “It was actually a big deal when a stand-alone bowling alley was built on the first floor,” Schmidt said.īut when bowling’s popularity waned - its customers distracted by other entertainment options or turned off by the drinking and smoking culture often attached to it - many establishments closed. Several other firefighters suffered minor burns battling the blaze, which took nearly two hours to bring under control.ĭuring boom times, there were bowling alleys in nearly every neighborhood of Chicago, many of them situated above first-floor storefronts. The firefighter was quickly located outside, suffering minor injuries from debris. Firefighters initially thought one firefighter was trapped inside the building, resulting in a “mayday” call. When firefighters pulled up to the building, flames already were shooting through the roof. The bowling alley was open until midnight. in the kitchen, said Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford. The fire appears to have started about 1 a.m. It was just a quaint location.”Īll of the wood in the bowling alley likely fueled the fire, the Fire Department said. … To me, it had a lot of history, before and after the renovation. “They weren’t our competition they were our friends,” Clemen said. Irving Park Road, often took dates to Lincoln Square Lanes. George Clemen, the manager at another Chicago bowling alley, Timber Lanes at 1851 W. Those not in the mood for bowling could play pool, darts, shuffleboard, foosball or arcade games. Tuesday night bowling was $2 per game, with $2 shoe rental. Guests at Lincoln Square Lanes could rent lanes - usually for $30 an hour - host kids and adults birthday parties, listen to bands and watch sports on TV. “When we renovated it, those people who were the little kids came back, and they were like, ‘I can’t believe this!’ … It’s a shame.” “I can’t tell you how many times people say, ‘I went there with my kids years ago,'” Mike Drehobl said. They built a stage for musical acts, preserved the building’s original, ornate tile ceiling, and discovered and restored a historic mural showcasing Abraham Lincoln. Three years ago, the Drehobl family invested about $1 million to renovate the business, reducing the number of bowling lanes and using the wood to expand the bar. More recently, Lincoln Square Lanes tapped into the move toward a more “boutique” bowling experience, where the lanes are part of a more casual entertainment experience and guests can watch sports, hear bands, play games and host events in addition to bowling. Schmidt, a local bowling historian who writes and blogs about the Chicago-area bowling scene. Owners took advantage of cheaper rent for second-floor retail space as business owners and bowlers looked to capitalize on the activity’s growing popularity, said John R. A quirky, rare draw today, upstairs bowling alleys were common a century ago. Lincoln Square Lanes may have been the oldest bowling alley in Chicago, established in 1918 as saloon-style alleys began popping up across the city.
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