Brunswick Zone XL KennesawLanes, aka U.S. Play, will soon be rebranded as metro Atlanta's first Bowlero location. Bowlero, like Brunswick Zone, is owned by Bowlmor AMF, the largest owner and operator of bowling venues in the world.
Bowlmor AMF was formed in the summer of 2013 following the merger of AMF and Bowlmor. AMF had previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in late 2012.
Brunswick, previously an independent bowling operator, was purchased by Bowlmor AMF in 2014.
The Brunswick Zone in Kennesaw is located on Cobb Place Boulevard near Ernest Barrett Parkway and I-75. An employee at Brunswick indicated that renovations began at the center last year and that they should wrap up shortly before Thanksgiving. The enhancements will reportedly give the facility more of a "garage" look. Food options will reportedly include a five pound hamburger and a two foot long hot dog.
This past June, Bowlmor AMF rebranded their AMF Peach Lanes in Columbusunder the Bowlero brand. Whereas the Kennesaw location already has laser tag, laser tag was added to the Columbus location. As of now, the Columbus and Kennesaw locations are the only facilities to adopt the Bowlero branding.
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| Inside Bowlero Columbus |
The bowling business has changed drastically over the past decade or so with operators scrambling to add additional attractions to keep guests coming back.
Arcades and bars, standbys of the bowling alley of yesteryear, have been upgraded and augmented to provide more entertainment for guests and more revenue for operators.
AMF previously rebranded its AMF Bowling center on Savoy Drive in Chamblee to the short-lived 300 Atlanta brand. Today, the facility operates as Bowlmor Atlanta.
In 2013 Brunswick Zone locations in Marietta on Delk Road and in Roswell on Spalding Drive were rebranded under the Brunswick moniker. Brunswick's, like Bowlmor and Bowlero, offer a more upscale bowling experience.
A Bowlmor employee with whom I spoke indicated that Bowlmor is seen as the most premium of bowling options, targeting adult business, with Bowlero and Brunswick's just behind it, appealing to families and millennials.
While Bowlmor AMF is the industry leader, other companies, as well as some local operators, have entered the fray.
Justin Amick and William Stallworth opened The Painted Pinon Miami Circle in Buckhead in 2014. The upscale facility not only features bowling, but also bocce ball, darts, ping pong, skee-ball, shuffleboard, other games and a full bar & restaurant menu.
Amick & Stallworth plan to introduce duckpin bowling to metro Atlanta next year when they open The Painted Duck on Atlanta's Westside. Duckpin bowling is similar to standard ten-pin bowling, but features shorter and lighter pins, making play more difficult. Given the increased challege, players are given three rather than two, rolls per play. Slated to open in the spring of next year, The Painted Duck will offer duckpin bowlingas well as private karaoke rooms, Belgian feather bowling, indoor deck shuffleboard and also a menu featuring "backyard barfare" and a full bar. The Painted Duck will be located at Stockyards Atlanta, at the corner of 10th Street & Brady Avenue.
Next year, Kings Bowl, an upscale, retro-inspired bowling and entertainment destination, will open at The Battery Atlanta, the mixed-use component of the SunTrust Park in Cobb county. Started in 2002 and based in Boston, Kings Bowl has nine locations open with a total of three in the pipeline, including the Atlanta area facility.
Next year, Kings Bowl, an upscale, retro-inspired bowling and entertainment destination, will open at The Battery Atlanta, the mixed-use component of the SunTrust Park in Cobb county. Started in 2002 and based in Boston, Kings Bowl has nine locations open with a total of three in the pipeline, including the Atlanta area facility.
Main Event, a Dallas, Texas-based bowling and entertainment business, is expanding its metro Atlanta presence. In addition to bowling, Main Event locations feature laser tag, billiards, arcade games, gravity (high wire), karaoke, mini golf and rock climbing. Main Event locations are already openin the Cumberland and North Point Mall areas with a third location coming to Suwanee later this fall. Like Bowlero and Brunswick's, Main Event is heavily family focused. According to its website, "Main Event Entertainment is the fastest - growing bowling - anchored entertainment center in America."
Apparently undeserving of a rebrand or renovation, AMF Snellville Lanes, on Ronald Reagan Parkway near Scenic Highway, closed earlier this year. The facility, which had been in business since 1988, is being redeveloped into a "mini-warehouse storage facility."
Have you been to Bowlero in Columbus or elsewhere? If so, what were your thoughts? What is your favorite place for bowling in metro Atlanta? Do you prefer the more "boutique" type operators like The Painted Pin, or the more standard bowling experiences like traditional AMF?
Please share your thoughts below.