Both these houses have been closed for years.

The Bowlium at Sheridan & Montrose in Uptown. It opened at Christmastime 1941. Also attached was Helsing's Vodvil Lounge, where Georgie Gobel got his start. Torn down in the 70's - now a Jewel store and lot.

When Robby converted Calo movie Theatre it was quite a challenge but he pulled
it off...Clar Wyn bowl was a 12 alley house which I managed P.T. on Saturdays
back in the late 50's along with my buddy Rune Magnuson...Bud Schack was the
owner/mgr but got sick and we helped out and increased business my 300%..And
yes, we had pinsetters....

In response to wildsides post, who was ur dad who bowled on tv at
Faetz Nisson? I just stumbled on the site and am playing catch up.
I bowled in the All Star league on Fridays for LaBatts, O'Keekes &
Pabst. That was in the late 50's/early 60's..

Bleekers in Evergreen is a dump when you go inside. It is like walking into the 1950's.

Steer clear.

If you have been there before, nothing, nothing changed.

Wow, it is like walking through a magic door in time.

I'm sure some of the older folks have been sitting there since.

Big disappointment. : (

Actually, the entire roof at Gage Park Bowl collapsed, during or shortly after the 1979 blizzard, and the remaining walls were soon torn down. The cable company lives in what used to be the big car dealership to the south.

My older brother and I practically lived at Gage Park Lanes for a few years. I often staffed the concession counter and shoe rental at the north end, and later, worked on the Brunswick pinsetters.

The same thing happened to Timber Lanes on the north side during that winter of 79'. The roof fell in but did not take the walls down and the place reopened the next season.

@Wags300, I bowled at Calo in the late 1960's to the mid 1970's. Robby was a great guy. No parking there closed him up. What a pain to try to find a spot.

tks for rjmachon feedback..when did Clar-Wyn shut down? Whats next to
the Church now?

If you are talking about Clark Wilson Rec Center, 4533 N. Clark, I don't know when they closed. I have checked on another web site and no mention of it. I will get back to you on that date. The business there now, Bag Plaza Corp has been there since 1976.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/13/2013 09:54AM by rjmachon.

Clar-Wyn bowl was above Youngrens cleaners on Berwyn between Clark and
Ashland. The alley bordered the back of the lanes opposite the First
Evangelical Free Church..It was a 12 lane house. When the Bowlium had
a fire back around 1960, Bill Bunettas singles/doubles league finished
the season there..I thought Uptown bowl was at Lawrence and Clark next
to Rainbow arena..Lotta lanes around town in the 50's

Thanks wags300 for the info. I never heard of this place while living in the neighbor hood. The church and the the building that the bowling alley was in are still there. The church added a addition to there building just south of the church on Asland.

WayOutWardell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My pals and I used to bowl quite a bit in high
> school (late 80s-early 90s). We weren't very good
> but it gave us an excuse to get out of the house
> during winter.
> a
> place on Belmont near Kimball (can't remember the
> name)

It was called Belmont Bowl. I still live 1 block away from that place. Great times there

gordogmc Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WayOutWardell Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > My pals and I used to bowl quite a bit in high
> > school (late 80s-early 90s). We weren't very
> good
> > but it gave us an excuse to get out of the
> house
> > during winter.
> > a
> > place on Belmont near Kimball (can't remember
> the
> > name)
>
> It was called Belmont Bowl. I still live 1 block
> away from that place. Great times there


You mean Bel Bowl?. THAT was on the 3200-3300 block of W.Belmont. Belmont Bowl was on the 1600 block of W.Belmont.

bel bowl was at 3257 w belmont ave. It had 12 lanes.


belmont bowl was 1637 w belmont ave. It had 32 lanes.

There was one alley at North and Narraganestt in Galewood.

Also, there still is one at 5700 w Irving Park Rd past Central Av. I checked Goodle earth and it is there. I wrongly assumed was gone.

76 Lanes on North av in Northlake is now a WalMart/Sam's Club.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/29/2013 03:58AM by tomcat630.

Irving Park Lanes on Irving.

It is easier to name the remaining bowling alleys that are opened, left in Chicago. I believe it is down to 13 or 15 out of 200 since the 1960's. This does not including the Chicago land suburbs. For more info on past bowling alleys in Chicago, you can check out Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog at:

http://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/category/old-chicago-bowling-alleys/

rjmachon

16 still in Chicago

100 in suburbs

Gateway bowl 6432 w north ave.

Lincoln Lanes? On Lincoln Ave. near Roscoe, I think.

It was on the second floor right next to the L tracks and tolerated a bunch of teenagers hanging around in the early sixties. Don't remember doing much bowling there, just walking there from hone a mile or more away to flirt with the boys and act cool.