Questions and Answers (Q&A) Forgotten Chicago Forum
Have a question about a specific element in Chicago's history? Ask Away!
Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
Cragin Spring
()
Date: June 01, 2015 04:04AM
My dad always told me stories about bowling alleys in Chicago that he remembers being in the basement of a building or on the second floor. I know there is still Lincoln Square Lanes that is located on the second floor. Are there anymore existing in Chicago? Or does anyone recall former alleys in Chicago that were basements or second floors? I did come across some in Wisconsin. Thanks
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
gman
()
Date: June 01, 2015 11:53AM
Bud Schaibly's on Devon, between Western and California was a second-floor bowling alley. Very popular for grammar school birthday parties back in the day.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
Dunning1
()
Date: June 01, 2015 01:01PM
My uncle worked as a bartender at Valentine Bowl, which was on the south side of Fullerton between Harding and Pulaski Road. This must have been back in the early 1960's, and I remember going over there with my father so my uncle could show us this huge old automatic pinspotting machine that was in the back of the bowling alley. I think the building is now an AA meeting place. The bowling alley was on the second floor, I believe an RCA Radio shop was on the first floor.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: June 01, 2015 03:33PM
On the southside we had JB'S 2nd floor, Queens & Marzanos Palace bowl 1st and 2nd floor.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
ambrosemario
()
Date: June 02, 2015 12:10AM
I cannot remember it's name, but there was a good-size bowling alley and billiards hall on the second floor of the building that also housed the Highland movie theater on the NE corner of 79th & Ashland.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
locoengineer
()
Date: June 02, 2015 12:16AM
On the corner of 51st & Damen was Brabec's Dept Store. The first floor was the store and the bowling alley (about 12 lanes) was on the second floor. Also, a small corner of the building had a small "greasy spoon" type restaurant------it may have been named Gus' Grill.......
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
locoengineer
()
Date: June 02, 2015 12:41AM
Another second floor bowling alley comes to mind-----Archer-Kedzie Bowl at 4300 S Kedzie.....
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
whowantschips
()
Date: June 02, 2015 03:33PM
Edison Park Bowl across from the Metra station. I think it's just open for leagues and private parties now.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: June 02, 2015 11:45PM
JB's was the upstairs bowling alley on 51st and Damen and Queens was on 79th Ashland
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
bowler
()
Date: June 03, 2015 03:48PM
Archer and 35th Recreational Bowl on 35th and Archer, original home of the Peterson Classic tournament, was on the 2nd floor.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: June 03, 2015 04:54PM
Saint John's Lutheran Parrish on Montrose Ave. had bowling four lanes in the basement of the church. Last of the church alleys in Chicago. Empire Bowl on Milwaukee Ave. was a second floor house. Monte Clare Lanes on Harlem Ave. was built over the parking garage. They just closed in April. North Center Recreation on Lincoln Ave. was a second floor house as well built over the Alan Electronics store. The movie, The Color of Money with Paul Newman had a scene shot in here. Natoma Lanes on Milwaukee Ave. had eight lanes on the second floor as well as eight lanes on the first floor. Maple Lanes on Fullerton Ave. had lanes on the first and second floors as well. The New Monte Cristo Bowl was a second floor house along with Uptown Recrecation on Bryn Marr. Logan Bowl was on the second floor until a fire closed them down in the mid 1960's. There was a bowling alley on Berwyn Ave. at Clark Street that was a second floor house but I can't recall the name of it at this time. There was over 200 bowling alleys in Chicago at one time. I am sure there are more but I am a north side guy so I am not familiar with the side side.
You can check out Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog, for pictures and more info if needed.
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2015 05:04PM by rjmachon.
You can check out Dr. Jake's Bowling History Blog, for pictures and more info if needed.
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/03/2015 05:04PM by rjmachon.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: June 04, 2015 02:08PM
There was an upstairs place called Bieg's Bowl on Milwaukee near Montrose that burned down in the '90s.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
West Town
()
Date: June 04, 2015 11:11PM
Congress Bowl on Milwaukee Ave. had bowling alleys on the 2nd & 3rd floors.
Marina City Bowl was on the second floor of the smaller building besides the towers.
Marina City Bowl was on the second floor of the smaller building besides the towers.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: June 05, 2015 06:37AM
Marina City Bowl is still there but some lanes were taken out and the the alley was renamed to the 10pin Bowling Lounge.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
thejimdoherty
()
Date: June 06, 2015 03:16PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't BELMONT BOWL (near Belmont and Lincoln, in what used to be the Belmont Theatre) also a second-floor alley?
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
skipo
()
Date: June 07, 2015 05:24PM
On the far south side was Stevensons Bowling in the basement of a large building off the southwest corner of 79th and Cottage Grove (I think it was 79th)
Went there many times in mid-50's.
Went there many times in mid-50's.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
skj
()
Date: June 16, 2015 10:32PM
As I recall, there was a second floor alley near 56th and Western. Don't recall the name or if this was the exact location.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: June 17, 2015 12:12AM
56th and Western was Gage Park Bowl. That was a single floor as I recall. Maybe your thinking of 51st and Damen JB's?
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
Elf Odin
()
Date: June 17, 2015 11:45PM
Northcenter Bowl was a second-floor alley. It was in the triangle between Lincoln Avenue and Damen Avenue, north of Irving Park Road, about the center of the block (the building is still there). The entrance was on the Lincoln Avenue side.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
SWEDE
()
Date: June 18, 2015 12:19AM
Milwaukee Bowl was a 2 floor bowl.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: June 19, 2015 10:13PM
@Elf, North Center was torn down years ago. I believe condos are there now. Here is an old picture of North Center Recreation.
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/north-center-recreation-chicago-bowling-alley/
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/2013/02/03/north-center-recreation-chicago-bowling-alley/
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
shoreline
()
Date: June 27, 2015 07:23PM
Markay Bowl existed druing the 50s/60s on the second floor of a commercial building located along Western Ave a few doors north of Touhy. The lanes harken back to the days of "pin boys". Almost directly across the street was the more modern Sunset Bowl opened after the advent of automatic pin setters. Both are long gone.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: July 08, 2015 07:34PM
@shoreline, here is a picture of Markay Bowl, 7221 N. Western Ave. from Dr. Jakes Bowling Blog, it appears to be all on the first level.
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/markay-recreation-chicago-bowling-alley/#comments
I think there was another bowling alley around there on the second floor. Wasn't it on the n/w corner of Western and Touhy?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2015 08:58PM by rjmachon.
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/markay-recreation-chicago-bowling-alley/#comments
I think there was another bowling alley around there on the second floor. Wasn't it on the n/w corner of Western and Touhy?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/08/2015 08:58PM by rjmachon.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: August 31, 2015 11:34AM
Lincoln Square Bowl burned down this morning in a huge fire.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: September 03, 2015 12:42AM
I saw that. Another one bites the dust!
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
Anonymous User
()
Date: September 15, 2015 02:43AM
Schunamann Flynn around Milwaukee and Montrose was on the second floor. The first floor was a pool hall. Park Ridge Bowl was on the second floor in a building behind the Pickwick Theatre in Park Ridge. There are 4 lanes in the basement of the old IC Church on Talcott just west of Harlem.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
s0uthsider
()
Date: September 16, 2015 11:36PM
I seem to remember a place that my father bowled that was on the second floor around 63rd and S. Western. I think it was called "Western Recreation". I think they had pinboys too - no automatic pin resetters.
Re: Bowling alleys in basements or 2nd floor.
Posted by:
rjmachon
()
Date: September 19, 2015 09:17PM
@jpitt, that was Empire Bowl around Milwaukee and Montrose was on the second floor. Leo Schueneman and his son-in-law Jim Flynn managed the bowling alley. Here is a link with a picture of the inside of the bowling alley per Dr. Jake's Bowling History.
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/empire-bowl-chicago-bowling-alley-2/
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2015 09:19PM by rjmachon.
https://bowlinghistory.wordpress.com/2012/01/15/empire-bowl-chicago-bowling-alley-2/
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/19/2015 09:19PM by rjmachon.
