On a Thursday night several league teams were out to bowl at Capri Lanes on the far North Side of Columbus. Five-O, Bilf, and Andy’s Army took their turns knocking down strikes and spares.
“It’s just a good group. The people make it fun,” says Andrea Lawson.
Lawson has been a regular at Capri Lanes for more than 10 years.
After more than half a century the entertainment will be closing April 30. The owner of Capri Lanes still wants to operate the bowling center, but the property owner says it’s time to sell.
“I’m sad,” says Lawson. “It’s like my childhood. This is where I grew up and now it’s going to be gone. I don’t like it.”
Capri Lanes was built in 1965 on more than two acres on Roche Drive near 161 on Columbus’ far North Side. It became a popular spot for league bowling in the heydays of the sport in the 1960s and 70s. A free childcare center enabled bowlers to enjoy an affordable night of fun. Then lifestyles changed.
Dan Thompson began leasing the property for Capri Lanes in 1995.
Thompson says his dad was a professional bowler and that attracted him to the sport.
“I have been doing bowling for about 41 years, since 1981 I have either worked at, owned or ran a bowling center,” says Thompson.
Thompson says bowling enthusiasm had dropped for a while but bowling fans are on the uptick. 2021 was his best year.
Last August he found out the landlord might be selling the property. He and a business partner made an offer of $200,000 but that agreement soon fell through.
“We were shocked because he had a verbal agreement in place,” says Thompson. “And we had the numbers down, and we’re just waiting for the contract to be signed and sent back to us.”
But that didn’t happen. Instead, Thompson says the owner, Rollmore Incorporated pursued a much more lucrative offer with National Church Residences. The non-profit advertises that it provides housing for seniors at all income levels.
“The customers are so sad to hear that it will no longer be a bowling center,” says Thompson. “And they’re going to miss us, miss the place because they, the smaller place like this, we ran as a family business. “My wife works here, and my brother-in-law worked here, and my mother-in-law works here.”
Bowler Jim Muha has bowled here for 14 years. He’s going to miss the atmosphere and especially the people.
“It’s a family run business,” says Muha. “All the family here and everybody that’s been here for so many years, all of a sudden had the rug pulled out from under them.”
President of Rollmore Incorporated James Morgan explains that after being a part of his family for so long, now is the right time to sell the land.
“I’m retired,” says Morgan. “I have a grandson that's severely autistic. And I need money to help him.”
Morgan says the bowling center was successful, until an indoor smoking ban took effect.
“I always will have sad feelings because it’s been in the family for 57 years,” says Morgan.
Morgan wouldn’t talk about the financial details of the purchase agreement. He claims that Thompson did not want to renew his lease and there was no agreement for him to buy the property. He says National Church Residences made a better offer.
“They have another place out in Hilliard, Ohio that looks pretty nice and I believe what they’re doing for people is very good,” says Morgan.
Spokesman with National Church Residences, Todd Hutchins says plans for the site are still undetermined.
“All I can say at this point in time is that we do have a purchase agreement with the landowner, where Thompson's Capri lanes is located. But nothing is signed as of yet,” says Hutchins. “We don't have, we have not developed a plan for what will be built at that location if the agreement is signed.”
Already on Roche Drive is National Church Residences Worthington East.
And construction is underway for additional units on Roche Drive, on a plot of land to the north of the current location.
Bowling’s comeback not enough to strike out a changing landscape.
“I think it’s a shame that we’re seeing more and more locally owned businesses fall way to these types of acquisitions,” says bowler Kate Lybarger. “When you look at bowling alleys across the country, this is pretty typical I mean typical for small businesses, but bowling alleys continue to shrink in numbers.”
