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Thread: Relationship between bowling center and pro shop?

  1. #1

    Default Relationship between bowling center and pro shop?

    Most if not all bowling centers lease out their space to pro shops. So they are two separate businesses. Just wondering how cohesive they work together?

    I get free game vouchers when I get a ball drilled. Does the PSO pay back the bowling alley or is it just good business for all.

    Some places the bowling center has a vending machine that sells tape, socks, etc that the PSO would presumably sell as well. Conflict of interest?

  2. #2
    High Roller vdubtx's Avatar
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    Usually they have a good business relationship.

    I am sure Mike White has some first hand info on this as he works in a pro-shop.

    The vending machines for bowling items are stocked by the PSO's from the centers that I frequent.
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    Bowling God MICHAEL's Avatar
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    Default symbiotic relationship

    ITs a symbiotic relationship, with give and take! I have a few buddies that run pro shops, and they repair bowling balls for the house, at no charge, but get a special deal on rent ect. Yes many do have the automatic ball polish machines, and vending machines,,, they can be handy when the pro shop is not open!

    Many times the Pro Shops are very limited hours around here. The pro shop will many times have a much better selection of goodies... hope this helps... ICE

    https://video.search.yahoo.com/video...myy-t-500&tt=b

    this short video helps explain the way it works...

    Me personally I would not use the ball polish machines, at least the older ones! I would only consider using it on a plastic ball. A Pro Shop can do a very customized finish that suits your style of bowling, and ball!

    Not all pro shops are equal, as I have found out dealing with a half dozen around here. Find a good one, and tap his knowledge, and help!
    Last edited by MICHAEL; 08-17-2015 at 06:24 PM.
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    Quote Originally Posted by vdubtx View Post
    Usually they have a good business relationship.

    I am sure Mike White has some first hand info on this as he works in a pro-shop.

    The vending machines for bowling items are stocked by the PSO's from the centers that I frequent.
    Where I was at, the owner wasn't real keen on having a pro shop.

    Before I arrived there, the shop had been dislocated from a nice area, (glass front, and locking doors), into what used to be an area that held the lockers.

    When closed, it looked like it could have been a prison cell.

    The agreement had me pay a small monthly rental fee, which covered electricity.

    I had a vending machine outside of the shop, and the only restriction was I couldn't sell socks there.

    I guess because they also sold socks at the front desk.

    P.S. work(ed) in a pro shop. I got out.

  5. #5

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    If I owned a bowling alley, I'd definitely want a good pro shop there. There is only one real pro shop that is close to me, and the owner of the shop has good relations with the owner/management of the center. I'd imagine that rent is pretty low if much more than merely covering the costs of having the shop there. It's a major benefit to the center to have a pro shop because it draws in a lot of league bowlers.

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    Quote Originally Posted by John Anderson View Post
    If I owned a bowling alley, I'd definitely want a good pro shop there. There is only one real pro shop that is close to me, and the owner of the shop has good relations with the owner/management of the center. I'd imagine that rent is pretty low if much more than merely covering the costs of having the shop there. It's a major benefit to the center to have a pro shop because it draws in a lot of league bowlers.
    The realities of the bowling business are, you make more money from the food department, and alcohol department than from the bowling department.

    The more serious the bowler, the less food/alcohol they tend to purchase.

    On the Friday night leagues, they have 40 lanes full of 4 people per team.

    Lineage is 9.50 per person, so the center has $1520 income per week from that night's league bowling.

    Right after the league is done, they have cosmic bowling. $14 per person.

    As long as they have 109+ people, they are making more from cosmic than from league.

    On most Fridays they average close to 200 cosmic bowlers.

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    Bowling God MICHAEL's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike White View Post
    The realities of the bowling business are, you make more money from the food department, and alcohol department than from the bowling department.

    The more serious the bowler, the less food/alcohol they tend to purchase.

    On the Friday night leagues, they have 40 lanes full of 4 people per team.

    Lineage is 9.50 per person, so the center has $1520 income per week from that night's league bowling.

    Right after the league is done, they have cosmic bowling. $14 per person.

    As long as they have 109+ people, they are making more from cosmic than from league.

    On most Fridays they average close to 200 cosmic bowlers.
    The lineage around here is 2.00 to 4.50. Most place charge only 2 bucks if your on a league at their house.
    The Fact that most pro shops save the alley money in regards to ball repairs makes a pro shop beneficial vs sending it out of house to another pro shop for repair.

    With all the older equipment out there at most of the lanes I bowl, its a substantial savings working out a deal, vs sending out dozens and dozens of ball to be repaired at the going rate.

    Food and drinks are for sure the money maker, for most establishments,,, you should check out the Food, and Drinks at some of the Bowlmore lanes on the East Coast! Big Bucks!!! The lanes where the rich elite stockbrokers, bankers, and government fat cats bowl.
    Did I say bowl,,, maybe a better word would be hang out, drinking sham- pane, and eating caviar They look like high dollar casino's!!!

    check it out!!
    http://www.bowlmor.com/Times-Square/
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  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by MICHAEL View Post
    The lineage around here is 2.00 to 4.50. Most place charge only 2 bucks if your on a league at their house.
    The Fact that most pro shops save the alley money in regards to ball repairs makes a pro shop beneficial vs sending it out of house to another pro shop for repair.

    With all the older equipment out there at most of the lanes I bowl, its a substantial savings working out a deal, vs sending out dozens and dozens of ball to be repaired at the going rate.

    Food and drinks are for sure the money maker, for most establishments,,, you should check out the Food, and Drinks at some of the Bowlmore lanes on the East Coast! Big Bucks!!! The lanes where the rich elite stockbrokers, bankers, and government fat cats bowl.
    Did I say bowl,,, maybe a better word would be hang out, drinking sham- pane, and eating caviar They look like high dollar casino's!!!

    check it out!!
    http://www.bowlmor.com/Times-Square/
    Dang! $6.09 games is a promotion? That's nuts but it is NY after all. Nothing comes cheap around NYC.

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    Quote Originally Posted by MICHAEL View Post
    The lineage around here is 2.00 to 4.50. Most place charge only 2 bucks if your on a league at their house.
    You're comparing apples to oranges.

    9.50 is for 3 games of league bowling.

    I think it's only 6.00 for 3 league games in the afternoon leagues.

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    Personally, I have had a much better experience with pro shops that are NOT in a bowling alley. The relationship is strange for those in house shops and many of them do not provide the best service to the bowler. I am certain there are some that do, but I have found more that do not.

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