Size of house you're bowling in

[foreverincamo]

I saw an advert for a tournament about 3 hours from my house that had a pic of the inside of the center. It only had 12 lanes. I can't believe a center that size could still exist. I thought where I bowl, a 16 lane house, was the absolutely smallest that could survive, and it's teetering on the edge of extinction.
Anyone here bowl in a small house?

[bowl1820]

I haven't bowled there in awhile, but we have a 12 lane house near here thats still open. It's where I learned bowl.

[Tony]

The house I bowl at has 42 lanes but there is a house not far from me that I've been to for demo days that's still running with updated lanes and equipment and has only 8 lanes.

[JasonNJ]

I spent a week down by the Jersey shore last summer and found a 12 lane house down there to practice some. Place was called Mousetrap Lanes, the lanes and equipment seemed fairly new and the place was really well maintained. I figured with only 12 lanes it was easier to keep up with the maintenance. Definitely a place I would go back to if I'm ever staying in the area again.

http://mousetrapbowlingalley.com.

[taxexpert2]

Don't bowl in a small house. Just want to comment on the number of bowling houses in my area. Within a 30 min drive there are four or five houses with 20-30 lanes. When did ppl stop calling them "houses". When did people stop calling a game of bowling a "line". Times have changed.

[jab5325]

The place I bowl primarily has 24 old lanes. Another house in a town over has 36.

There is a 12 lane house kind of near here that survives. I also believe Harvest Moon Lanes near Williamsport, PA (where a 900 was recently bowled) is quite small too.

My "first house" was a 12-lane place that went belly up due to failed management in the bar/restaurant. Owner got into a ton of debt by taking out loans to add on a bar/restaurant when he couldn't even manage the bowling alley properly.

[AlexNC]

Smallest house in my area is 24 lanes. It's adjacent to a college campus and that's who the newer owners cater to. There are no sanctioned leagues and the lanes are in terrible condition - but it is still cool to walk into- looks like nothing has changed since the early 70's.

[Timmyb]

I bowl at a 16 lane house. Remember though, we also have the Holler House here, which has two!

[Blomer]

My house has 24 lanes. But there is one not too far that only has 8 lanes.

[NewToBowling]

Locally around here where most are AMF/Brunswick majority are 32 with a few 48 lane centers sprinkled in there. 32 does seem to be the magic number

Anything 12 and under unless you're in a small town or a retro old place you just aren't going to survive.