Bowling Center vs. Bowling Alley

[J Daisy]

I was just curious about something. I have always called a “place at which you bowl” a bowling alley. That is all I have ever heard it called. Since joining this forum, it seems that I may be one of the only ones who use that term. All others choose to call it a bowling center. Are they the same thing? Is one term simply outdated? Is there a right thing or a wrong thing to call it?

I mean, if the term bowling alley was good enough for Elvis (“Down in the Alley”), then it should be good enough for me, right?

[boatman37]

I have always called it a bowling alley but I'm old school. Started league bowling in 7th grade about 1981ish up until about 2002 then started back again last year. So many things have changed since 2002 and 'centers' seem to be one of them...lol

[bowl1820]

I was just curious about something. I have always called a “place at which you bowl” a bowling alley. That is all I have ever heard it called. Since joining this forum, it seems that I may be one of the only ones who use that term. All others choose to call it a bowling center. Are they the same thing? Is one term simply outdated? Is there a right thing or a wrong thing to call it?

I mean, if the term bowling alley was good enough for Elvis (“Down in the Alley”), then it should be good enough for me, right?

The term "Alley" hearkens back to the days of when bowling establishment's were dark smoke fill places located in the basements of saloons. About world war 2 there was a upsurge in the popularity of bowling and owners started sinking more money into them and they became fancier, stand alone bowling centers That family's could go to.

Is the term Alley outdated? No it's still commonly used, along with "center" it just depends on the conversation being had at the time which is used.

[J Daisy]

I have always called it a bowling alley but I'm old school. Started league bowling in 7th grade about 1981ish up until about 2002 then started back again last year. So many things have changed since 2002 and 'centers' seem to be one of them...lol

Indeed, a lot has changed. I wish it hadn't, haha. I missed out on a lot of the good stuff by being born in the wrong decade.

Because I'm so, like, you know, not from, like, my generation and stuff... Let me go to my safe space to mope about it. (Cringing yet? I am, and I wrote it. It could have been worse. I could have misspelled words and used no punctuation.)

[Phonetek]

Bottom line it boils down to "Old School" vs. "Modern" and where your standing when you say it. I noticed in IL we call it B-Dub's, most other places it's Buffalo Wild Wings. 6 in one....half dozen in the other. Still the same places no matter what you call them.

[J Daisy]

The term "Alley" hearkens back to the days of when bowling establishment's were dark smoke fill places located in the basements of saloons. About world war 2 there was a upsurge in the popularity of bowling and owners started sinking more money into them and they became fancier, stand alone bowling centers That family's could go to.

Is the term Alley outdated? No it's still commonly used, along with "center" it just depends on the conversation being had at the time which is used.

Thanks for the historical background, that's very interesting. I didn't know that.

You said it depends on the conversation being had, which word was the better choice. Can you please elaborate on that? In what situation would either word be inappropriate?

[J Daisy]

Bottom line it boils down to "Old School" vs. "Modern" and where your standing when you say it. I noticed in IL we call it B-Dub's, most other places it's Buffalo Wild Wings. 6 in one....half dozen in the other. Still the same places no matter what you call them.

Did you know that a “foot-long” can either be a hoagie or a hot dog, depending on the state you're in? LOL

Do you think that, like many foods, one term is regional slang to one area, and the other term to the other area?

[J Anderson]

Thanks for the historical background, that's very interesting. I didn't know that.

You said it depends on the conversation being had, which word was the better choice. Can you please elaborate on that? In what situation would either word be inappropriate?

If you are speaking to someone who owns or works in a place where people bowl, the correct term is center.

If speaking to a senior citizen, alley is probably the better choice.

Any other bowler and either is fine.

[Phonetek]

It only really matters if you give a rats patooty about being politically correct. 99% will know what you mean either way. I did notice in TN that many of the bowling "centers" names in had "Alley" in the name rather than "XXX Bowl" or "XXX Lanes", what do you do then when it's "XXX Alley"? Call it "XXX Alley center"? LOL

[J Daisy]

It only really matters if you give a rats patooty about being politically correct. 99% will know what you mean either way. I did notice in TN that many of the bowling "centers" names in had "Alley" in the name rather than "XXX Bowl" or "XXX Lanes", what do you do then when it's "XXX Alley"? Call it "XXX Alley center"? LOL

Haha, thanks for your insight. I did not know that Alley was politically incorrect. Does it change anything for me? You bet. Now I'll use it more often.