Ready to roll: Crystal Bowl lane renovation finished in time for bowling season

By: 
Michaela Kendall

GRUNDY CENTER - Even though Crystal Bowl carries a rich history in Grundy Center dating back to the 1950s, that’s not stopping owner Jason Appel from rolling towards the future.
 
Just recently, Appel finished up a renovation to replace the old, wood lanes with new, synthetic lanes to make a better game for his customers.
 
This is the first time the lanes have been replaced since the bowling alley was first built in 1957.
 
At the time it first opened, the alley was top-of-the-line with it’s automated pinsetters on all six lanes. And though the original wood lanes are now gone, the original pinsetter machines will stay - and so will the manual scoring cards.
 
It’s a mix of old and new - with just enough nostalgia - that works for Crystal Bowl, Appel says.
 
“I want to keep up with the times and stay modern enough to make the bowlers happy, and hopefully attract new bowlers,” he says. “The new equipment and new bowling balls are made for synthetic lanes, not wood lanes. Plus, the synthetic lanes are supposed to improve your shot and make things more consistent.”
 
Appel says he tries to do different improvement projects around the alley each summer, when the alley is closed.
 
Though this project was a quick one - only taking about three days from start to finish - he says he’s already got people asking when they can come see the new lanes.
 
“I’m really excited to show them off when we open at the end of August,” Appel said. “I’ve had a lot of interest from people, and a few people have even stopped by asking to see them already. I always try to do different projects and improvements when we’re closed, and the community is always so supportive of it all. That says a lot about Grundy Center; the people are so supportive of all the businesses, and if it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here after all these years.”
 
For the full story, see this week's Grundy Register. Subscribe by calling (319) 824-6958 or clicking here. 

The Grundy Register

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