Bowling Over Tradition
Strike Holdings brings new life to the bowling game.
Lindsay Sport

The first Strike Holdings property, Bowlmor Lanes, was the world’s first upmarket bowling alley.

Inspiration can hit at any time — just ask Tom Shannon, current chief executive officer of Strike Holdings. When Shannon was invited to a party at Bowlmor Lanes in Greenwich Village, New York, almost 15 years ago, he never could have imagined that the aged structure would serve as the catalyst for his next business venture. Opened in 1938, the rundown bowling alley had seen better days. To most people, the building was a victim of time and disrepair, but Shannon saw opportunity. “The business was failing, and it was losing money, but it was an old paradigm,” Shannon remembers. “It was very rundown and tired, but I thought, ‘Wow, this could really be something kind of cool.’” And from there, an idea was born.

A young entrepreneur with limited finances, Shannon spent the next three years piecing together a deal. On Jan. 29, 1997, he reopened Bowlmor Lanes and repositioned it as the world’s first upmarket bowling alley. “I thought if I could make it appeal to me and make it relevant to a large segment of the population, then it could actually be successful,” Shannon explains.

The design infused the style and services of a top-notch entertainment venue with the comforts and fun of bowling.

Shannon’s design was a complete reformatting of the traditional bowling alley, infusing the style and services of a top-notch entertainment venue with the comforts and fun of bowling. He added award-winning architecture for visual appeal, as well as provided a unique focus on a service intensive component. The food was elevated to a more upscale menu, the alley was outfitted with a full bar, and with personal service at every lane, Shannon concludes, “It’s very far from the common bowling experience.”   

Shannon’s new design completely rejuvenated the old bowling alley as Bowlmor Lanes became the highest grossing bowling alley in the world. “It just resonated. It was a great sort of communal gathering point where people of all ages and backgrounds could come,” Shannon says. After the success of his first location, Shannon and his company, Strike Holdings, set to open more “Strike” bowling properties. Strike Holdings now operates six locations in Bethesda, Maryland; Long Island, New York; Miami, Florida; Cupertino, California; and Tustin, California, but expansion is far from over. According to Shannon, Strike has seven leases in negotiation and expects to sign five deals this year despite the current economy. “Our profitability has held up well through the downturn,” Shannon says. “I think even in this time, people still need to have fun and enjoy life, and that’s what we offer.”

Strike properties offer award-winning architecture for visual appeal, as well as providing a unique focus on a service intensive component.

The typical Strike bowling prototype is approximately 30,000 square feet in upscale malls and lifestyle centers located in areas with 250,000 people or more within a 5-mile radius. According to Shannon, the company also looks for areas with great corporate density. “About half of our business comes from corporate parties and special events, so that also holds a great appeal for us,” Shannon says.

While Strike Holdings may be currently focused on the California market, Shannon says the company is also interested in opportunities around the country. “We are excited to bring all that Strike properties has to offer,” Shannon says. “Bowling just has a broad universal appeal. You get young and old, rich and aspiring — you get all different sorts of people. By tailoring it the way we did, it fulfills the need that exists in the market for that sort of entertainment.”

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