  Whithorn11446 Member Username: Whithorn11446 Post Number: 273 Registered: 03-2007 |
"Motor City Lanes used to be at 8 Mile and Sherwood (technically Warren,) and was a good place to get pizza by the slice too." Elimarr, Motor City Recreation was on Conner just south of Mack. It was a very popular place into the mid 70's because of the Chrysler plants and their bar. Mound Lanes was on Mound just south of 8 Mile. I'm not sure about a place at 8 Mile and Sherwood but I doubt they would call it Motor City Lanes. | ||
Whithorn11446 Member Username: Whithorn11446 Post Number: 274 Registered: 03-2007 |
"Just judging from the phone numbers I'd say it's a safe bet it dates back quite a while, plus the fact most these places have either been sold or suspiciously burned down." Zitro, The list is from 1967. You are correct sir, it is not difficult at all to figure out this list is very dated. Many of those old bowling alleys in Detroit averaged 16 lanes and were older buildings. By the 1970's the "newer" establishments on the east side had been built just after World War II. For instance Ramona Lanes on 6 Mile was built in 1946. Places like the Jefferson Club around Jefferson & Chalmers dated back to the 1920's. | ||
Pgn421 Member Username: Pgn421 Post Number: 836 Registered: 02-2005 |
Nottingham Lanes here! | ||
Youngprofessionaldetroiter Member Username: Youngprofessionaldetroiter Post Number: 358 Registered: 07-2008 |
Grew up bowling (horribly) at Maple Lanes...but to date I haven't seen a bowling alley (or league) as nice as that in the Abbey of the Detroit Athletic Club. 3 leagues per day, 5 days per week, all to capacity, people driving all the way in from Lansing and beyond. Insanity. | ||
Taj920 Member Username: Taj920 Post Number: 335 Registered: 01-2004 |
Another alley from the list is going if not gone. Shorecrest (formerly the Ritz) at 9 Mile and Harper was padlocked for back taxes recently. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1833 Registered: 12-2005 |
Bowling center ads that were placed in old charity yearbooks: 1951 Regal Lanes, 17701 Harper, Detroit 24 Mich. TU. 5-9898 Argyle Recreation, 18 Alleys, Paul Eland, Prop., Harry Allen, Mgr., 10491 Northlawn, Detroit 4, Mich, WE. 5-9662 {same as 1967 Yellow Pages listing, above] 1959 Center Line Lanes, 25323 Van Dyke, Center Line, Mich., SL 4-1858, Ten Alleys. Desantis Lanes, 27663 Mound Rd., north of 11 Mile Rd., Warren, Mich., SL 4-1770, 20 Brunswick Automatic Alleys, Cocktail Lounge, Pat DeSantis, Prop. Sunnyview Lanes, 35891 S. Gratiot Ave. at Sunnyview, Clinton Township, Mich., HO 8-6402, Open Bowling - 3 for $1.00, Leagues welcome, 10 brand new Semi-automatic Brunswick Lanes, Larry H. Slocum, Prop. Joe's Bar & Recreation, Eight Alleys, Open Bowling Saturday and Sunday, 29410 Gratiot, Roseville, PR 5-9318 [today, Apollo Lanes] Lefty's Utica Bowling Alley, 4 Alleys, Semi-automatic Equipment, Draft Beer, 7669 Auburn Rd., Utica, Mich., RE 9-5321 1965 Timber Lanes Bowling & Bar, 24550 Gratiot, East Detroit, Mich, PR 1-8980 1975 Pastime Lanes, Bar & Restaurant, 7580 9 Mile Rd. west of Van Dyke, Warren, Mich., SL 4-2428 I'm still looking for an ad from that bowling alley that was at the northeast corner of Sherwood and Eight Mile in Warren. | ||
Mortalman Member Username: Mortalman Post Number: 267 Registered: 03-2007 |
Luxury Lanes & Lounge 600 E. Nine Mile Rd. Ferndale, MI 48212 | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 383 Registered: 10-2007 |
Hone up - somebody from this thread must've appeared on Bowling For Dollars, or knew somebody that did. | ||
Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 1979 Registered: 04-2008 |
My friend Greg Zajdel was on Bowling For Dollars and I was in the audience waving to Smiling Bob. Greg left a 4 pin | ||
Ggores Member Username: Ggores Post Number: 385 Registered: 10-2007 |
^^Youch! "Brooklyn side!" | ||
Danny Member Username: Danny Post Number: 7761 Registered: 02-2004 |
Bowling Alleys that are now closed down in the year 2000s: Royal Oak Lanes, Royal Oak, MI. Shore Crest Lanes, St. Clair Shores, MI. Madison Park Bowl, Madison Heights, MI. My first bowling alley was is Silver Lanes in Garden City, MI. in 1986. I used to bowl at Esquire Lanes on Plymouth Rd. West of Southfield FWY. in Detroit. A long time ago it used to be Crown Lanes. There was Rocket Lanes on Schoolcraft, Rd. west of Evergreen Rd. in Detroit. It's was closed in the mid 1990s. Satellite Bowl in Michigan Ave. and Gulley Rd. was big and beautiful. I won my first tournament in 1996. There still is Ed Clemente's Bowl and Restaurant in on Fort St. south of Southfield Rd. Lincoln Park, MI. Only 6 lanes it is the smallest bowling alley in the Tri-County Area. Still in use today and its very popular with every night leagues. This millenium Bananza Lanes and Bronco Lanes in Warren MI. used to be owned by Community Bowling Centers is now under ownership. Bananza Lanes is owned by Eastpointe Bowl. Bronco Lanes is owned by Hartfields? They actually wanted back because it was making more money from the black leagues. The Bowling alleys that I dominate and won more league championships every year. Universal Lanes, That's where I bowl my second 300 perfect game in practice. Bowl One Lanes Five Star Lanes Pampas Lanes Fairlanes Bowl Hartfield Lanes Plum Hollow Lanes Thunderbowl Lanes Taylor Lanes Oxford Lanes, where I bowled my first 300 perfect game. Eastpointe Bowl Astro Lanes Fairlanes Bowl in Madison Heights, MI. Cloverlanes | ||
Elimarr Member Username: Elimarr Post Number: 81 Registered: 09-2007 |
Whithorn11446, Check out the last line in Mikeg's post above. I did not mention "northeast corner" so maybe he's remembering it also since it WAS on that corner. I'm pretty sure the name was Motor City --- (something.) If you doubt that something in Warren would use "Motor City" in their title, you probably don't remember roller skating at the Motor City rink at 9 & Van Dyke. They took liberties on naming that too! Here's a link to the rink: http://www.guarnieri.com/motor city/index.htm Now back to our regularly scheduled bowling topic... | ||
Whithorn11446 Member Username: Whithorn11446 Post Number: 275 Registered: 03-2007 |
Elimarr, I know about the roller skating rink at 9 Mile and Van Dyke. Its not about doubting some business in Warren would use the name "Motor City" because it was used all over the place both city and suburb. A rolling skating rink and bowling alley using the basically the same name isn't going to create as much confusion as bowling alleys both on the east side and under 10 miles apart using the same name. Maybe it was in fact called Motor City Lanes, but most people back then in Detroit(50's-early 70's)especially involved in bowling would think of Mack & Conner when hearing Motor City. | ||
Mikeg Member Username: Mikeg Post Number: 1838 Registered: 12-2005 |
I remember that bowling alley on the northeast corner of Sherwood and Eight Mile because I've been inside it. I just can't remember the name of it, but I too, seem to remember that it began with an "M". It's shown here on this aerial photo taken May 30, 1961, courtesy DTE/WSU:  | ||
Jcole Member Username: Jcole Post Number: 3819 Registered: 04-2005 |
Danny, you didn't mention Thunderbird Lanes or Bowlero in your 'domination' list. I thought everyone in the northern suburbs bowled at them. I used to be a waitress on the lanes at T-Bird and it was always packed. I think it was owned by the same owner as Thunderbowl, Chuck Walby. | ||
Mikefive Member Username: Mikefive Post Number: 39 Registered: 11-2005 |
Elimarr, the bowling alley you were talking about is Central City Lanes. Ironically Bronco Lanes is now owned by the same family that owned Central City the Shephards. | ||
Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 1982 Registered: 04-2008 |
I found some other bowling alley matchbooks, most of these would have been from the 60's  | ||
Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 1983 Registered: 04-2008 |
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Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 1984 Registered: 04-2008 |
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Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 1985 Registered: 04-2008 |
I found these to be interesting. If I remember Klee's, it was on McNichols. I believe these matches are from around the 40's, and it shows it being across from the Ramona Theater.  | ||
Mallory Member Username: Mallory Post Number: 296 Registered: 05-2006 |
Did anyone see Van Dyke Lanes on Kitchen Nightmare's on Fox last night? | ||
Caquail Member Username: Caquail Post Number: 56 Registered: 10-2003 |
My grandfather owned Pearce Recreation in Wyandotte from 1952 to 1968.  | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 235 Registered: 06-2005 |
ZITRO...I bowled in leagues there from about 1965-1969. I don't remember who owned the place but I do remember he drove an Imperial. A tall, kind of thin man. I don't remember Tim, but do remember a Frank Denryter, but he was a high school kid, too. I remember Eddie, who was the main mechanic. My boyfriend was Ken Travis. He was a little younger than me, but had started working there pretty young. He also worked at Topper Lanes at 12 and Gratiot. | ||
Grumpyoldlady Member Username: Grumpyoldlady Post Number: 236 Registered: 06-2005 |
If you want to see a neat bowling lane, take a look on the Manoogian Mansion photos thread. A super old lane with incredible wooden ball return rack. | ||
Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 1988 Registered: 04-2008 |
Grumpy, the owner then was a guy named Walter, I can't remember his last name. Frank was Fred's older bro, he worked there until he went to Nam, then Fred started there in probably 68-69. Larry Russell was another guy that worked there for a while. | ||
Whithorn11446 Member Username: Whithorn11446 Post Number: 276 Registered: 03-2007 |
"I found these to be interesting. If I remember Klee's, it was on McNichols. I believe these matches are from around the 40's, and it shows it being across from the Ramona Theater" Klee's was originally in the basement of Remer's. Remer's was located at Gratiot & Seymour(Southeast corner). Later the owner, pro bowler Eddie Lubanski moved Klee's to 6 Mile and Simms(3 blocks east of Conner) | ||
Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 1989 Registered: 04-2008 |
Thanks Whithorn, I thought it was farther west than Ramona Lanes and apparently it was. | ||
Elimarr Member Username: Elimarr Post Number: 82 Registered: 09-2007 |
Zitro, I too remember Klee's being on McNichols (closer to Hoover than Gratiot,) so I was puzzled your matchbook with the Gratiot address. I had to call for some back up on this...My mother (league bowler at Ramona Lanes) remembers Klee's being a bar on Gratiot, with a few lanes in the basement. (Maybe that is why the matchbook says "bowling in connection.") By the 1970's it was in the McNichols location. I was strictly an "open lanes" recreational bowler, so I've been to a lot of the Northeast side lanes, but maybe only once or twice. That's why I can't get very in depth on any certain one. There were SO many bowling lanes back then, and now there are just a couple still actually within Detroit. | ||
Silverbeauty Member Username: Silverbeauty Post Number: 61 Registered: 11-2005 |
back in the early 40's my dad was a pin setter at the bol-wood. On the corner of the Boulevard and Woodward. | ||
Whithorn11446 Member Username: Whithorn11446 Post Number: 277 Registered: 03-2007 |
Zitro, My dad worked at Ramona Lanes for Joe Strobl. Yes, Ramona was on 6 Mile and Hickory just west of Schoenherr. It closed in the early 80's when the roofing problems occured. Ramona did not have a bar until the 70's. Yet, it made money for years from pure volume of leagues and open bowling. Mr. Strobl for awhile also owned Royal Lanes around E. Warren & Alter. Mr. Strobl was a stockbroker and owned Ramona as a hobby. He didn't actually intend to make money with the place but because he had good people running it still managed to make a profit. (Message edited by Whithorn11446 on September 19, 2008) |
