Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/4/2009
Posts: 2
Points: 6
Location: Muscatine, Iowa
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Although I am not in management per se, I am in administration with the local bowling center. The owners purchased the business earlier this year. We are trying hard to combat the "summer slump".The previous owners and management had mostly given up, and the center was only open thursdays through sunday. We would like to change all that and make the bowling center the happening place to be all year round. My bosses are going to be at Bowl Expo, and we are planning a grand opening right before the start of fall leagues. Changing years of neglect seems to be an uphill battle, but we refuse to give up! What do you all do to keep money coming in through the summer? We have a few leagues, but recruiting bowlers for that was a real slog. We are really hurting in the bar on Saturday nights. Thanks for any input or suggestions you can provide!
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Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/9/2009
Posts: 1
Points: 3
Location: Wisconsin
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Hi! My bowling center is located in Wisconsin, 24 lanes. We have a great winter league base, but even with that summer leagues are a tough sell. Our mindset is more about keeping customers coming through the doors, and it seems like from the more angles, the better. Our summer leagues consist of two junior adult leagues on Tuesdays & Wednesdays, and an adult mixed league on Thursdays (16 teams this year). We run non-sanctioned sport shot sweepers on Friday nights (promoted via email) that bring in about 15-20 bowlers, and have Glo n Bowl on Friday and Sunday nights, which I promote with a buy-1-get-1 coupon in a local magazine. We also have 2 sand volleyball courts with leagues 6 nights a week. We've had the courts about 10 years now and it's a great way to both bring new faces through the doors and also maintain a fun atmosphere around the place. Finally, we sponsor 3 softball teams, all of loyal winter league bowlers, and they all stop in for a drink on their game nights. In the case of sponsoring teams, it may cost us a little, but the return is more about staying top of mind through the slow summer and then re-committing our bowlers next season.
I am also interested in planning an open house/appreciation/league organizing kick-off party in early August. I was thinking some sort of free bowling promotion during the day and a band/party at night. Would love to exchange ideas!
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Rank: Newbie
Groups: Member
Joined: 6/4/2009
Posts: 2
Points: 6
Location: Muscatine, Iowa
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We are planning $1 bowling the day ofour open house. For every booth they stop at, (league sign up, youth, banquet room, etc) they get a coupon, limit three per person.
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