Local bowlers can start rejoicing: Point Edward’s Marcin Bowl will be re-opening its doors in May.
The bowling alley – which opened in 1957 but was forced to close in late 2021 after 18 months of pandemic-related restrictions – has been purchased by Hi-Way Bowl owner Shirley Wickens.
Hi-Way Bowl manager Jeff Wickens, Shirley’s son, said the family was surprised when Marcin Bowl was put up for sale last September. Upon hearing the announcement, the Wickenses immediately decided to purchase the 36-lane bowling alley, which features both five-pin and 10-pin bowling as well as a restaurant.
“As soon as it went up for sale, we didn’t believe it,” said Jeff Wickens. “We didn’t think that was real. Then we found out it was true and we figured out how we could go about buying it.”
Aside from some minor renovations, there is no plan to overhaul Marcin Bowl, he said, as the former owners invested a substantial amount of money into the facility over the past number of years.
Everything will be ready to go by May, he added.
“It’s beautiful in there – they put a ton of money in that place over the years, the same as us,” said Wickens. “We invest money back into our business just like they did.”
The bowling alley will remain named Marcin Bowl and the former owners have gone out of their way to help make the transition seamless, Wickens said.
“The amount of support that Marcin has shown for us has been amazing,” he added. “They’ve been more than willing to help us and they want to make sure that we’re successful, which is absolutely incredible.”
Wickens said he has already started the process of hiring and training the 20-plus employees who will work at the bowling alley. He has also hired a new head chef – Alex Salmons – for the restaurant.
With pandemic restrictions lifted, Wickens said he’s confident that both Hi-Way Bowl and Marcin Bowl will return to their profitable pre-pandemic ways. Demand has skyrocketed over the past few months at the 12-lane Hi-Way Bowl and he expects the same once Marcin Bowl re-opens.
“When Marcin announced they were going to close, there was nowhere for a lot of bowlers to go. Sure, we have some lanes, but we couldn’t accommodate everyone.” he said. “So we’re pretty happy with all of this.
“It’s actually been ridiculous – I’ve got all sorts of messages already … there are a lot of people who are looking forward to getting back and we’re really excited about this new chapter.”