Professor Elam

Thursday Oct 9 2014

Check out Bowlmor's Cupertino Alley.  THis is not Archie Bunker's bowling alley. 

Here is an interesting article on how Bowlmor wtih a 20% market share of the bowling market puts a different spin on this business. Cocktails and canapes are featrued rather than leagues and hot dogs. And it appears that going for corporate outings are a big part of the business. .

Bowling has fought, as Tom Shannon observes, a 1950s blue collar image. Actually it is amazing that golf became as big as it has. Golf is now waning, no wonder. It is an incredibly dificult game, expensive, and time consuming, and int Texas, it is hot. 

Bowling on the other hand is indoors out of the weather Like pool, it is a game of precision. 

Waht caught my eye was that Shannon bought is first alley for $1.4 million twenty years ago. Today he owns 340 locations. Bowlmor generates $575 M in annual revenue.  This is another good example of managerial accounting at work. How do you make an otherwise out of favor past time in favor?

Considering this is in the 'small business' section of the paper I would say, not bad. An interesting read on changing a downsized sport. 

Final question, just what is a 'certified bowling alley?'  There are  4,666 in the US.