21140 W. Capitol Drive,  Suite 5
Pewaukee, WI 53072
Toll Free: 1-800-229-3098 (Wisconsin Only)
Phone: 262-783-4292 |  Fax: 262-783-4590
Email: info@bowlwi.com
Bowling pins falling down from a strike in ten-pin bowling.
HEAD PIN NEWS
Let's Go Bowling!
Life is Short    
by Steve Cieslewicz, BCAW President 
Here we are, bowling season is now over and tournaments have now wrapped up. Whew, that was a couple of really busy months for me. Wrapped up my last tournament with the USBC Open Championships last week. Boy, that was BRUTAL!  But, it was nice and warm in Vegas, so it wasn't all bad.

Now here we are, middle of May thinking, "Ahhh. Summer...... now I can get out and golf, go camping, fishing, go to the beach, go on a vacation, etc."  Well, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the way I see it, you have 10 weeks. That puts us to August 1st. That's when I get back into bowling mode building all of my leagues and calling everyone. Seem too early? Probably not early enough!

To be honest with you, a lot of that should have been done when you have your league parties. Talking to all the team captains and bowlers as a whole. Finding out what their wants and needs are before the Fall. If we wait until August, they might have committed somewhere else or decided to hang it up.

Getting back to the 10 weeks, I certainly will be trying to get outdoors at least a couple of those weeks doing the other things I love. It's called slowing down and relaxing and enjoying yourself. Hopefully, you have a person on staff you can trust to take care of the center while you're away. Set time aside in your schedule and stick to it. Mark my words, in a very short time you will be saying, hey where did the summer go???

Hope to see a few of you at the BCAW/BPAA School for Bowling Center Management, July 11-13 @ Dale's Weston Lanes and/or the BPAA International Bowl Expo, June 18-22 @ Opryland Hotel in Nashville.

In closing, always remember, LIFE IS SHORT. This has been my motto for a long time. WORK HARD/PLAY HARD.

Thank you everyone and enjoy your summer.


Steve Cieslewicz  
BCAW Calendar of Events
4th Annual BCAW Scholarship Golf Tournament
June 12, 2017 @ Foxfire Golf Club, Waupaca
BCAW/BPAA School for Bowling Center Management
July 11 - 13, 2017 @ Dale's Weston Lanes, Schofield
(Early Bird Deadline ends June 1, 2017)
MillerLite Wisconsin Adult Pins Over Average Tournament 
       
October 28 & 29, 2017
@ Whitetail Lanes, Amherst Junction
Wisconsin High School Bowling Club State Championships
        March 2 - 4, 201 8 @ Dale's Weston Lanes, Schofield
Wisconsin Adult Youth Scholarship Tournament 
        April 14 & 15, April 21 & 22, 2018 @ Lakeshore Lanes, Sheboygan 
Wisconsin Middle School Bowling Club State Championships 
        May 5, 2018 @ Ashwaubenon Bowling Alley, Green Bay

CHANGE IN BCAW OFFICE HOURS 
      Effective Friday, May 26 thru Friday, September 1, the BCAW will be closed on Fridays. 

Millennials: No Wasted Time
by Greg Olson, Washington State Bowling Proprietor Association  
"I want it fast, and I want it now." U.S. Millennials are all about instant gratification. They put a premium on speed, ease, efficiency, and convenience in all their transactions. For example, Millennials shop for groceries at convenience stores twice as often as non-Millennials. ( The Boston Consulting Group).
 
What have you done in your center in the past 24 months to speed up the process of reserving a lane? How have you made it easier for a family to book a party at your center?

How have you streamlined ordering food and drinks during league?

  Click here for the rest of the article >>> 
Strolling Down Bowling's Memory Lane
by Yvonne Bennett, BCAW Executive Director 
 
With Summer right around the corner, if you are looking for a fun road trip, pack up the family SUV and head west on I80 to Omaha! That is just what I did in April, visiting Memory Lane Bowling Museum.

As anyone who follows me on Facebook knows, I am like a kid in the candy store when visiting bowling centers throughout our great state. Wisconsin may be home to the most "vintage" era bowling lanes in the United States. So it is a rich environment for a bowling geek like me. I have seen bowling lanes in small community centers and local taverns that are truly like walking back into the 1940's (or earlier).

Memory Lane Bowling Museum is probably one of the most extensive museums open to the public that features bowling memorabilia from throughout America's love affair with the game. The museum includes items from the private collections of local businessmen
JC Cramer and Ted Baer. During my visit, it was Ted who greeted me and my travel companion and gave us a tour of the 100's of items available for viewing. 

  Click here to find out more about Memory Lane Bowling Museum>>> 
Member Spotlight





David Bardon
Bardon Bowling Centers 
JB's Entertainment Center, Howards Grove
Odyssey Fun Center, Sheboygan Falls
JB's on 41, Milwaukee 
Super Bowl, Appleton
 
Please give a bit of history of how you started in the bowling industry, the first bowling center you worked at and/or a bit of history of your bowling centers.  
Actually got my start in 1975 when my dad built Anchor Lanes in Elkhart Lake. I was in college and pursued other business interests but that planted the bug. I purchased Anchor Lanes in 1993 and that was my official start in the bowling business. I followed with the purchase of JB's Entertainment Center, Howards Grove (1997); Odyssey Fun Center, Sheboygan Falls and Super Bowl, Appleton (1998) and Olympic Lanes (now JB's on 41) (2002). I have since sold Anchor Lanes in 2012.

What lessons have you learned from opening the centers and what advice would you give? 
Don't rush, take it slow. Build the necessary systems before moving on to something new. If you cannot do it with consistency nothing else matters.

What is the best advice you were given in your career?
Pursue higher standards and your people will know what is important.

What's your favorite moment of your career so far?
Seeing a young person grow into an exceptional manager/leader. There is no better joy in operating a business than helping people to become better.
  
Find out more about David's vision for his centers and the 'wasteful' start of his career >>>>>

Welcome New Supplier Member!  
 
Taylor Enterprises of WI
N8108 Maple St.
Ixonia, WI 53036
262-567-7286 or 262-719-7286 (cell)
Contact: Earl Hansen
Website: www.taylorwi.net


Taylor Enterprises of WI has become the leader in foodservice equipment supply.  We partner with food service providers and help assess needs, set objectives, attract new customers to grow their business by developing long-lasting relationships built on trust and quality that goes back generations.
 
Welcome New Members & Owners!
New Members
New Owners
Dodge Entertainment Center, Horicon
Proprietor(s): Dennis & Tom Odegard
Delavan Lanes, Delavan 
Proprietor(s): LaVonne & Jack Horgan
J & J Fireball Lanes, Portage
Proprietor(s): Jeff Bender & Jim Baugher
Redbird Alley , Darlington
Proprietor(s): Melissa Gollmer & Jeremy Mullen
Friendship Bar & Bowl, Friendship
Proprietor(s): Laurie & Edward Golden
Pioneer Lanes , Platteville
Proprietor(s): Joe Haack