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Strike! “Dream team” of new owners is set to make its mark on defunct bowling center

By Rick Walter

Tacoma Weekly
rwalter@tacomaweekly.com
Published on: August 21, 2008

Meet Jeanne Naccarato. While on the Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour in the 1980s as Jeanne Maiden, she rolled two consecutive 300-games. That is like kicking two 60-yard field goals into the wind in the same game – one with each foot. Or striking out 27 batters. Or making 18 birdies in a row. It is a performance in bowling that, to say the least, defies the odds. Maiden then tacked on a third game of 264 to give her the highest sanctioned three-game series in the history of women’s bowling. Great performances like that – or the dizzying accomplishment of rolling 40 strikes in a row (world record in the Guiness Book) – or winning 10 professional titles and 20 regional titles, have put the Tacoma bowler, whose name became Jeanne Naccarato in 1992, in five different halls of fame including those from the United States Bowling Congress, the state of Ohio, the cities of Cleveland and Tacoma, and the Professional Bowlers Hall of Fame in St. Louis.

Having put 23 years into a legendary professional bowling career, she retired in 1991, a year before marrying one of Tacoma’s own sports legends Stan Naccarato. Since then, Jeanne has worked happily as a fundraiser and a bowling instructor. Now there is a new chapter about to begin in the hall-of-fame bowler’s life, one that will be every bit as interesting to watch as those that have preceded it: saving a defunct Tacoma bowling establishment.

On Aug. 1, Naccarato and five partners took over ownership and operation of Tower Lanes and Entertainment Center on 6th Avenue. Tower Lanes, a longtime Tacoma landmark, was started in 1957 by Dez Issacson (the same year Naccarato was born).

The future of the long-neglected lanes became uncertain last March, so Tacoma’s Bob Hanson approached Naccarato and others to form the new ownership group, which included Gary Glein, Lance Lorfeld, Andy Ritting and Ray Schuler.

“A huge part of my life has been bowling,” said Naccarato recently. “I’ve thought about being an owner for a long time, and this is not just a chance to own a bowling center, but to bring the sport back into the community in a way that’s been missing.”

Hanson, a Tacoma native, has had plenty of his own success in the sport – both as a competitor and on the business side of sport. He is thrilled to be involved in the ownership of Tower Lanes.

“I have always wanted to do this (become an owner), but I have been waiting for the right situation and the right people to do it with. I think this is kind of a dream team,” he said recently.

Hanson has lived in the north end of Tacoma all his life. He attended Wilson High School and played several sports, but concentrated on bowling when he got a scholarship to Washington State University, where he piled up singles and team titles from 1980-82. He has been a Tacoma All-Star 17 times. He worked for several years with AMF, Bowlero, New Frontier and Tower in management positions. He owns and operates Hanson Brother’s Pro Shop with his brother Dave.  

Hanson was 13 when he got his first job – at Tower Lanes. He also bowled his first 300-game there.

“This place has a great deal of meaning to me,” he said.

Another member of the “dream team” of owners, Gary Glein calls himself a latecomer to Tacoma competitive bowling after spending two decades in a management career in Seattle. He actually started bowling as a kid. But after a long detour in business management and owning his own business, he returned to Tacoma to be both an organizer of bowling activities as well as an active competitive bowler.

Growing up in Tacoma, he started bowling in elementary school at the old Narrows Bowl at 6th and Stevens. In high school (1958-61) he bowled for 6th Avenue Lanes in the Junior Travel League and had personal highs of 279 and 727.

In 1997 he bowled his first 300-game, had a 207 composite average, and won the Senior Masters “Open Division.” Since that time he has bowled seven 300 games in eight years, had two 800 series with an 824, at age 62, in 2006. Over the past 10 years his overall average is 205 and his league high was 223. He won the Western Washington Senior Bowling Association Seattle Budweiser Tournament. He’s been a regular participant in the city, state and national USBC (ABC) Tournaments.

Glein will be the managing member of the group.

The love of bowling and deep connections to Tower Lanes is evident.

Naccarato made her mark on Tacoma in 1984, and Tacoma on her, when she won her first pro tournament here. Hanson worked at Tower as a 13-year-old and rolled his first 300-game here.

The first tasks of the new group of owners included remodeling the bathrooms, replacing carpet, renovating the mini-golf course, rebuilding the neon sign on 6th Avenue, remodeling the party rooms, getting new pins and house balls, repairing the lighting, remodeling the billiard and game area and upgrading the lounge and kitchen. And repainting the entire place, inside and out.

Once things are underway with the fall leagues, Hanson and Naccarato are going to concentrate on bringing high-quality instruction to bowlers of all ages.

They compare what they plan to do with what can be found at golf courses and driving ranges – a good pro shop and good instruction.

“You don’t see that at bowling alleys anymore,” Naccarato said. “We have to not only provide a good facility, but we have to figure out ways to get new generations of bowlers interested in the sport.”

Hanson is looking to attract more corporate groups and birthday parties in addition to traditional customers. The center has two conference rooms with a total capacity of nearly 100 persons, and the newly enhanced restaurant seats 117.

“We plan improvements for our traditional restaurant and lounge customers, but will be offering some new and attractive opportunities for young adults in the later evening hours when league bowling is completed.”

The bowling industry is having some success, especially with the newer high-end bowling centers. Strike. For the mom-and-pop centers, times have been tough.

“You just aren’t seeing as many kids, anymore, and it’s tough to invest in upgrades when your numbers are basically down, down, down,” said Jerry Clausen, who owns a bowling center in Renton.

But as a hedge against failure, the Tower ownership has loaded itself up with brilliance and experience in every area of the business and will be pulling out all the savvy tricks they know. But more importantly, they will be investing their own love for the sport in this venture. The bet is: with this formula, bowling will flourish, even in this place where it seemed to have been gone for good.

The Tower Lanes and Entertainment Center is located at 6323 6th Ave. For more information call (253) 564-8853.

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