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New Struthers bowling alley seeks to blend past and present
By Sarah Lehr
STRUTHERS
The new owner of a bowling alley downtown is hoping to update a local landmark.
State Street Billiards and Bowling, 56 State St., has moved into the former site of Bowladrome Lanes.
“The Bowladrome was a staple down here,” said State Street owner Dallas Bigley. “We didn’t want to push that aside. We still wanted to have a hometown feel, but with more to do and with a new-age feel.”
Marge and Thomas Janosik ran the Bowladrome for years.
Locals may remember the bowling alley as the backdrop of several scenes in the Oscar-winning 1978 movie “The Deer Hunter.”
The gritty film, which starred Robert De Niro and Meryl Streep, dramatized the Vietnam War.
Details at State Street Billiards and Bowling pay tribute to the Bowladrome’s past.
Black-and-white photos of the Bowladrome adorn the walls. Wood from the original bowling lanes makes up part of the dining tables.
Bigley has updated the bar, revamped the lighting and added an arcade, along with new televisions and sound equipment.
He reduced the number of bowling lanes and added billiard tables.
Plans for an outdoor patio are in the works.
Bigley believes there has been a demand for more entertainment options, since South Bridge Billiards, a pool hall formerly located in downtown Struthers, shut down.
“We’ve just kind of seen a big void left,” Bigley said. “A lot of residents have told us that they’re looking for more things to do.”
Bigley hopes to attract musical acts and create a family-friendly atmosphere.
State Street Billiards and Bowling, which had its grand opening this spring, can be rented for private parties.
“I’m hoping to take downtown Struthers a little further into more of an entertainment district and bring more business down here,” Bigley said. “I hope this contributes to that.”