Deer Park Bowl reopening with new owners, new look
These days in Deer Park, you can hear a pin drop.
In some parts of town, you may be able hear 10 pins drop all at once. Bowling pins, that is.
That has not been the case for about a year because Deer Park Lanes, a local fixture since the 1980s, closed last May.
But a bowling center is operating once again in town with new owners and a new look.
The facility at 125 J St. has undergone what has been described by a spokesman for the new owners as a million-dollar makeover from the roof down.
Remodeling work on the renamed Deer Park Bowl has been in progress since November. Virtually everything is new, according to Donna Kerst, activity director and league coordinator.
The new owners are Mark and Gerri Lundgren and Wade and Christine Lundgren. Mark Lundgren is operating his own commercial construction business, so Wade Lundgren will be the hands-on partner at the bowling center.
The Lundgrens are originally from Washington but have had California business interests in recent years. Mark Lundgren moved back to Deer Park about 10 years ago to establish his construction business.
Wade Lundgren has been in Deer Park about a year.
Christine Lundgren will maintain bowling league statistics and be bookkeeper for the bowling business.
As for the bowling center’s updating, the pin setters for the 16 lanes have been completely refurbished, Kerst said. All the lanes also have a new synthetic surface, which is not unfamiliar in the region but is new to this facility, she said. The lanes also will have automatic scoring and new seating.
The atmosphere will be new as well. It will include a music and light show during late evening hours on weekends, Kerst said. “Also, we have the newest and latest in glow-in-the-dark carpet,” she said.
Add to that a remodeled kitchen and a new menu. The restaurant will have seating for about 35 people.
The facility no longer will have a lounge, with that space being devoted to two meeting/party rooms, one large and one small.
In those rooms, the kitchen can provide either buffet or sit-down dining.
Beer and wine will be available, but the focus will be on family-structured activities, Kerst said. Bumper Amusements will provide an arcade of games aimed at the younger set.
Kerst has considerable background in operating bowling centers. She worked in them for several years in the Chicago area. Then she was in Spokane starting in 1986 at Silver Lanes and North Bowl.
Originally from Colville, she now lives at Waitts Lake. “So, this job really shortens my commuting,” she said.
The Deer Park bowling center will be open seven days a week, Kerst said.
She is planning an event this month to kick off the return of bowling to Deer Park, including a senior ice-cream social Monte Carlo event.
The Monte Carlo portion will provide an opportunity to win money while bowling, a process apparently better to experience than have explained.