Bowling Alley

Starting a Bowling Alley Business

Summary: Here are some interesting ideas to help you get started for a bowling alley business.

The bowling business just got even better. With the number of bowlers increasing every year the prospect of the bowling alley business made it even more appealing.

But bowling alley business isn’t that simple. There are many things to be taken into consideration. Like the layout, feasibility, expansion options and such. Every business demand loads of careful planning, and the presence of established companies only made the competitiveness of the market even tougher.

Let’s start summing up.

Location
Are your target college students who like to squander leisure time at lanes? Or after-work professionals who do bowling to relieve stress your target? Or those noisy families that like to spend picnic on the lanes a more interesting target for you? Whatever customer target you would like to attract, feasibility studies will surely point how likely the business plan will succeed.

If you are planning for an expansion later on, it’s a good idea to acquire an ample space and use the extra as additional parking. That way, if ever the land price goes up (an indirect effect of your booming business) you are saved from making a land purchase at a higher rate.

Bowling Alley Lay-out
This is mostly a job of the engineer. Look for someone qualified but, this is important, who also plays bowling. Someone who knows the game have a general idea how a specific layout should be arranged. And he might have a number of interesting ideas of his own. But that doesn’t mean you couldn’t inject yours. It’s your business after all. All in all, look for someone who has a passion for the game, its not needed but it can be of tremendous help.

Ambiance and overall decoration can affect the crowd you are attracting. Hippie atmosphere and loud music attracts younger players. Complement it with arcades and burger stands. Likewise, modern and posh setting attracts the after-work professionals. Compliment it with newspaper stands and cigar and coffee and maybe billiards.

Here are some blueprint samples that may give you some idea. The blueprints are under the heading AMF layout: http://www.iass.com/guide.html

Financial Analysis
The estimated expenditures especially on the earlier parts of the business operation. The business has to survive to grow. That means careful planning on cash, bank loans, investors and ads. Income estimates during operation should come from the rates of lanes, shoe rental, snacks, concessionaires, and other game functions you might have, like arcades, children’s playroom and billiards. Likewise, expenditures are expected from staff wages, electricity billing, lane maintenance, machine maintenance, supplies, and other expenses like communication, flyers and subscriptions.