When one lane closes, another opens—or so the saying goes. Harvard Lanes, the previous bowling alley at 204 Ayer Road, was sold to the owner of The Barn, a training facility owned by North East Baseball, last summer. With construction underway, the renovated candlepin lanes, to be called 204 Lanes, are set to open in January or February next year.
“My wife grew up in Ayer and grew up going to the bowling alley. We have two little girls that before it closed used to love going to the bowling alley,” said Scott Patterson, the owner of 204 Lanes. “That’s what I look forward to most, is being able to open up the doors to provide an entertainment outlet for families.”
Patterson has been working with the town since July to upgrade the property. The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection approved applications for permitting and construction of a new well and septic system in August. Since then, Patterson has reworked the space by removing the outdated arcade games and adding two new bathrooms.
A Nov. 15 post on the 204 Lanes Facebook page, which included photos of the construction, gained 108 likes, with people commenting and sharing memories of bowling at the former Harvard Lanes. “I bowled here growing up in leagues with my friends and bowled there as an adult,” Jody Davin wrote. Another commenter, Ryan Keough, said, “Over the last 20 years I have seen local bowling alleys disappear from the map but it’s exciting to see one open up!”
Anthony Graceffa, who owned and operated Harvard Lanes for more than 40 years, died in 2020. The bowling alley opened in 1950 and hosted candlepin bowling leagues for men, women, and children. The facility also housed a variety of arcade games and allowed customers to bring in pizza and cake for parties.
Patterson said he will use social media platforms to ask people what kinds of arcade games they want to see at the new bowling alley. “There used to be arcade games, if you had been in there, that were duct taped together,” said Patterson. “We have gotten rid of those and are looking to install some new ones.” 204 Lanes will also have televisions so that customers can watch sporting events.
The owner of 204 Lanes was recently granted a beer and wine license, which will allow the business to serve alcohol on the premises. Depending on how long construction takes, the bowling alley may open a month later than expected. “We were shooting for January 1, but it’s not looking like that’s going to happen,” said Patterson. “February 1 is probably more realistic for us.”
