by Julie Gowel ·
Friday, October 18, 2024
After a soft launch in April and months spent renovating, rejuvenating, and reinventing the bowling alley on Ayer Road, Harvard Lanes celebrated its grand re-opening on Sunday, Oct 13. All 14 lanes were in use throughout the entire day as guests enjoyed free candlepin bowling, grilled hamburgers, and lawn games, when the weather permitted.
According to Jim Shook, owner of Harvard Lanes, more than 500 people attended the event. “It’s an old-timey place,” said Shook. “You’re not going to Bowlero, [a large chain of bowling alleys], but I think a lot of people embrace that. They love that it’s manual scoring. I think people appreciate that we’re keeping the old school vibe.”
A large part of that vintage feel comes from the machines that remove and replace the pins as well as return the balls. They are 75 years old. “There’s almost a mystical quality to these machines,” mused Shook. “They’ve seen so much. They have their own sort of personality, their own energy to them. To see them all running well and for people to be having fun with them, there’s something really cool about that to me.”
Getting the machines into working order was no small feat, according to Shook. “I want to give a shoutout to Skeeter (Bearce), who worked here from 2007 until 2020,” he said. “He’s been here since I bought the lanes in January of this year, and he considers these machines his babies. He has gotten this place into shape so we can have a party with 500 people and the machines will all work.”
A little short on technique, Beckett Barros tosses a bowling ball at the newly renovated Harvard Lanes. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
In addition to the repairs and maintenance on the machines, Shook has made numerous other investments in the bowling alley. New paint, both inside and outside the building, new signage, a food service area with limited adult beverage options, refinished lanes, and new pins and balls have added to the aesthetic of the space without sacrificing the vintage appeal.
Stephen Larkin, a Shirley resident who learned about the grand reopening event on Facebook, visited the lanes for the first time with his wife and 16-year-old daughter. When asked what his favorite part of the experience was, Larkin replied: “I’m 53 years old, so I’m old school. I don’t care about automatic scores and all that. I saw pictures online that showed the place was redone. Everything’s nice, refreshed.”
Val Cinisliu, from Worcester, heard about the reopening from friends and met them for an hour of free bowling with his wife and middle school-age son. “It’s really nice and clean, and the prices are very decent,” he said. “It’s like stepping back in time, the vintage feel, and it gives your mind a little bit of a workout to have to do the scoring.”
Shook took advice from other local business owners during his renovations and in advance of the reopening, including wisdom from owner of the Harvard General Store, Scott Hayward, and Sorrento’s Pizzeria proprietor Sammi Basil. “Sammi bought a bunch of our shirts,” said Shook, speaking about the camaraderie he feels with his fellow entrepreneurs. “He sent me a picture … he had his whole team wear the Harvard Lanes shirts one day. I have found Harvard’s business community to be extremely welcoming, and that’s been really fun.”
The grand reopening event was supposed to wrap at 6 p.m., but guests lingered until after 7. While the lanes are usually closed on Mondays, bowlers were welcomed on Indigenous Peoples Day and the parking lot was full throughout the day.
Harvard Lanes hosts leagues Tuesday through Thursday nights and a senior league on Tuesday mornings.