Posted: 9/10/03

New owner of vacant bowling alley building weighs options

Cliff Buchan
News Editor

Could a bowling alley once again be a fixture in the old Town íN Country Lanes building on US-61 south in Forest Lake? Maybe and maybe not.

Building owner Todd Ellingson, who acquired the property one year ago, said he is reviewing business plans that could transform the building into a retail complex or perhaps a 26-lane modern, state-of-the-art bowling alley.

ìItís a concrete floor and a steel building,î Ellingson said, standing in the mostly empty building that closed three years ago this spring. The building sat unused with contents in place for more than two years before Todd and Sonja Ellingson invested $350,000 to buy the property from a Texas bank.

After acquiring the property last year, Ellingson said the idea of running a bowling alley was far from his mind. But the Ham Lake area couple have slowly changed their thinking as they continue to analyze the entertainment opportunities for adults and kids in Forest Lake.

The Ellingsons are the parents of a son, 17, and a daughter, 15. They are among the many youth from the Forest Lake area who elect to go elsewhere for entertainment.

And they like to bowl, Ellingson said. ìThey have to leave Forest Lake to do it,î he said.

As business owners in Forest Lake (they own Kandi Auto Sales), Ellingson said the couple would like to do something positive for the community.

ìThe community really needs something,î he said. ìWe understand that. People have to travel.î

Bowling idea

Some six months ago, Ellingson said he began toying with the idea of remodeling the building to house a new bowling business. The idea is more than a passing fancy, he said.

The Ellingsons have spent the past six months learning about the business and traveling to many of the newer lanes in Minnesota.

They have also met with officials from Brunswick and are evaluating business proposals. It could take $2 million to $3 million to get the project running, Ellingson said.

ìRight now we are on the fence,î Ellingson said. ìWe are trying to pinpoint the cost. We have to make sure it is feasible for this area.î

If the plan for a bowling alley moves forward, it will be with all new equipment. The old pin setting equipment has been scraped and the old wooden lanes have been pulled up, leaving the concrete floor.

The remaining inventory includes dozens of bowling balls, hundreds of pins and other miscellaneous equipment.

The proposal would feature a bowling alley with the new synthetic bowling surface, modern pin setting equipment and automatic scoring systems

The Ellingsons would also offer food and liquor understanding that two go hand in hand with bowling, he said.

ìIt would be a family entertainment center where you would be wowed coming in the door,î Ellingson said.

For now, the Ellingsons will continue to evaluate a potential business plan. The building will be used for cold storage rental this winter to house vehicles and boats. If a bowling alley is to return, the remodeling effort would begin next spring, he said.

Ellingson said he has already heard positive comments from the public about the potential use of the building as a bowling alley once again.

It is such public sentiment, he says, that may help tip the decision.

But as a business owner, Ellingson said he has to make a practical and intelligent decision on the use of the building.

ìIt (bowling business) didnít make it once,î he says. ìWe donít want to see that happen again.î

Top of Page