Country Lanes North, the bowling alley with outdoor volleyball courts at 2327 Mountain Shadow Drive near Miller Hill Mall, is closing and will be torn down. It was built in 1976.
Planet Fitness plans to open an exercise center there in 2023.
Ever since I tried curling a few months ago, I’ve hungered for bowling. It’s been ten years since I bowled, almost exactly, on the weekend my friends married (at the Incline Station). I’ve been to parties and for volleyball at Skyline Lanes. But I haven’t bowled in a while.
From the depths of my wife’s closet comes this old photo from her family collection, presumably shot at a Duluth-area bowling alley roughly 50 or 60 years ago. Since we’re talking about a West Duluth family, Stadium Lanes would be the number one contender. Whatever bowling alley it is, it’s likely to have been remodeled and then closed since this photo was taken, so this might be a tough solve.
In this PDD classic from 2005, Duluthians visit Indianapolis to experience the wonders of duckpin bowling.
Stadium Lanes and the Clubhouse Bar have been wrapping up operations over the past two weeks. The building at 132 N. 34th Ave. W., between Wade Stadium and the ore docks, is being gutted and sold. There will be no more bowling in West Duluth … except for lawn bowling. Word is the new owner will divide the building up into some type of business center or mall, with mini storage units.
Stadium Lanes opened in 1960, owned then by Dick Karon and Jerry Singer. Randy Hill has owned it since 2004, later changing the name of the bar to Clubhouse. Before that it was Mary’s Place.
Since the Southgate Bowl in Cloquet is shutting down to make way for a Walgreens, it seems fitting to pay tribute. Best wishes to Gerry and Rose Pollard, who opened the place in the 1970s.
Feb. 20, 2-4 p.m.
Incline Station
$8 per child, $10 per adult
Tickets include: 2 hours of bowling, shoes and automatic scoring. Food and beverages available for purchase. All proceeds benefit the Autism Association of Northern MN.
