Bowling alley, dance studio work to accommodate patrons
Longtime patrons of Colonial Bowl and Avalon Dance Studio have questions about their futures as Pete Weber and J.Lo wannabes.
In a few weeks, the East Boone Avenue landmarks will close to make way for a Gonzaga University student housing and parking complex. The project has been in the works since Gonzaga bought the land five years ago, but as the date for demolition nears, customers want to know what’s going to happen to their bowling leagues and dance classes.
Boyd and Phyllis Edelin, managers of Colonial Bowl, 121 E. Boone Ave., and Glenn Braunstein, owner of Avalon, 117 E. Boone Ave., are reassuring their patrons they won’t be without a place to dance or bowl.
“We are planning on nobody being without a home,” Phyllis Edelin, events manager at the half-century old bowling alley, said emphatically.
Added Braunstein, who bought the 10,000-square-foot dance hall in 1992: “Everything is going to be fine.”
Colonial Bowl is owned by Kaploe Marketing Group, a national firm based in Rockville Centre, N.Y. Boyd Edelin said Kaploe has plans to build a state-of-the-art family bowling center on the North Side. Fred Kaplowitz, president, and Max Cook, vice president of the Western region, are scheduled to be in Spokane next week.
In the meantime, Kaploe has acquired the nearby North Bowl – the city’s oldest bowling alley, dating to 1956, which is absorbing Colonial Bowl’s business. In order to make the transition easier, Colonial Bowl league play will end March 18 instead of its usual April date.
A Colonial Bowl closing party also is planned for March 18.
Since the takeover, some of North Bowl prices have increased slightly. One game of nonleague or open play, for example, increased from $2.50 to $2.75. Nonleague nights and weekend bowling increased from $2.50 to $3.
The Edelins said they will manage North Bowl but emphasized Kaploe Marketing Group will “make the decisions” as to the staff. “So much is up in the air,” said Phyllis Edelin, who expects to have questions answered during Kaplowitz and Cook’s visit.
Braunstein, a dance instructor for 13 years specializing in ballroom, Latin and swing dancing, said he is in the final phase of selling his business. He declined to disclose the names of the buyers, but said they are not local business people.
The new owners plan on moving to a 7,000-square-foot space at 902 W. Indiana Ave. and renaming the business Spokane Dance Co. Braunstein plans to continue teaching at the new location. Avalon’s last day of business will be April 1.
The leveling of the two buildings, scheduled for May, will clear a city block between Boone and Sharp avenues and Ruby and Pearl streets. Chuck Murphy, Gonzaga vice president of finance, said construction of 75 apartment units, which will accommodate 250 students, and parking, will be completed by fall 2006.
Despite the steady growth that has slowly devoured residential and commercial neighborhoods around Gonzaga, Murphy said the university has a master plan for the area bounded by Ruby and Hamilton streets, and Sharp and Trent avenues.