This is the first of a two-part series about a building constructed in the late 1950s, which was the home to two very different businesses. I'll begin with the story of the Brunswick-Holyoke Ten-Pin Lanes, which brought much recreational and competitive enjoyment to many over its nearly two decades of operation. Many of the news articles were posted from a social perspective, as you may see friends, family members, or possibly your name or photo in these stories.
The Atlantic 10-Pin lanes, as the bowling center was initially named, opened on September 29, 1960. It became the fourth bowling alley in operation in Holyoke at this time, and the second ten-pin lane center in Holyoke, the other being the 50-lane Holyoke 10-Pin Lanes on Maple Street, which also opened on September 29, 1960. The latter was entirely destroyed by fire in October 1962.
At this time, there were two candlepin bowling centers in the city: the Holyoke Bowl-O-Drome at 158 Elm Street and the Bridge at Turn Verein Hall, 624 South Bridge Street.
The architect of the center was Ira Ratanasky, the interior designer was Morris Nathanson, N.S.I.D., and the general contractor was J. Adolph Johnson, Inc.
The center had 44 bowling lanes, a restaurant-coffee shop, locker rooms with showers, and a nursery. The building was equipped with closed-circuit television for viewing bowlers from anywhere in the building. High-fidelity music and air conditioning were incorporated into the building. There was a meeting or function room with a capacity for 100 attendees and a pro shop carrying bowling merchandise. There were billiards tables and space to play card games. A bridge club met at the venue.
In its first year of operation, Lee Gula, the facility's manager, estimated between 15,000 and 20,000 bowlers at the center during the indoor months. New England, long a stronghold of candlepin and duckpin bowling, was the last section of the country to accept 10-pin bowling.
Bowling was open to the general public and to teams and leagues. Leagues were formed for youths, adults, and seniors. Work, social, and church organizations had formed teams or were in leagues. State championship bowling tournaments were held, with the winners advancing to national competitions.
The first annual Women's State 10-Pin event was held at the facility. Thousands of dollars of prize money were awarded in some competitions.
To attract more bowlers, 10-pin centers in the region were converting some of their lanes to candlepin bowling. On September 25, 1964, the Atlantic Lanes held a Grand Opening for "The Bowler's Country Club", opening 12 of their 44 lanes to candlepin bowling. A free learn-to-bowl school was offered. Again, teams and leagues were formed, and an end-of-season cash prize tournament was scheduled. The center hosted notable professional women's and men's bowlers to spark interest in candlepin bowling.
In May 1965, an ad appeared indicating the center's name as Brunswick Holyoke Lanes. The old and new names were used interchangeably for some time until the center became recognizable with its new identification.
Dr. Arthur Lepine and George Kelly were the doubles champions of 1965.
The heyday of 10-pin bowling in this area was from the 1960s and extended into the early 1970s. The 1966 Brunswick Corporation brochure features the Brunswick-Holyoke Lanes and Holyoke Transcript Telegram on its first page.
In 1967, 10-pin bowlers competed for an all-expenses-paid trip to Europe and in another competition for a trip to Bermuda.
10-pin bowling continued its popularity into the early 1970s, then interest waned. In January 1979, the center announced it would be closing in May. The combination of declining numbers of bowlers and the need for $225,000 in necessary repairs spelled the end for the facility. As Brunswick Corp. decided to pull out all the equipment, the site would no longer be used for bowling.
A new and unrelated use would be found for the building, and that topic will next be covered in Part 2 of 110 Appleton Street.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates and pages are shown.
Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, 1949 and 1956
Richard Atlas of Holyoke, Massachusetts, 1911
City of Holyoke, Massachusetts, Assessors' Office, MapGeo
Hampden County Registry of Deeds, Springfield, Massachusetts
Ancestry (paid subscription) Price & Lee, Holyoke City Directory
