America's Vanishing Bowling Alleys

New York City’s Bowlmor Lanes opened in 1938 in the neighborhood south of Union Square and closed for good on Monday night after its landlord decided not to extend its lease. Patrons will miss the historical charm of the city’s oldest alley and the Bowlmor brand’s modern take on the activity, which includes disco lights, a menu by chef David Burke, and pricey cocktails. Given trends in the sport—OK, recreational activity—it’s less remarkable that the alley is closing than that it managed to survive so long.

The U.S. had 4,061 bowling centers in 2012, down 25 percent from 1998, the earliest year for which the U.S. Census collected consistent data. But the decline of the bowling alley probably started a lot earlier. The U.S. added 2,000 bowling alleys between the end of World War II and 1958, when the American Society of Planning Officials reported that “the bowling alley is fast becoming one of the most important—if not the most important—local center of participant sport and recreation.” (The growth spurt included a two-lane alley installed in the White House in 1947.)