Downtown was a very different place when Gilroy Bowl opened in
1958. Though stores have come and gone as the decades have passed
by, the boisterous atmosphere inside the bowling alley has been
unaffected by time.
Downtown was a very different place when Gilroy Bowl opened in 1958. Though stores have come and gone as the decades have passed by, the boisterous atmosphere inside the bowling alley has been unaffected by time.
The population in Gilroy has increased eight-fold, going from about 5,000 people then to 40,000 today. Scott Kawano, who is co-owner of Gilroy Bowl along with Al Rozal, remembers when he took the business over from his father in 1971, he would run into familiar faces just walking down the street.
“You could practically say hi to everybody because you knew everybody,” he said.
Gilroy Bowl has been a constant fixture even as other bowling alleys in the area have had to close down. Kawano credits the business’ survival to a good customer policy.
“We try to treat the customer right,” he said. “It’s still a small town, even though it’s getting bigger than before. You gotta have return business. It’s not like San Jose where you have a million people to choose from.”
If the continued popularity of the alley is any indication, Kawano has succeeded in that goal.
Gilroy Bowl also serves as a venue where people can meet up. Though longtime patron Masaru Kunimura, 77, no longer bowls due to back problems, he is secretary for the Nisei League that bowls on Thursday nights. He stops by frequently at the alley even when his league is not playing just to chat.
“It’s like ‘Cheers’,” Kawano said, referring to the popular TV sitcom that ran in ’80s and early ’90s. “Everybody knows each other. If you’re a regular customer and you come in here, you’re gonna know somebody. I think that’s one of the reasons people like to come in. You can come in and meet somebody.”
Indeed, many bowlers have been coming here since they were kids.
Joe Carrera, 44, has been coming to the alley since he was 9 years old and currently bowls in the Old-Timers League with his brother, Chris.
“We basically grew up in here,” he said. “Our parents started bowling here in 1968. My parents and Kawano’s are good friends.”
Carrera bowls at the alley at least once a week and says his father is a regular at the adjoining Gilroy Bowl Restaurant. The restaurant serves Japanese food in addition to traditional American fare.
With the restaurant and a bar, Gilroy Bowl is able to offer its customers more than just bowling lanes. This versatility has helped the business remain viable, Kawano said.
“We’re not just depending on one income; we have all three areas to draw from,” he said, adding that despite the closure of other alleys in the area, competition for business remains stiff.
“Bowling centers don’t just compete against bowling centers. They compete for the entertainment dollar. Whether it’s going to the movies, going golfing, going to see the Sharks play in San Jose,” he said.
Gilroy resident Kunimura also has observed that people have a plethora entertainment options now.
“There’s more things for the kids to do nowadays,” he said. “In ’58 there weren’t that many softball and soccer leagues. Now kids have all these activities, plus the Sharks, the Giants, the Raiders, the Niners. They have so many places to go on the weekends.”
Fortunately for Gilroy Bowl, staunch fans of the sport feel there is no substitute for bowling.
“Bowling is a social sport. You come here to socialize with your friends. It’s competitive, and it’s very challenging to be a good, consistent bowler,” Carrera said.
Tammy Lewis, 32, understands that challenge. Her name graces the wall on the right side of the alley, honoring her as one of only two women who have bowled a 300 game there. She has been bowling at Gilroy Bowl for four years.
“It’s fun here, people are fun,” said the San Jose resident who works in Morgan Hill. “No conflicts, no nothing. Everybody’s friends. … You come down to bowl and you’re talking to everybody, you’re meeting new people.”
While downtown storefronts change and Gilroy continues to develop, Gilroy Bowl remains a place where everybody knows your name.
Shoe rental is $1. On Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., lanes are $2.50. On weekends and holidays, lanes are $2.75. Lanes are $2 for senior citizens. Sunday mornings from 9 a.m. to noon, there is a special rate of $1.75. Free bowling instruction is given Sundays from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. or by arrangement.
Restaurant hours are 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday through Saturday; Sunday brunch is served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Call 842-5100 for more information.
