In total, he estimates having spent about $250,000 in renovations over the summer. An announcement from Fireside Lanes in April showed the old floor ripped out in preparation for new flooring and furnishings.Ĭook purchased new lanes last year from a bowling alley in Florida that was closing. Not one to sit back on his laurels, Cook is using the downtime to make improvements and upgrades to the aging bowling alley. The Sentinel sat down with owner Steve Cook, a bowling hall of fame champion, to see how he’s navigating the uncertain economic climate. Many family entertainment venues across California have been hard hit by the state’s COVID-19 shutdown orders, and Steve Cook’s Fireside Lanes in Citrus Heights is no exception. Great times.Steve Cook, owner of Fireside Lanes in Citrus Heights, stands inside his bowling alley during renovations. Always taping up my thumb, I miss those innocent days. Sweet Mollie, she was like a mother to us kids. I bowled in the junior league on Sat mornings. There was also a glass candy counter where I would buy good and plenty licorice candy. I would bowl as long as the dimes kept coming. I distinctly remember a coin operated bowling arcade type of game that took dimes. My father and uncle bowled on a league here in the late 60’s early 70’s. Have you seen the Feature matchbook from Prima Bowl? I will be posting it on my Facebook page. I am sure the owners of Primas have no interest in bowling alleys. We always had the Monday night Bucktown/Logan Square bowling and bar league that bowled there for 25 years. I did it because of family sentimentality. But nobody will turn any place back to bowling other than me. We had an inept domain case that hand cuffed us from updating the bowling. We were not a dance place we always had bowling. As a kid I remember being a little intimidated by all the noise and activity when the lanes were in use. After getting the shoes, we’d cross Kedzie, get a soda or ice cream, then cross back to the bowling alley. When I needed shoes, my Mom would take me to the shoe store while Dad went bowling. Krametbauer Shoe store was on the other side of 25th Street. I also bowled in the junior league on Saturday mornings. I think Sam was the owner and took great care of the kids. Started bowling in a Saturday morning junior league back in 1961. Sam Guido and his son Rick would pick up my fee. Prima was my after school and evening home! I was a floating sub for teams missing bowlers. We would stop at the hotdog place across the street for lunch after bowling.Ī lady named Molly ran the league in the early days.ĭid anyone at Prima know Phil Matievic, aka Crow? Sam was a great guy who drove our team down to Peoria in 1967 for the State Tournament. I bowled in the Saturday junior league from 1960 to 1967. Sam’s son Richard became a police officer for Summit, Illinos. Markov and Michael Giblin also worked there. I remember Richard Guido and his father was Sam. I used to work as a pin boy and then after I can back from the Army in 1969, i was a bartender. My grand parents n uncle rich have passed on. After the fire our family moved to las vegas. Across the street was a little hotdog stand. Wished i could get in contact with some of them. My grandfather used to own prima bowling alley. I hope so, it seemed like a very great place to hang out. Maybe the same thing will happen with Prima. Man how I wish I used to live back then when this was around.įireside Bowl, on Fullerton Avenue, changed over to a dance hall for about 10 years, then switched back to bowling. Wow! I can’t believe this place used to be a bowling alley! Now it’s just a nightclub (I know this because I grew up in this area). You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. This entry was posted on Maat 12:01 am and is filed under OLD CHICAGO BOWLING ALLEYS.

Bowling shoes at fireside lanes