Lincoln Square Lanes
- April 2007Invented by the Egyptians and popularized by the Europeans—bowling never quite came into its own until it traveled to America. No other culture has assimilated its version of bowling into everyday life quite like the Americans. Ten-pin bowling has been popular here for nearly as long as we've been a country. New York City had an indoor bowling alley called Knickerbockers as early as 1840, when Chicago was still a frontier town. German immigrants took a shine to the sport, in part because of its similarity to the German game Kegelspiel, and were some of the first to form bowling clubs in the 1800s. But American ingenuity was a key factor in bowling's rise in popularity. In 1914, Brunswick introduced hard rubber bowling balls to replace wooden balls. And in 1936, the invention of the semi-automatic pinsetter transformed bowling into an all-American pastime. Although it certainly requires athletic skill, bowling is not just a sport but an entire culture, immortalized in films like The Big Lebowski. It's an activity that everyone can participate in—whether you're young, old, athletic or not. And you can bowl all year round, in winter when no one wants to be outside or in the oppressive heat of the summer when bowling alleys are cool and refreshing inside.
Lincoln Square Lanes is that quintessential American bowling alley. As you walk up its flight of stairs to the alley above Lincoln Square Hardware, you're entering a part of history. "This has been operating as a bowling alley since 1918," explains co-owner Richard Drehobl. "We have probably one of the only second story alleys left in the city." A few signs of the alley's long history appear here and there. Over the loft of lockers hangs an ornate tin ceiling. And the unmistakable mural above the lanes hints at the work of WPA artists of the 1930s. It features an image of the famous Lincoln statue of the Washington DC memorial, framed by a background of majestic purple mountains. "Lincoln Square Recreation" painted along the bottom is one of the many names that this alley has been known by over the years. "The mural was covered up and none of us knew anything about it," says Richard. "About four years ago I was up there remounting some ceiling tiles and when I took some down, I found it. It was a real surprise. So I decided to leave it up."
When you come bowl at Lincoln Square Lanes, bring a friend who is good at math, since it's one of the few places left in the city with no electronic scoring. You keep track of your games using good old fashioned pencil and paper. And come early. Unlike the mall-like bowling megaplexes, Lincoln Square Lanes has only 12 lanes. If you are bowling with a group, it's advisable to make a reservation. "Groups of 20 or more people can reserve lanes," explains Richard. "But you have to be here on time, or we need to give up your lane to other people waiting to bowl."
Richard Drehobl has been a co-owner of Lincoln Square Lanes for nearly 20 years. Before buying the lanes, he had been in the peanut business for a number of years and didn't know a thing about running a bowling alley. "I was a bowler and knew two guys who were interested in buying a bowling alley," recalls Richard. "We bought it from Charlie LaBruzzo. I knew nothing about how to run the machines or anything. Charlie taught me everything I needed to know." A colorful character who was well-known around Lincoln Square, Charlie LaBruzzo was a good friend of Harry and Guenter Kempf of the Chicago Brauhaus. He passed away a few years ago, but his photo still hangs on the Brauhaus' back wall. Richard co-owns Lincoln Square Lanes with one of his original team of buyers, Dan Petrenko, who works in the alley on Wednesdays and Sundays. Despite being surrounded by it for so many years, Richard still loves to bowl. "I've met a lot of nice people through here," says Richard. "I enjoy talking to people."
Although it has a long history, Lincoln Square Lanes is very much a modern place. Richard has been trying out new things that people might enjoy along with their games. Recently, he took out the pool table so that he could bring in live music. "We started the live entertainment about three years ago," he says. "We're trying to bring in local bands with big followings. The Polkaholics play a lot here and are one of our most successful bands." Anyone who's had the experience of bowling to the sounds of The Polkaholics knows that there's nothing quite like it. It's a great opportunity to hear music without paying a cover. Other local bands who are interested in playing should contact Richard.
Bowling leagues may be smaller than in the old days, but Lincoln Square Lanes still hosts them. Leagues run from September through May for 35 weeks. At Lincoln Square Lanes, league nights are Mondays and Thursdays, plus one Saturday a month, starting at 6:30pm. "Thirty-five weeks can seem like a long time, especially if you're not bowling very good," laughs Richard. Lincoln Square Lanes also attracts a lot of groups who hold parties and events at the alley. Nearly every weekend brings in people celebrating birthdays, building team spirit with coworkers, or bowling for the holidays. Anyone planning a party definitely should contact Lincoln Square Lanes in advance to reserve lanes. Groups are welcome to bring in their own snacks and birthday cakes, while beverages are available at the bar. A number of organizations also host their own events at Lincoln Square Lanes. The Lincoln Square Chamber of Commerce has sponsored several happy hours there, and a local comedy group held the "Chuckle Bowl Spectacular" on New Year's Eve. "We had a fantastic New Year's Eve party here this year," says Richard. "There was a comedy show with the people who perform at the Lincoln Restaurant. We had more than 200 people and we had to stop selling tickets at the door."
Bowling in America was revolutionized in a turkey barn in 1936. That was the year that engineer Fred Schmidt invented the automated pinspotter machine with the help of draftsman John McElroy and machinist Fred Sandhage. The three built their machine on Sandhage's turkey farm in Pearl River, New York. "Years ago, there used to be pin boys who would set the pins by hand," says Richard. "When I was a kid, I was a pin boy and used to be paid a quarter a game at the Monte Cristo, a bowling alley on Montrose, east of Kimball." When bowling went automatic, it meant a faster-paced, more accurate game. Behind the scenes at Lincoln Square Lanes, the pinspotter is a Rube Goldberg-like device made up of literally thousands of moving parts with names like the sweep assembly, pin assembly and ball lift assembly. Pins are pre-loaded, waiting to drop when someone bowls a ball and to track how many pins you've hit. It's the same machine that Richard started with when he bought the alley. "We have two mechanics who take care of it," explains Richard. "They stay all night, waiting to fix it immediately if there's a problem. One guy is 80-something years old and has been in the bowling business for 50 years." Also behind the scenes is a compact toolshop, packed with an unbelievable number of parts and tools ready to fix the lanes on demand.
Approaching its 90th year in business, Lincoln Square Lanes still is a place where good times are to be had. It's a classic bowling alley with a fun jutebox filled with songs from AC/DC to Johnny Cash, pinball games, a dartboard, pizza and snacks. People of all ages have a great time bowling there, from kids who bumper bowl, to college students and adults. And what other sport actually builds a beer run into scoring the game but bowling? When you get to the beer frame, you're set at Lincoln Square Lanes. "This is a good place to come and watch a game on TV, too," says Richard. "We have some of the most affordable drinks in the neighborhood. We have a full bar and will make you whatever drink you want." There's no draft beer, but you can always grab a bottle or can at the right price. The friendly staff makes everyone feel welcome. "This is the best year we've had, ever," says Richard. "We have more people than we've seen in years coming in and having a great time."
Lincoln Square Lanes
4874 North Lincoln Avenue
Chicago, IL 60625
773.561.8191
Hours:
Monday - Friday 12:00pm - 2:00am
Saturday 12:00pm - 3:00am
Sunday 12:00pm - 2:00am
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