Two more Wichita bowling alleys sell, and this time a local buyer is involved

Brent Bowers finally is achieving his dream of owning his own bowling alley; however, his recent purchase is not the one he planned to make. Also, he and some out-of-state investors actually have bought two: Seneca Bowl and Derby Bowl.

Bowers, who started bowling when he was 3 years old and eventually was on national award-winning teams for Wichita State University, spent eight years working at Northrock Lanes for the DeSocio family.

“The dream, the hope, the pie in the sky is that I would buy Northrock Lanes,” he said.

During the pandemic, though, the family sold to Bowlero, the world’s largest bowling center owner.

Bowers said he didn’t want to leave Northrock, but he also knew it would be hard to assimilate into a new corporate structure.

Last summer he attended a bowling convention and met some investors who wanted to buy the Seneca and Derby lanes and needed a local partner.

The deal closed last week.

“We’re drinking through a fire hose at the moment,” Bowers said. “There’s just a lot to learn.”

He said every “small business has its own quirks.”

Bowers said previous longtime owners Derek and Tanya Frazier are helping with the transition.

“I need to be taught the business before they ride off into the sunset.”

Bowers said he plans some behind-the-scenes changes and will make some capital improvements at both properties before the end of the year.

He said he’s going to carefully consider modifications with customers in mind.

“It feels like their home. This feels like their family.”

Bowers said there already have been a lot of changes since Bowlero entered the market with its purchases at Northrock, the Alley and West Acres.

“The marketplace has kind of been shaken up,” he said. “There’s a lot of unhappy bowlers who are shopping and moving around because of it.”

Bowers said he’s excited about his partners and how much they understand about the business.

“We would like to have more centers down the road.”

First, he said they need to get established at Seneca and Derby and make some necessary updates.

Bowers said any changes will be “hopefully only the ones that are unanimously supported by our customers and staff.”