Panther Lanes under new management

Panther Lanes has reopened this month under new management.

Mike Monroe, general manager, said many changes are underway at Panther Lanes bowling center, 301 N. Cherry St. First and foremost, he wants Panther Lanes to become a more active part of the community.

“That’s really what the center has been missing,” Monroe said.

To better serve the community, Monroe said Panther Lanes will offer customized programs to assist local organizations with their fundraising efforts.

“We can help groups raise more money in an hour time frame a lot easier than going out and buying M&Ms and selling them,” Monroe said. “It’s a fun way for their friends and community to come out and support them.”

Leagues

Starting 9 a.m. Saturday, youth league registration will open for anyone age 4 through 18. The $16 registration fee includes sanction of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), T-shirt and instructional CD. Weekly dues of $8 is only paid during the weeks a child participates.

“It’s a fun introduction to bowling,” said Tammy Rhine, bowling association manager.

Monroe said open lanes for the general public will be available seven days a week, however, Friday and Saturday nights in the near future will become a glowing experience for recreational bowlers.

Panther Lanes is currently having electric conduits installed and a wiring upgrade to support a new lighting system.

“We want to put on a really fun cosmic bowling experience Friday and Saturday nights,” Monroe said.

Monroe said cosmic bowling involves flashing and black lights to make everything glow. The lights will also be set to music.

“It’s a really fun environment,” Monroe said.

Updates and changes

Monroe said, since he has taken over management, the kitchen has not been in use, but, bottled beer and fountain drinks are currently available. Currently, Panther Lanes owner Terry Harrison is focused on updating kitchen equipment such as a new hood/ventilation system for the grill, proper sanitation stations and electrical work.

Monroe said a number of machines have been fixed and all lanes are now in service.

“We are developing a preventative maintenance program,” Monroe said. “We are going to be very dedicated to get the machines operating at a very, very high level, so, our customers and league bowlers don’t have a bunch of machines breaking down.”

Monroe said his goal is to have the kitchen functioning by the first week of October. Once it passes inspection, a full-service bar will be worked on.

First Frame Bowling

Monroe is the owner of First Frame Bowling Management Group LLC, which has been hired by Harrison to help with operational, marketing and capital improvement.

With more than 30 years of experience helping distressed bowling centers, Monroe is currently working to update six bowling centers in Georgia, Kentucky, Illinois, Texas, Florida and Iowa.

Panther Lanes is open seven days a week: 3 to 9 p.m. Sunday, 3 to 10 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, 3 to 11 p.m. Thursday and Friday, and noon to midnight Saturday.

For more information, visit Panther Lanes Creston, www.bit.ly/pantherlanes, on Facebook.