From my pal in Forgottening Lindley Farley, who wrote the excellent Oddball New York a few years ago, comes the sad word that the remnants of the large painted ad depicting a long-closed and long-Forgotten bowling alley on Rockwell Place north of Fulton street (next to the Harvey Theater of the Brooklyn Academy of Music) has finally been painted over.
I’ve circled here what’s left of the bowler (on the right) and the bowling ball striking the pins (left). There’s also an ad for the former Ashland Garage, where you could park for 25¢ or 50¢. I’m sure some ForgottenFan knows what bowling alley this was.
Sick transit, Gloria! The relentless march of development continues apace.
2/15/14
8 comments
I bowled many times in those alleys, my next door neighbor Ray was the manager there. He taught me how to do a hook shot into the 1-3 pocket. One of his early pupils was a little boy named Anthony, who later became the lead of Little Anthony And The Imperials.
Kevin, have you thought about doing a little piece on the disappearance of bowling centers in NYC since the ’60s? There are only about 20 centers left in the whole city, when once there was a center in almost every neighborhood.
My sources tell me that this was Strand Lanes.
Strand lanes it was . I lived on Lawrence st during the 50’s & 60’s. It was around the corner from the MO(Majestic theatre).One of the forgotten theatres in a neighborhood of some great ones.
I’m looking for a bowling alley that was near North 9th in Williamsburg. It was old-school 10-pin, the Brooklyn Daily Eagle had a story in 1879 about a stabbing that took place from an argument over the sale of a dog. I believe it was still open in the 1920’s. (These were some of my ancestors, who owned it).
Thanks!
I bowled at the Strand while attending St Frances Prep
I bowled almost every Saturday at the Strand. You would think I’d be a good bowler, but no. My Dad was a great bowler (high score 299, which upset him alot) and he worked there as a second job to pay for my braces. Thanks Dad. Many good times there!
My father work there.