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BusinessJuly 15, 2002

Business Today JACKSON -- Local developers want to turn a former Wal-Mart building into a 20-lane bowling alley and sports bar. Jim and Tim Maevers and their father, Lester, hope to open a sports bar and state-of-the-art bowling alley by next March...

Business Today

JACKSON -- Local developers want to turn a former Wal-Mart building into a 20-lane bowling alley and sports bar. Jim and Tim Maevers and their father, Lester, hope to open a sports bar and state-of-the-art bowling alley by next March.

They announced July 5 that they have purchased a four-building strip center on East Jackson Boulevard, which includes the former Wal-Mart building.

The Maevers bought the property from D and D Investments, a company operated by Charles, Jerry and Robert Drury. The purchase price wasn't disclosed for the 100,000 square feet of building space on 7.5 acres of land.

The site includes a little over an acre of undeveloped ground behind the strip shopping center which may be sold for construction of duplexes. The strip center includes three operating businesses, including the Maevers' Save-A-Lot grocery store.

The easternmost building covers 29,700 square feet and housed a Wal-Mart for more than 20 years. That building has been vacant since the retail giant opened its Supercenter in Jackson three years ago.

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The Maevers currently are talking to potential investors to help fund the bowling alley and sports bar project.

Real estate agent Ken Inman handled the transaction.

Jim Maevers said the construction work will cost about $1.6 million, with $900,000 of that slated to be spent to build the 20 bowling lanes and install the necessary equipment such as the automatic pin setters and the monitors that display bowlers' scores.

The alley would have automatic bumpers that the customers could program to come up only when needed, allowing parents to bowl without the bumpers while their children bowl with the bumpers on the same lane.

The bowling alley would have several meeting rooms which could be used for birthday parties and a video arcade.

"I want to create a family atmosphere," said Maevers, who said there is a need for lanes for recreational bowlers. He's convinced a new bowling alley will attract plenty of players.

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