New Jackson bowling alley goes for younger crowd

By Bob Miller

Special to Business Today

Suddenly, there's a lot more fun to have in Jackson.

The Main Street Lanes opened to the public on July 2.

Main Street Lanes is the second bowling alley in Jackson, but this one is geared toward a younger crowd. It comes with an arcade and, in about a week, a sports bar.

The walls are painted in vibrant yellow and purple tones. The wild carpet pattern glows in the dark when the overhead lights are turned off and the strobe lights are turned on.

Civic leaders cut the ribbon July 2 and admired the new facility, which provides an indoor social activity for an otherwise entertainment-deprived town.

Carol Bruhl of Jackson enjoys bowling but not in leagues because they're too competitive. She says the new lanes will give her a chance to play for recreation more.

"And it's nice that I don't have to go to Cape Girardeau to use West Park Lanes," she said.

That's exactly why Jim Maevers built this facility inside what used to be Food Giant and Schaeper's IGA. Maevers said he wanted to give families an entertainment opportunity in Jackson.

"It feels really good to see people coming in to start enjoying it," he said. "We had a day care come in yesterday with kids from 6 to 12, and they had a blast."

The lanes come with automatic bumpers for children, but Maevers said the facility is suited for "kids of all ages."

That includes Mike and Mabel Rice, who bowl in three leagues during the winter and visit bowling alleys all over the country during their retirement traveling.

"It's beautiful," Mabel said. "Everything is brand new and everything works great, but I'm not going to knock the other alley because we bowl there, too. There are wonderful people at both places."

Main Street Lanes is in the process of organizing leagues, but manager Jim Litz said at least four lanes will be open on league nights to recreational bowlers.

"This is a great center for leagues, but with four flips of a switch, it turns into an instant party," Litz said.

Bob Miller covers the Jackson area for the Southeast Missourian.