This all began with a few friends shooting the shit at a bar one night way back in 2023. We were lamenting over bowling alleys closing, arguing over how to hand score bowling, and realizing there are few places other than bars/restaurants for families, kids, and organizers to come together in St Johns. Nothing against our neighborhood businesses. We love them! This is just our current reality. To that end, below is an update and a call to action for a community centered bowling alley!

In only two and half months (by word of mouth and a QR code in only a few businesses in St Johns) more than 300 people responded to the survey. We are not alone! The tone of the responses was something to the effect of “YES PLEASE!” It still makes me tear up reading through the stories, suggestions, and willingness to support such an effort. Nearly half of all respondents indicated potentially pitching in monetarily and many others offered to volunteer their time and skills to help make this happen. Many allies have been made in the last couple years, including Prosper Portland, St Johns Center for Opportunity, St Johns Boosters, and many local businesses.

In short, YES, this is moving forward with the planning stages. At this time, I’m not sharing locations being considered as formal conversations with property owners have not begun. Have ideas on locations? Let me know!

I also want to assure the naturally skeptic minds that this is not a spur of the moment, dreamers’ endeavor. It’s as real as I, and others, have been able to make it so far. There are financial estimates, multiple sites being entertained (with pro formas to match), and ways of potentially securing what seems like an absurd amount of capital.

First, I have been wrestling with how best to move forward. The typical “developer” model just doesn’t seem right to me. I do not desire to tell anyone what or how they should want this type of intervention in their community. I live here, and I am willing to pour time and energy into this. If St Johns wants this to be, then we should be as invested as we would like to be. No one should be excluded.

Second, I am not a wealthy person, but I do have skills—just like all of you—that can be used to make this a reality. This is our strength. There is a better way of approaching a project like this than with a solely top-down capitalist bent.

To that end, I also want to be clear about my intentions. This will be a worker-owned, worker-lead business. How do we do that exactly? It’s going to be difficult, and likely time consuming to implement. And it will take more than me to make this happen. Which is why…

…finally, I need your help. The resources and expertise of this community go WAY beyond anything I can do alone. In that spirit, I would like to ask you all for the following:

1. Let’s get together! Please fill out this survey (same as above) for a future gathering invitation so planning can begin on securing a space. It will be in St Johns. It will be in June/July of this year. Multiple sites and dates/times may be chosen for accessibility and representation opportunities.

2. Spread the word: share this with anyone who may be interested, St Johns or elsewhere. I will be taking an ad out in several local newspapers in May to help with this.

3. Please help identify groups in St Johns who may not be included in this initial outreach. For example, it was pointed out to me that neighbors near Pier Park (across St Louis) suffer a disconnect from the Lombard Main Street and consequently don’t get much contact/involvement opportunity. Feel free to send connections, offer insight, and suggest community groups to ping.

There is much to be done. This will take effort and time. I am confident that with your help and feedback, we can bring bowling and so much more to St Johns!