Selling or Buying a Bowling Center?

Posted January 1, 2018

BCAW wishes everyone a Happy New Year! As we begin 2018, we know there are center owners out there considering retirement or leaving the industry . . . looking to sell their centers. A review of listings on LoopNet.com shows five to 15 centers for sale in Wisconsin at any given time. We also hear from time-to-time from folks interested in buying a bowling center. Our interest is of course, to see these business sold and retained with their bowling lanes!

Wisconsin presents a very unique opportunity for potential buyers, as the majority of our members are smaller family owned and managed businesses. We have some very nice high end family entertainment centers with 16, 24 and more lanes. We also have smaller rural community bars & taverns with four, six and eight lanes. Some have been modernized with synthetic lanes and automatic scoring systems; while others have maintained their vintage era ambiance and charm.

BCAW will be announcing a new BCAW supplier member later this month. The company is well known throughout the US; led by professionals in bowling center valuation and management; with experience in matching up sellers with buyers. This will be a very beneficial service to those involved in such transactions.

In the meantime, for those considering buying or selling, we share this article from the October 2016 issue of International Bowling Industry Magazine. In the front page article, they tell of the sale of a very successful BCAW member center just a couple of years ago. The article includes the perspective of a major lender in the entertainment industry . . . Live Oak Bank.

Here is something else to whet your appetite if you’re considering buying a turnkey bowling business. The center below is the family owned Main Street Lanes located in Cross Plains, WI (a suburb of Madison). Currently listed on LoopNet, they are seeking $499,900 for the four laner with bar, meeting room and three bedroom apartment. “Live – Work – Play” here!