Sherman Bowling Center
Muskegon, Michigan
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

Michigan is home to the Sherman Bowling Center, where one of the coolest neon bowling signs in the Midwest still lights up the night. For a great Kodak moment, stand outside the marquee and watch the rotating "BAR" sign revolve overhead. Just don't get hypnotized. 09-10

The bowling center opened in 1958 with 28 lanes and expanded to 50 lanes just two years later as league bowling continued to grow in popularity. Through all the changes over the years, the rooftop neon sign has remained the star of the show. The revolving "BAR" section gives the marquee a little extra motion and makes it almost impossible to drive by without taking a second look.

The bowling center is still going strong today, offering bowling, billiards, a comedy club, and banquet facilities. It's great to see a classic neighborhood bowling alley still doing what it was built to do while hanging onto one of Michigan's best surviving neon signs.

UPDATE: Sherman Bowling Center remains open, and its famous rotating neon marquee continues to light up Sherman Boulevard. 06-26

Gage Bowl
Topeka, KS
Photo courtesy Greg West

The Gage Bowl bills itself as a "Complete Fun Center," and one look at the neon marquee tells you they're not kidding. The bright sign has been catching the attention of passing motorists for decades, making it one of those classic roadside landmarks that's hard to drive past without taking a second look. 10-09

The bowling center opened in 1959 and has remained a popular gathering place ever since. While plenty of neighborhood bowling alleys have disappeared over the years, Gage Bowl has continued to evolve, offering much more than just bowling. Today you'll also find arcade games, billiards, food, and other family entertainment, making the "Complete Fun Center" slogan just as fitting now as it was years ago.

UPDATE: Gage Bowl remains open, and its classic neon marquee continues to welcome bowlers and travelers along Gage Boulevard. 06-26

Capri Lanes (Demolished)
Columbus, OH
Photo courtesy Michael Sekeres

Here's Capri Lanes and its fantastic neon lettering on Columbus' north side. The sign was one of those roadside landmarks that could brighten your evening before you ever stepped inside. With its bold script and colorful glow, it was hard to miss. 10-09

Capri Lanes opened in 1965 and spent nearly six decades serving league bowlers, families, and anyone looking for a fun night out. The 32-lane bowling center became a longtime neighborhood favorite, but for roadside enthusiasts, the neon marquee was just as memorable as the bowling itself. It's exactly the kind of sign that makes you pull over for one more photograph.

The bowling alley closed in 2022 after 57 years, and the building was later demolished to make way for a senior living community. Fortunately, the story didn't end there.

UPDATE: Although Capri Lanes is gone, its famous neon sign was saved and restored. Today, it can be seen inside a medical office building in Columbus, preserving one of the city's best-known bowling alley signs. 06-26

Luxury Lanes (Demolished)
Ferndale, MI
Photo courtesy Mark Hackett

The marquee at Luxury Lanes proudly proclaimed that "Bowling Is Fun for Everyone," and it certainly looked the part. Between the giant red swooping arrow and the colorful neon, this was the kind of sign that made you look twice while cruising Woodward Avenue. 04-01

Luxury Lanes opened in the mid-1940s and became a popular destination for league bowlers and families throughout the Detroit area. While the bowling alley itself had a long history, it's the roadside marquee that many people remember best. The combination of the bold lettering, sweeping arrow, and upbeat slogan made it one of the more recognizable bowling signs in southeastern Michigan.

Sadly, a devastating fire swept through the building in February 2008, destroying the bowling alley and bringing an end to one of Ferndale's longtime landmarks.

UPDATE: Luxury Lanes was demolished following the 2008 fire, and the iconic neon marquee was lost with the building. 06-26

Plaza Bowl (Removed)
Marion, IN
Photo and info courtesy Alan Culley

Here's a night shot of Plaza Bowl as it looked when its neon marquee lit up the Marion skyline. The colorful sign was impossible to miss after dark and gave the bowling alley plenty of roadside appeal. It's exactly the kind of scene that made an evening drive a little more interesting. 06-07

Like many neighborhood bowling centers, Plaza Bowl was a gathering place for league bowlers, families, and anyone looking for a night out. While the bowling alley is gone, the photo captures what many people remember best—the bright neon sign welcoming visitors from the road.

UPDATE: The building that once housed Plaza Bowl is still standing and has been converted to commercial retail use, but the vintage neon marquee has been removed. 06-26

Key Lanes (Demolished)
Fort Wayne, IN
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Also located in Fort Wayne was Key Lanes, a neighborhood bowling alley with one feature you couldn't miss—a giant gold skeleton key mounted to the front of the building. Combined with the neon lettering, it created a distinctive look that stood out from just about every other bowling alley in town. 07-07

Key Lanes welcomed bowlers for nearly 50 years before closing in 2009. It also played a small part in bowling history, as the company that eventually became Classic Products Corporation got its start inside the bowling alley's pro shop in 1959. When the lanes closed, nearly everything was auctioned off, from the bowling equipment and lockers to the wooden lanes themselves.

UPDATE: The building was demolished following its 2009 closure, and the familiar key sign and neon lettering are gone. 06-26