Skyway Bowl (Closed)
Chicago, IL Photo courtesy Don Gardner
This fantastic marquee stood outside Skyway Bowl, where a giant bowling pin grabbed your attention during the day and the neon took over after dark. The sign advertised 36 lanes, but it was the oversized pin and colorful Googie-style design that made this one of Chicago's classic bowling alley landmarks. 10-08
Skyway Bowl opened in the early 1950s and became a longtime gathering place on Chicago's South Side. Over the years it operated as Block Lanes, Skyway Lanes, and eventually Skyway Bowl, serving generations of league bowlers, school teams, birthday parties, and community events. It also held a unique place in the city's history as Chicago's last Black-owned bowling alley.
When the owners announced plans to close, the community rallied around the business, raising more than $25,000 in an effort to keep the doors open. Despite that support, rising operating costs, declining league participation, and needed building repairs proved too much to overcome.
UPDATE: Skyway Bowl closed permanently in April 2026. The marquee has been gone for years. 06-26
Sunset Lanes (Demolished)
Portage, MI Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
This fantastic marquee once stood outside Sunset Lanes in Portage. Between its colorful neon, tall profile, and the sunset graphic worked right into the middle of the sign, it was hard to miss. It was the kind of bowling alley marquee that looked just as good during the day as it did after dark. 04-06
Sunset Lanes was a longtime neighborhood bowling alley and a familiar landmark for anyone traveling through Portage. While the bowling center is gone, the sign is what many people still remember. Its bold design, bright colors, and towering height made it one of the more distinctive bowling alley marquees in Michigan.
I've always liked signs that were designed specifically for the business they represented, and this one did exactly that. Instead of relying on a standard bowling pin or simple lettering, the sunset graphic gave the marquee its own personality and made it instantly recognizable.
UPDATE: Sunset Lanes was razed over 2 years ago in order to put up another Walmart. Many thanks to Marnie Plucienik for update. 04-06
Shula's 31 Bowl
Niles, MI Photo courtesy Chris E.
Here are a few photos of Shula's 31 Bowl, a longtime Niles bowling alley that featured one of the area's more memorable signs. The 24-lane center included a restaurant and bar, while the large marquee out back featured animated red neon bowling balls that lit up in sequence, making it a real attention-getter after dark. 10-08
The property has a much longer history than most people realize. It began as the Dixie Grove shortly after the repeal of Prohibition before becoming Shula's Restaurant under Frank Shula in the 1940s. A 24-lane bowling alley was added in 1965, and over the years the complex also became a popular nightclub that hosted live music, including an early appearance by the band Chicago.
Although Shula's closed in 2002, the property found a second life two years later as Joey Armadillo's Bowling Center. Thankfully, the famous roadside sign wasn't lost. It was updated with the new business name while preserving much of the original design, including the animated bowling balls that continue to make it one of southwest Michigan's best surviving bowling alley marquees.
UPDATE: Shula's is open again and the
neon bowling ball sign is lighting up the sky once again.
It is now called Joey Armadillo's. Many thanks
to Mark Godsey, Owner of Joey Armadillo's, formerly Shula's, for update. 08-05
UPDATE: The original Shula's 31 Bowl is gone, but the building continues to operate as Joey Armadillo's Bowling Center. Better yet, the historic marquee survives, retaining its animated bowling balls and much of its original mid-century character. 06-26
Shula's 31 mural along wall
Niles, MI Photo courtesy Chris E.
Shula's 31 Bowl|
Niles, MI Photo courtesy Chris E.
King Pin Lanes
Springfield, IL Photo and info courtesy Jason Carlton
The marquee at King Pin Lanes has always stood out thanks to its giant bowling pin topped with a crown. It's a clever design that perfectly matches the name and gives the bowling alley one of the more recognizable signs in Springfield. When these photos were taken, the neon was still glowing, making the sign even more impressive after dark. 01-08
King Pin Lanes opened in 1960 and remains one of central Illinois' longest-running independent bowling centers. While the bowling alley is still going strong, the sign has changed over the years. Around 2005, the original neon tubing was removed, leaving the distinctive crowned bowling pin and sign framework as reminders of what was once a spectacular nighttime display.
UPDATE: "King
Pin Lanes" sign in Springfield, IL has removed all the neon from
the sign. Many thanks to Tony Craig for update. 08-05
UPDATE: King Pin Lanes remains open today. Although the original neon has been removed from the marquee, the familiar crowned bowling pin and sign structure still greet visitors. 06-26
Holiday Lanes (Rem.)
Lansing, MI Photo courtesy Mark Hackett
Check out the giant arrow that once pointed the way to Holiday Lanes in Lansing... yes, Magic Johnson's hometown. Whether he ever bowled here is anyone's guess, but there's no question the massive Googie-style marquee was an attention-getter. It was one of those signs that practically demanded you pull into the parking lot. 10-07
Holiday Lanes opened in 1962 and remained a Lansing favorite for 50 years under the Maury family's ownership. While thousands came for the bowling, many motorists probably remembered the huge neon arrow just as much as the lanes themselves. I've always liked oversized arrows like this because they did exactly what they were supposed to do—they grabbed your attention from a long way off.
The bowling alley eventually closed and the building was remodeled into Spare Time Entertainment. Unfortunately, the towering neon arrow didn't survive the transition.
UPDATE: The former Holiday Lanes building is still standing as Spare Time Entertainment, but the giant neon arrow marquee has been removed. 06-2
Concord Bowl
St. Louis, MO Photo courtesy Kelly Coalier
The Concord Bowl features one of the more unusual bowling alley signs you'll come across. The not-quite-perpendicular arrows and colorful dots almost make it look like a lightning strike flashing between the bowling pins. It's a clever design that really catches your eye, especially after the neon comes to life. 10-07
Concord Bowl has been a South St. Louis County favorite for generations, offering 32 lanes along with miniature golf, sand volleyball, and other family activities. While the bowling center has been updated over the years, the vintage marquee remains one of its defining features and one of the oldest surviving neon signs in the area.
I've always liked signs that don't rely on the usual bowling pin and ball design. This one has a personality all its own, and it's easy to see why it's become a local landmark.
UPDATE: Concord Bowl remains open, and its distinctive neon marquee continues to light up Tesson Ferry Road. 06-26
Bradnans Bowl (Gone)
Cleveland, OH Photo courtesy Steve Felder
Here's a nice marquee that now hangs over the entrance to a downtown Cleveland tire shop. The sign still proudly advertises Bradnan's Bowl, complete with a bowling pro shop, food, and beer and liquor. Not quite sure where the bowling lanes are these days, though! 10-08
The original Bradnan's Bowl has long since closed, but thankfully the sign avoided the scrapyard. Instead, it found a second life as a unique piece of roadside décor, giving an ordinary tire shop a little unexpected character. It's not every day you walk into an auto repair business beneath the sign for a bowling alley.
UPDATE: The original bowling alley is gone, but the vintage Bradnan's Bowl marquee survives after being relocated to a downtown Cleveland tire shop. The original location of the bowling alley could not be verified. 06-26
Skyway Bowl (Closed)
Sunset Lanes (Demolished)
Holiday Lanes (Rem.)
Concord Bowl
Bradnans Bowl (Gone)
