Evergreen Towers Bowl (Demolished)
Evergreen Park, IL
Photo and info courtesy Bruce R. Cassi / 1990

Hidden behind a sprawling commercial complex along 95th Street, Evergreen Towers Bowl offered 32 lanes, a lounge, and a billiard parlor while sharing its massive building with a variety of businesses, including a mattress store, an optometrist, and the popular P.J. Flaherty's nightclub. Though the bowling alley itself sat out of view from the street, three striking neon signs ensured passing motorists knew there was plenty of entertainment waiting inside. 04-07

One of the property's greatest attractions wasn't the bowling alley itself, but its unforgettable signage. Chicago's renowned White Way Sign Company created the elaborate neon displays, including the east-side Towers Lounge sign topped by a clever rotating sphere. One side was painted as a bowling ball, while the opposite side featured a billiard 8-ball, advertising both major attractions with a single motorized display. It was a brilliant piece of mid-century roadside engineering and one of the more unusual bowling-related signs in the Midwest.

Like many large entertainment complexes of its era, Evergreen Towers Bowl eventually fell victim to redevelopment. The entire building was demolished, and today the site is occupied by a Menards home improvement store.

UPDATE: Although the bowling alley and its remarkable White Way neon signs are gone, they remain fondly remembered by sign enthusiasts as one of Chicagoland's most creative examples of multi-purpose roadside advertising. 06-26

Maplewood Bowling Lanes (Gone)
Chicago, IL
Photo and info courtesy Bruce R. Cassi

Like many neighborhood bowling centers across Chicago, Maplewood Bowling Lanes couldn't survive the steady decline in league bowling during the 1990s. The alley closed its doors in the middle of the decade, but one piece of its roadside identity managed to live on. Rather than tearing down the vintage sign immediately, the next tenant simply repainted it brown, removed the distinctive bowling pin topper, and reused the original structure for its own business. The sign itself was manufactured by Chicago's Lynch Sign Company, whose work appeared on countless commercial properties throughout the Midwest. 06-07

Although the bowling alley disappeared, the building found a second life. After changing hands in 1998, the former lanes were converted into a fitness center, first operating as Cardinal Fitness, then Charter Fitness, and today as CFX Beverly. For several years, the repurposed Lynch sign remained standing as a subtle reminder of the property's bowling past before later renovations finally replaced it.

UPDATE: While the original bowling alley is long gone, the building continues to serve the neighborhood, and its former Lynch Sign Company marquee remains a good example of how many vintage bowling signs found temporary new life through adaptive reuse rather than immediate demolition. 06-26

Treaty Lanes (Closed)
Greenville, OH
Photo courtesy Alan Culley

Named after the historic 1795 Treaty of Greeneville that helped shape the region's early history, Treaty Lanes has been serving bowlers in Greenville for generations. Its classic roadside sign, complete with a towering bowling pin and sweeping neon arrow, remains one of the community's most recognizable landmarks and a reminder of the golden age of roadside bowling centers. 09-08

Inside, Treaty Lanes continues to embrace its old-school character. The 16-lane center has long been a gathering place for local leagues, youth bowlers, and weekend families, while the adjoining lounge has remained a popular neighborhood hangout. Unlike many alleys that have been completely modernized, Treaty Lanes still preserves much of the traditional bowling atmosphere that has kept customers coming back for decades.

UPDATE: Treaty Lanes is now permanantly closed as it strived to serve the Greenville community. Its vintage marquee still welcomes bowlers, making it one of the area's surviving examples of classic mid-century bowling architecture. 06-26

Cressmoor Lanes (Closed)
Hobart, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

Since opening in 1955, Cressmoor Lanes has been a fixture of the Hobart bowling scene. Its vintage roadside marquee, advertising "Bowling • Food • Tap," remains one of Northwest Indiana's classic mid-century bowling signs, welcoming generations of league bowlers, families, and travelers looking to roll a few games. 10-08

Inside, the intimate 16-lane center paired neighborhood bowling with a snack bar and the adjoining Cressmoor Lounge, creating the kind of community gathering place that was once common across small-town America. While many similar alleys have disappeared, Cressmoor's building and iconic sign continue to stand as reminders of the postwar bowling boom.

UPDATE: Cressmoor Lanes is currently closed due to ongoing family medical issues affecting ownership. The closure has been described as temporary, and the historic building and its vintage marquee remain intact while the owners focus on family matters. 06-26

Dunes Bowl (Gone)
Gary, IN
Photo courtesy Kevin Heggi

The dazzling marquee at Dunes Bowl looked as though it had been lifted straight from the Las Vegas Strip. With its sweeping script, bold diamond shapes, and unmistakable Space Age styling, the sign was a fitting tribute to the famous Dunes Hotel & Casino and easily ranked among the most distinctive bowling alley signs in the Midwest. Originally known as 12/20 Bowl, the center later adopted the Dunes name, giving it an identity every bit as memorable as its architecture. 10-08

Located along U.S. Route 20 in Gary's Miller Beach neighborhood, the bowling center operated 43 lanes and served the community for decades before declining attendance eventually forced its closure around 2007–2008. The vacant building stood abandoned for several years before demolition crews razed it around 2012, ending another chapter in Northwest Indiana's bowling history.

UPDATE: Although the bowling alley and its famous marquee are gone, part of the sign lives on. The illuminated "DUNES BOWL" letters were rescued before demolition and now form a unique light fixture inside a bar in Ottawa, Ontario, giving this classic roadside landmark an unexpected second life. 06-26