Family Bowlaway, Inc.
People
Bowling dates back to ancient Egypt, but we no longer keep score on stone tablets. So when, in the midst of a major renovation, Kevin Caparosa learned that there were no longer replacement parts for Family Bowlaway’s two-decade-old scoring system, he says, “basically we had to upgrade or go out of business.” In the midst of a bid for a big tournament, he couldn’t afford to throw a financial gutter ball.
Progress
Guided by the Butler County Tourism and Convention Bureau, Kevin landed a package including two loans, for $150,941 from the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission and The Progress Fund. That covered the $242,000 scoring system and some final renovation expenses.
Impact
Now, in addition to 28 lanes and the 11th Frame Bar and Grill, Family Bowlaway has a state-of-the-art scoring system. An early adopter of laser tag, the center now also includes The BackAlley, with duck pins, corn hole, bocce and “pigskins and pins,” in which footballs replace bowling balls. As the renovation progressed, Family Bowlaway won its bid to host the 2021 Pennsylvania State United States Bowling Congress Open Championships. A nine-week event that draws bowlers from across the state, that’s a multi-million-dollar strike for the Butler economy. In the meantime, says Kevin, the upgrades are helping him to book trivia contests, birthday parties and weddings “that people from out of the area will attend.”
Connect With Us!