Bowling Alley's Tragic End

Brunswick Bowling & Billiards was a business segment of Brunswick Corporation, which has been associated with bowling for over a century. In 2014, Brunswick Corporation announced it would be exiting the bowling business, selling its bowling centres to Bowlmor AMF (now known as Bowlero Corporation) and seeking a buyer for its bowling products business. This decision came as a shock to many in the industry, as Brunswick had played an integral role in the global growth of bowling and was responsible for many innovations in the sport, such as automatic pinsetters. By 2020, Bowlero Corporation had phased out the Brunswick name.

Brunswick's bowling business was sold to Bowlmor AMF in 2014

Brunswick Bowling & Billiards was a business segment of Brunswick Corporation, which was established in 1845. The company began manufacturing bowling equipment and products in the 1880s and started directly operating bowling centres in the mid-1960s. In 2014, Brunswick Corporation's bowling centre business was sold to Bowlmor AMF, now known as Bowlero Corporation. This sale united two longtime industry rivals, AMF and Brunswick, for the first time in history.

The deal was announced in July 2014, with Brunswick stating its intention to exit the bowling business by the end of the year. The transaction was finalised in September 2014, with Bowlmor AMF acquiring Brunswick's bowling centres for $270 million. This expansion of Bowlmor AMF's portfolio ended a decades-long marketplace rivalry and solidified the company's position as the largest owner and operator of bowling centres worldwide.

Prior to its acquisition by Bowlmor AMF, Brunswick's bowling centre division was the second-largest operator of bowling centres in the United States. They offered a range of amenities, including bowling lanes, in-house restaurants, taverns, outdoor patios, billiards, video games, laser tag, pro shops, and meeting and party rooms.

The integration of Brunswick's bowling centres into the Bowlmor AMF portfolio marked a significant milestone in the bowling industry. It brought together two historically significant brands and allowed Bowlmor AMF to expand its presence across North America. By 2020, all remaining Brunswick Zone locations had been rebranded under the Bowlero or AMF names, completing the phasing out of the Brunswick brand.

The company's bowling equipment division was sold to BlueArc Capital Management in 2015

Brunswick Corporation, formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is an American company that has been manufacturing and marketing a wide variety of products since 1845. The company was founded by John Moses Brunswick, who came to the US from Switzerland at the age of 15. Originally, the company was intended to be in the business of making carriages, but Brunswick soon became fascinated with billiards and decided to make billiard tables instead. This decision proved to be a commercial success, and the company expanded rapidly.

Over time, the company expanded its product line to include bowling equipment and products, which it began manufacturing in the 1880s. In 2015, however, Brunswick Corporation sold its bowling equipment division to BlueArc Capital Management, a private investment firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. This sale marked the company's complete exit from the bowling business, as it had previously sold its bowling center business to Bowlmor AMF (now known as Bowlero Corporation) in 2014.

BlueArc Capital Management completed the acquisition of Brunswick Bowling Products with investments from Gladstone Investment Corporation and Capitala Finance Corp. The acquisition price was not disclosed. Despite the sale, BlueArc continued to use the Brunswick name among other brands. The company's bowling products headquarters remained in Muskegon, with manufacturing operations in Szekesfehervar, Hungary, and Reynosa, Mexico.

The sale of the bowling equipment division to BlueArc Capital Management was a significant development in the history of Brunswick Corporation. It signaled the company's shift away from the bowling industry, which it had been synonymous with for over a century. While the company retained its heritage billiards business, the sale of the bowling equipment division marked the end of an era for Brunswick and the beginning of a new chapter under the ownership of BlueArc Capital Management.

Brunswick's bowling centres were rebranded as Bowlero or AMF by 2020

Brunswick Bowling & Billiards was a business segment of Brunswick Corporation, which began manufacturing bowling equipment and products in the 1880s. The company opened its first bowling centre in Moscow in 1976 and continued to expand globally, opening centres in several countries. However, by the mid-1960s, overexpansion led to a period of decline for the company.

In July 2014, Brunswick Corporation announced its intention to exit the bowling business, citing a desire to focus on its heritage billiards business. The company sold its bowling centres to Bowlmor AMF (now known as Bowlero Corporation) for $270 million. The sale was completed in September 2014.

By January 2020, all remaining Brunswick Zone locations had been rebranded with either the Bowlero or AMF names, bringing an end to the Brunswick bowling centre division. Despite this, Brunswick Corporation continues to manufacture and sell bowling equipment and products, with the division being sold to BlueArc Capital Management in 2015.

Moses Bensinger, son-in-law of founder John Brunswick, was instrumental in the growth of bowling

Moses Bensinger, son-in-law of John Moses Brunswick, was instrumental in the growth of bowling. He was responsible for Brunswick's entry into the bowling business, recognising the potential in the then-disorganised sport. Bensinger began making wooden lanes, pins, and bowling balls, and played a key role in establishing the American Bowling Congress in 1895. He also helped to standardise the game and organised the first significant bowling tournament in 1902.

Bensinger was named president of Brunswick-Balke-Collender in 1890, following the death of John Brunswick in 1886. Under Bensinger's stewardship, the company became a major factor in developing and popularising various versions of the sport, particularly tenpin bowling, across the world.

Bowling was to become the financial backbone of the firm, and Bensinger's son, Benjamin, took over as president in 1904, leading the company through a period of tremendous growth.

Brunswick's exit from bowling was due to a shift in the industry

Brunswick's exit from the bowling business was due to a shift in the industry. Brunswick had been a key player in the bowling world for over a century, with its involvement ranging from manufacturing equipment to running bowling centers. However, in 2014, the company announced its intention to leave the bowling business, a decision that shocked many in the industry.

The shift in the industry that led to Brunswick's exit can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, there was a decline in bowling's popularity, with the number of people bowling decreasing from 71 million to 69 million in recent years. This led to a drop in the number of bowling centers from 6,000 to 4,800 over a ten-year period. Additionally, league bowling, once a mainstay of the industry, had seen a significant decline in participation. These factors contributed to a challenging business environment for bowling centers.

Another factor in the industry shift was the changing nature of bowling businesses. Many operators were moving away from the traditional "alley" model and repositioning themselves as entertainment centers. They started offering other forms of entertainment, such as arcades, rock-climbing walls, and family-friendly amenities, to broaden their appeal beyond just bowlers. This evolution in the industry did not align with Brunswick's core competencies as a maker of billiards, exercise equipment, and pleasure boats.

In response to these industry changes, Brunswick decided to sell its bowling centers and seek a buyer for its bowling products business. The company recognized that the bowling centers would be better off under the ownership of a company that specialized in entertainment and leisure, rather than a manufacturer like Brunswick. This decision allowed Brunswick to focus on its other business segments and adapt to the evolving market dynamics.

The exit from the bowling business was a significant moment in Brunswick's history, given its long association with the sport. The company had played a crucial role in standardizing the rules of bowling and introducing innovations such as automatic pinsetters. Brunswick's departure from the industry marked the end of an era and left a notable impact on the world of bowling.

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