Stoneleigh Lanes

I interviewed Dave Staub, one of the managers at Stoneleigh Lanes earlier this week. Stoneleigh Lanes is a duckpin bowling center that has been in operation for 62 years and is still considerably busy today. I wanted to focus on the center's Friday night Rock and Bowl, which allows customers to bowl unlimited games for two hours, sing karaoke and enjoy concessions. This is a new feature for Stoneleigh, but it has proven to be popular already.

During the interview, Staub and I discussed past Friday night traditions at the center, including Pizza Bowl. Previously, Stoneliegh Lanes sponsored an all-you-can-eat pizza night and unlimited bowling. The evening events changed when lights and fog machines were installed to create a more youth-friendly enviornment.

Staub also mentioned Stoneleigh's dedication to the Towson community, which distinguishes the company from larger bowling alleys in the area. He said that news stations, such as WBAL, often come to complete news segments because the bowling alley has been in the area for so long. Apparently, socialite Paris Hilton bowled at the center when she was filming her reality show several years ago. She took the family involved in her show to Stoneleigh for a "family night" out.
Finally, Staub said that Stoneleigh Lanes is always looking for ways to engage the community. The center often contributes to fundraisers for local schools and summers camps, sometimes even offering free parties for the children. Previous to funding cuts in Baltimore City, the schools would bus summer camp students to the center for discounted bowling.

While I have visited the bowling alley various times throughout my life, I had no idea how busy Stoneleigh stays. I tend to visit with my friends during off-hours so I rarely get to see it completely full. After talking to Max Wetherington, a Towson local who attends Penn State, I learned about Rock and Bowl, which is apparently crowded most Friday nights. I felt that I learned a great deal of valuable information from my interviews.