North Cook News

Brothers Bill, Norman and Greg Grocke plan to sell the building that is home to Bowlway Lanes. 

Located at 810 Villa St. in Elgin, the new owner's plan is to make it a space to host events, banquets and parties. It opened in 1941 and has served the community for more than 70 years. The brothers purchased it in 1984. There will only be one bowling alley in Elgin when Bowlway sells.

The lanes closed in March due to COVID-19 social-distancing mandates, and the Grockes say it would have been difficult to resume normal business operations.

"A few of the big ones (bowling alleys) will go on, but the smaller ones will have an incredibly hard time," Bill Grocke said. "In the restaurant business you can space people out, but it's almost impossible to separate people in bowling."

Due to a decline in business and an increase in property taxes, the brothers have looked into selling the building for the past few years. They are satisfied with the buyer they have found and his plan for the building. The 14,000-square-foot building will be able to hold 368 people. It has an open layout that the building planners think is ideal for its new purpose.

Bowling has seen a decline in popularity over the years, and the brothers are excited about the change.

"Bowling has died like all other sports. Kids don't do it, adults don't do it," Bill Grocke said, according to the Daily Herald. "We held fundraisers (for local organizations) and people would say, 'I love to bowl, it's so much fun,' but we wouldn't see them again."