If you’ve ever walked down the sidewalk on East Broad Street past The Athletic Club of Columbus, then you’ve stood on top of a bowling alley. The five-lane facility was constructed in the basement of the clubhouse back in 1915, and after an 18-month closure for renovations, is ready to reopen again to members of The ACC and their guests.
“Over the years, the lanes were slowly falling into a state of disrepair,” said Sarah Favara, Director of Membership and Marketing at The Athletic Club. “With more and more members wanting to use the space for its intended purpose, it was necessary to address the renovation project and the feasibility of restoring the lanes to their former glory.”
The ACC tapped local architectural firm Meyers and Associates to revamp the space into a modern urban bowling lounge, which will be renamed “The Booth” in honor of the club’s first president Henry Booth. The alley has not seen a renovation since the 1970s.
“Bowling has taken on a new life, especially in Downtown areas, with the resurgence of bowling alleys in unique and boutique settings,” added Favara. “The ACC wanted to get in on the action.”
In addition to the lanes themselves, The Booth will be home to a newly revamped bar and restaurant space, which will be the fourth one located inside the club. A new menu was created by Executive Chef John Wolfe centered around a new deck oven installed for crafting specialty pizzas. The Booth’s bar will feature craft beers on tap and over 30 beers by the bottle.
The Booth officially opens on Tuesday, October 21st, and will be made available to Athletic Club members and their guests on a day-to-day basis with private event booking on a limited basis.
For more information, visit www.accolumbus.com.