BEDFORD — Kingpins Bowl will draw its final breath Saturday.
After a long, storied history in Bedford, the bowling alley, 2521 29th St., was no longer thriving economically, said Patrick Henderson, Bowling Youth Association manager and former general manager of Kingpins.
“It’s purely economics,” Henderson said. “It just wasn’t making enough money. The bowling industry as a whole is a slowly dying beast. It affects more and more (bowling alleys) in the small cities than the big cities.”
Henderson was general manager for about two years until he quit the job about a year ago. He said he noticed the business dying down, especially in the last three or four months.
“It’s heartbreaking,” Henderson said. “There just wasn’t near the people there that there used to be. … It will be rough.”
Growing up a few blocks away from the alley, Henderson said he’s gone there since he was about 5 years old.
Currently, Henderson said he doesn’t know the plans for the building after it closes Saturday, but he doesn’t think it will affect surrounding businesses, such as Big Daddy’s Tattoo. But if there’s to be another bowling alley in Bedford’s future, the next owners will have to think outside the box.
“They’ll have to come up with some sort of entertainment center,” he said. “With the bowling, there will need to be more to do, like a putt-putt golf course.”
On its final night, the alley will be open Saturday from 1 p.m. until 11 p.m.