Potential Shrewsbury Lanes Buyer is a "Terrible Bowler," Another Left When it Was "Going to Hell so Bad"

Shrewsbury Lanes is in receivership, and is up for a court-ordered auction on August 13. Wednesday afternoon it was open for inspection for anyone who might be interested in buying.

Here are five items about the lanes and folks who came to look on Wednesday.

1. Shrewsbury Lanes, in business since 1959, has gone into receivership, and a court-ordered auction on Aug. 13 will determine the building’s future.
2. The auction company’s goal is to sell it in one lump sum, rather than piece by piece. The zoning is flexible, so the building doesn’t have to remain a bowling alley.
3. Kate Ryan was one who looked. She grew up in Webster Groves and now lives in Shrewsbury. She would keep it as a bowling alley, and maybe add a coffee bar and arcade. She said she knows the food and drinks side, but, “I’m a terrible bowler,” she said. “But I love the idea of a place to come to around here that kids can come to, families can come to.”
4. Rich Elchinger also looked. He used to live in the area, and bowled at Shrewsbury Lanes for about 10 years. “We moved from here on to Sunset Lanes because this place was going to hell so bad,” he said.
5. The alley’s owner since 1996, Jim Bulinski was there. He said he had seen a recent conversation in Affton-Shrewsbury Patchabout starting a bowling alley in Affton and laughed. “We’re only two blocks from Affton,” he said. “Why don’t they just come over here?”