Family-Run Garwood Lanes In Need Of Community Support To Survive

GARWOOD, NJ — Garwood Lanes has been in the family for more than 30 years and sisters Dawn Perry and Doreen Keane are doing everything they can to keep it afloat amid the coronavirus.

The pair reopened on Tuesday and they are in need of all of the community support they can get.

"It's challenging, a very challenging time," Perry said. "We are happy to see all of our customers but in the same sense, it is hard to be profitable when you can only have six people inside at the indoor dining. These are definitely trying times."

Garwood Lanes, at 346 North Ave., has been closed since mid-March when the pandemic hit. On July 2, Gov. Phil Murphy said bowling alleys could reopen at 25 percent of capacity. However, Perry said it wasn't worth it to reopen at the time.

"Without selling food or beverages and the expenses to keep the air conditioning on, it was not worth it to open our doors," Perry said. "We chose to wait until after Labor day when the fall bowling leagues start up again."

Now that indoor dining was able to resume as of last Friday, Perry and Keane reopened the lanes on Tuesday but the response has been slow so far. And the limitations on the amount of people inside also adds to the challenges.

Perry wants families and patrons to know Garwood Lanes is a safe environment. Patrons are separated by every other lane to enforce social distancing, extra cleaning and masks are required.

Fall bowling leagues are currently forming and hourly lane rentals are also available weekdays until 6 p.m., and all day and night on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For more information or to book a reservation visit garwoodlanes.com or call 908-789-2040 or facebook.com/garwoodlanes.

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