Spruced-up Pali Lanes Plans Youths’ Bowling
Art Machado, owner of Pali Lanes. File photo
Windward Oahu will continue to have a valuable resource in the form of Pali Lanes, which renewed its lease earlier this year.
With the new five-year lease in place, owner Art Machado quickly got the ball rolling, so to speak. He’s been in the permitting process to open a Hawaiian restaurant in the front area of the bowling center (which used to house a nightclub), and meanwhile he’s opened a pro shop and made major improvements to the facility.
“We just opened the pro shop a couple of weeks ago,” said Machado. “People don’t have to go to the Leeward side to buy bowling balls anymore – they can do it right in Kailua. We have balls for all ages, weighing from 6 to 16 pounds. We have towels, bowling bags and a large selection of accessories.
“We also redid our rock ‘n’ roll bowling lighting system. We spent almost $20,000. Young people want laser lights, so now it’s a big showroom with a lot of lights. We’re supposed to be open until 12:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, but it’s been more toward 1 and 1:30. We have to chase people out lately.”
There’s also an open market from 1 to 6 p.m. each Thursday and Sunday. To support the community, Pali Lanes hosts benefits for various nonprofits. Machado makes a point of maintaining a relationship with area schools, which use the facility weekly, and he rents the hall out for everything from baby luaus to graduations.
“People can come in and sit down and have some fun besides bowling,” he said. “They bring in the food, and we have tables and chairs, a stage, dance floor and everything in there. The hall can seat 200 people.”
With summer at hand, Pali Lanes is planning a youth program for all ages, “as long as they can carry a bowling ball.” It begins June 2 and runs from 8:45 to 11 a.m. Saturdays into August. Eight coaches will be available to aid the keiki in developing their bowling skills. For more information or to sign up, call 261-0828.
Bowling hours are 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Thursday; 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday; 10 a.m. to after midnight Friday; 9 a.m. to after midnight Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday.
