Pins crashing, lights flashing, cheers exploding, music playing…it’s the stuff that good times are made of. If you close your eyes, you can’t help but smile when you picture yourself standing in your bowling lane, ready to throw a strike and rack up the points. Thanks to Fred and Martha Kaiser, that family fun atmosphere is now available once again in Eagle Grove.
The Kaisers said their reason for purchasing and reopening the Eagle Grove bowling alley, now known as PINZ, is an easy one – to bring families back into Eagle Grove with things to do together. And that’s exactly what they are accomplishing.
They openly admit that owning a bowling alley wasn’t something they had ever really thought about doing, especially since they just opened another business earlier this year – Dona Martha’s. But it just felt like the right thing to do for Eagle Grove. Not only do they want things for their own children and their friends to do and enjoy, but for all families in our community.
“Fred is supposed to be retired,” Martha joked.
“But it’s kind of fun,” Fred added about now owning the bowling alley too.
PINZ opened on August 21, 2021. While they’ve made a few changes here and there, the aesthetic of the bowling alley remains – like the 50’s retro kitchen and a JukeBox. They’ve also brought back a familiar employee – the former owners’ granddaughter, Jennifer Brewer, is currently working there.
“It’s the same bowling alley, same (repaired) equipment – but new owners, a new variety of food, and more fun,” said Martha.
But just because they’ve kept some of the familiarities of the former bowling alley doesn’t mean there won’t be some new things added at PINZ too.
“This is just phase one,” said Martha. “There’s more to come, so keep watching for changes.”
Just a couple of those ideas they are considering include a teen night and a couple’s night. They also plan on adding some televisions, cosmic bowling, and an ATM for your convenience since it’s cash only.
PINZ is usually open at 3 p.m. for open bowling Thursday through Monday, but that is subject to change until a more specific schedule is determined. They have also been opening by special request for the Eagle Grove Special Olympic bowlers to practice during school hours. They are honored to be able to accommodate them for practice time.
“That just makes my day right there,” said Martha.
They are also in the process of trying to line up bowling leagues, just like back in the day. If you are interested in joining one, or have a team, be sure to stop out and get signed up or call 515-835-1188. The Kaisers said their goal is to make these fun leagues, so you don’t have to be a king pin to join in.
Whether you like to bowl or not, you still may want to make PINZ a must-try location in Eagle Grove to enjoy something off of their menu. Homemade hamburger patties are just one of the variety of foods on their available menu. They also offer dinner specials you’ll want to be sure and sample. A bar area will also be coming soon with a variety of beverage choices.
The Kaiser’s are excited about the opportunity to bring the family fun of bowling back to Eagle Grove. They’ve had a few people ask them, “Why are you reviving a dinosaur?” They’ve simply replied, “Because it was a good dinosaur.”
