Page 98 - BCM_April_2024

One of Us

A Center Like No Other

Anderson has nursed a bowling venue from near-death to a vibrant success.

BY DENNIS BERGENDORF
pend a little time with Stacy An-
S derson and you’re sure to hear the
acronyms “‘SAN-FAN” and “PRIDE” a
few times, and the word “community”
a lot. Anderson owns one of the more
interesting centers in America, Let It
Roll Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona, with its
hand-painted murals, a popular bar
named Stacy’s on Dunlap, a Sunday
morning league that’s both handicap
and LGBTQ, and a comedy club called
Lenore’s (to honor his late mother).
Opened in 1962 as Northgate Bowl,
the 32-lane house was noted for its Stacy Anderson has created an environment at Let It Roll Bowl that is welcoming
wall-to-wall leagues and the Friday and encourages a repeat visit.
night fish fry served up by owners Tom
and Tiny Batitsas. Sold to European Anderson knew little about the bowl- and businesses. Go in and introduce
proprietor Dale Everett in the 1990s, it ing business but had learned a lot in the yourself and make yourself available.
became Sunset Bowl, made famous by corporate world, and he called on that Let them know that you’re in the com-
its greeter, Rufus the Rottweiler, whose experience to build a strong staff — and munity for them so that they can enjoy
real name was Astor. to sell the center to the community. whatever you’re offering, whether it’s
“Everyone knew Sunset Bowl by that He built Let It Roll as a “commu- bowling, a bar or whatever.”
dog,” says Anderson. nity-based business” that works with The second step involves building a
Being an Arizona artist of some note, schools, churches, charities — what he team.
Everett commissioned the painting of calls his partners. “Your team has to be a focal point of
humorous murals on the side walls. Promising bigger prize funds, An- what you are trying to do,” he says. “You
Two of them are inspired by Rob- derson convinced leagues to move, the can’t just be about coming to work for
ert Crumb’s iconic comic, “Keep on first of which was an LGBT group with a paycheck. You have to build a model
Truckin’,” and gently remind customers 16 teams of four bowlers. Now, there within your business that reflects what
to “Keep on Bowling.” Anderson calls are leagues every day of the week, with you’re trying.”
the art a “non-traditional look… the Monday through Thursday nights filled That’s where “SAN-FAN” and
focal point for people when they come up. “PRIDE” come in.
into the center.” The former scratch bowler — he was “See A Need, Fill A Need” means
By 2010, Sunset was a moldering shell a teammate of PBA champion Michael employees must be willing and able to
of its former self, and Everett, beset by Haugen Jr. — changed the restaurant do any of the center’s jobs.
a string of personal tragedies, wanted and expanded the bar to include a stage “PRIDE” stands for “People Really
out. Anderson, one of his few remaining and the comedy club. One consumer Into Doing Everything.”
customers, put together a purchase deal website likened it to “a bar that happens “It’s a way for us to create growth and
centered around a loan that was long on to have a bowling entertainment center eliminate the stagnation,” Anderson
sweat equity. in it.” He added three “venue spaces” explains.
“I did a lot of the work,” he says. and rock-and-music promotion whose When Anderson took over, Sunset
Anderson’s mom had always told first DJ was Cedric Ceballos of Phoenix Bowl was what he calls “tarnished.”
him, “When things get difficult, just Suns fame. Now, as Let It Roll, it’s a vibrant part of
let it roll.” He decided that was a great Anderson is quick to offer guidance to the Phoenix bowling and entertainment
name, and Sunset became “Let It Roll” anyone taking over a bowling center on scene. Rufus the dog may be gone, but
— which Lenore didn’t like, ironically, the skids. Number one is to “get in with the murals remain, urging people to
until the establishment became a hit. your local chambers, schools, churches keep on bowling.

96 • BCM • APRIL 2024 www.bcmmag.com

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