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In East Longmeadow, Shaker Bowl is an entertainment center for open bowling, galactic bowling and league bowling. It is also a venue for birthday parties, family and corporate events and other special occasions with state-of-the-art scoring system, lighting and sound, arcades, and a cafe that serves breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks.
General Manager Justin Godfrey said, “Our main goal is making sure everyone is having a good time and having a memorable experience and want to come back.”
He continued, “We really strive to give guests the best experience. It’s an outlet for families to come, play a sport and interact with one another.”
Godfrey has been the manager at Shaker Bowl for 23 years. Bowling is something he’s passionate about and always saw himself in some aspect in the bowling industry. Growing up, Godfrey wanted to be a professional bowler and when he was in high school, he worked at a bowling center in New York.
The first time Godfrey heard about Shaker Bowl was when he applied to be assistant manager. When he walked in the doors, he thought that this was somewhere he could see myself working.
“I really enjoyed bowling and thought it would be great if I had a job doing something that I’m passionate about,” Godfrey said. “What drives my passion is seeing what the future holds for the bowling business. The industry has really shifted during my tenure. We are seeing most successful bowling centers transform into entertainment centers. Some of the areas we have improved upon are elevating our food offerings, additional arcade games, new sound system, and interactive lighting. The idea is to give our guests the best bowling experience.”
Last year, Shaker Bowl transitioned with a new ownership team that are local members of the East Longmeadow community and celebrated their one-year anniversary on July 13.
Director of HR/Finance Kimberly Oliveri grew up in East Longmeadow, and as a child, had birthday parties at Shaker Bowl. She and her brother Adam were a part of a family league for years at Shaker Bowl. When the opportunity arose and her brother purchased it, they were looking for somebody to be hands-on and a representative of the ownership team, so she was asked to step into that role.
As a representative of the ownership team, Oliveri is hands-on in the center with the day-to-day operations. She works alongside Godfrey to make sure everything is running smoothly, and their customers are having an enjoyable experience. She meets with the ownership team regularly to discuss the center and what they can do to improve the experience for every customer.
“When Shaker Bowl was purchased in July of 2023, it needed some TLC,” said Oliveri. “The new ownership team jumped right in by creating an arcade room, bringing back the birthday party room, obtaining a full liquor license along with purchasing the brand-new scoring system, lighting and sound systems.” She continued, “I love opening my office door and hearing the laughter from the lanes. I love seeing the interaction between our employees and the guests and the families and friends spending quality time together.”
George Menard, one of the supervisors at Shaker Bowl, has been working there for a year but has known about Shaker Bowl since he was a child, and it has been his main place of bowling. For him, the best part is the staff and the people that come in to bowl.
“Being there a year now, I’ve had regulars that I’ve seen almost every week or every other week,” Menard said. “That aspect of the job has been something I never really expected to love so much. I love seeing people come in and hearing about what’s going on in their lives. Overall, it’s a positive social experience.”
Hampden resident Deb LaRose has been a customer at Shaker Bowl for 10 years. She bowls in two summer leagues: Hammer Match Play Doubles and Texas Roadhouse Mixed. In the fall, she bowls in the Shaker Independent and the Hollmark Classic leagues. What makes Shaker Bowl unique to her is the people. “They have really good people working there,” said LaRose. “You get to know the staff, they’re very personable and helpful. Their accommodating is the best. They care about the people.”
Currently, the team is focusing on making some upgrades to the center with as little disruption as possible for their patrons and their leagues. Their future goal is to continue the tradition of Shaker Bowl in the community providing a fun, safe, family-friendly center where generations continue to come to bowl.
SHAKER BOWL IS AT 168 SHAKER RD. HOURS OF OPERATION ARE MONDAY AND TUESDAY FROM 11 A.M. TO 11 P.M., WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY FROM 9 A.M. TO 11 P.M., FRIDAYS FROM 11 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT, SATURDAYS FROM 9 A.M. TO MIDNIGHT AND SUNDAYS FROM 9 A.M. TO 11 P.M.
VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT SHAKERBOWL.COM. THE BEST WAY TO REACH SHAKER BOWL IS TO CALL THE MAIN NUMBER, 413-525-7198.
FOR EVENTS AND PARTIES, CONTACT THEIR EVENT PLANNER AT EVENTS@SHAKERBOWL.COM.
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