Staff writer
It’s a more than a family affair.
It’s a dream for Bill Sherbert and his family to have a bowling alley with all of the amenities.
In November 2003, the Sherberts bought the former Mar-Bowl Lanes in Marion, which then became Sher-Bowl Lanes.
From the beginning, Sherbert had big plans for the popular facility.
In a matter of a few years, the bowling alley was updated with new flooring, paint, and automated scoring.
Sherbert is particularly proud of the fact that the bowling alley is a member of the Kansas Bowling Association which allows bowlers to qualify for state tournaments and youth for scholarships.
An addition was constructed this past summer, providing more activities for families including an arcade, and bar and grill.
“We’re trying to give people something to do and a place to go instead of going out-of-town,” Sherbert said. “We would rather have people’s money stay in town.”
In July, the arcade opened with 10 games — some designed for children, some for adults.
Three weeks ago, the eating area officially opened with an open house planned from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday.
Now called Sher-Bowl Family Fun Center & Sports Bar, customers can enjoy a cool beverage (soda or a cereal malt beverage), a hamburger and fries, and listen to music on a state-of-the-art jukebox that’s connected to the Internet.
“We’ve designed it so families can come in and eat, children can play in the arcade, and then go bowling afterward,” Sherbert said.
Included in the kitchen is a new type of fryer called an Auto Fry. This allows the cook to put food items in a slot which then are cooked in hot oil. A timer cooks the food the exact time needed. No overcooking, no undercooking.
“It’s as easy to operate as a microwave,” Sherbert said.
With this type of cooker, there’s no open deep fat fryers or grills.
The menu includes traditional grill favorites — hamburger, french fries, grilled chicken, and onion rings. Other items include beer-battered french fries and mushrooms, shrimp, and jalapeño poppers.
Three big-screen televisions will be placed strategically around the bar area for patrons to enjoy. Pool tables and a dart board also have been ordered.
The large area can hold up to 200 people with a patio area on the side for private parties or when patrons want to eat outdoors.
Four smoke-eater fans are located in the area to eliminate cigarette smoke.
“We also have four of those fans in the bowling alley,” Sherbert said.
Another interesting feature is the jukebox.
“We have the only jukebox of this kind in the area,” Sherbert said.
A customer can select just about any song via the Internet.
Booths line the walls with three booths, tables and benches, that can comfortably hold six people or more. These were hand-decorated by Sherbert and his son, Danny.
These larger booths are made of the same floor laminate as the bowling alley. Various college teams are depicted on the top of the tables.
A concrete floor and metal walls make for easy maintenance and cleanup.
An oak bar is the centerpiece of the sports bar area.
So, why a sports bar and grill with a bowling alley?
“It’s a common thing to do,” Sherbert said. “A lot of bowling alleys have done this and it has worked out well.”
The new addition keeps the Sherberts busy because they also are operating the bowling alley with leagues four nights a week.
“We’re excited about the opportunity to have a place for people to use for reunions, receptions, birthdays, meetings, or just to come out with the family,” Sherbert said.
After all, the Sherberts, Bill, wife LaDonna, Danny, and daughter Donna Funk, know the importance of spending time together as a family.