As one of the most popular sports in America, bowling is known fondly as an intersectional competitive activity, hobby, and form of entertainment (Mullin, Hardy, & Sutton, 2007, p. 199). This was one of the many facts Carter Olson, B.S., manager of King’s Lanes Bowling Alley, alluded to. Located in Norfolk, the business has a relatively short history, opening in 1981. As manager of the alley since 2007, Mr. Olson has gotten very acquainted not only with the entertaining side of bowling, but also the nitty-gritty ins and outs of the industry. Mr. Olson also has experience in terms of the national level of the sport, as a listed State President in the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, or BPAA. With an impactful industry hinged on maintaining
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According to Mr. Olson, some of the most difficult parts of managing the bowling alley actually comes from their biggest profit: food and beverage. Being able to craft a menu is a lot harder than many would think. Another weakness would be sustaining long term league bowlers because they want to have a shorter season. Most of King’s Lanes’ league seasons last several months. Another fault in the interior environment of King’s is their hire and fire rate. While most of their employees are college students that leave relatively quickly, there are three employees that have stayed at King’s Lanes since 1994. Mr. Olson says that he doesn’t have issues on how he runs his business because of these three faithful employee, but it can be difficult to find people during busy times of …show more content…
While Mr. Olson does not want to necessarily focus on growing King’s Lanes, it would be foolish to not incorporate more of a focus on growth as part of the bowling alley’s grand strategy. King’s core competency is that it provides a technologically advanced bowling alley compared to the surrounding area, and is honestly the main market for nearby towns. When people mention the business’s name, many recognize it. Focusing on developing a stronger brand recognition would create stronger bonds with the community. This can be done through more active social media accounts and perhaps giving away t-shirts with King’s Lanes’ logo on them. Another possible form of growth is capitalizing on CEC Theaters’ funding and adding more innovative options for young bowlers. One final suggestion for growth is creating an even closer bond with the surrounding community by hosting 1-day competitive leagues with rewards or charity events for local causes. Using these avenues can create more growth for the already successful
According to Mr. Olson, some of the most difficult parts of managing the bowling alley actually comes from their biggest profit: food and beverage. Being able to craft a menu is a lot harder than many would think. Another weakness would be sustaining long term league bowlers because they want to have a shorter season. Most of King’s Lanes’ league seasons last several months. Another fault in the interior environment of King’s is their hire and fire rate. While most of their employees are college students that leave relatively quickly, there are three employees that have stayed at King’s Lanes since 1994. Mr. Olson says that he doesn’t have issues on how he runs his business because of these three faithful employee, but it can be difficult to find people during busy times of …show more content…
While Mr. Olson does not want to necessarily focus on growing King’s Lanes, it would be foolish to not incorporate more of a focus on growth as part of the bowling alley’s grand strategy. King’s core competency is that it provides a technologically advanced bowling alley compared to the surrounding area, and is honestly the main market for nearby towns. When people mention the business’s name, many recognize it. Focusing on developing a stronger brand recognition would create stronger bonds with the community. This can be done through more active social media accounts and perhaps giving away t-shirts with King’s Lanes’ logo on them. Another possible form of growth is capitalizing on CEC Theaters’ funding and adding more innovative options for young bowlers. One final suggestion for growth is creating an even closer bond with the surrounding community by hosting 1-day competitive leagues with rewards or charity events for local causes. Using these avenues can create more growth for the already successful