'It's been a lifetime': Elk Grove Bowl closing after 60 years
CHICAGO (CBS)-- It's the end of an era for bowlers in Northwest suburban Elk Grove Village.
Loyal fans will say goodbye to Elk Grove Bowl, a home away from home for generations of bowlers.
CBS 2 caught up with the senior men's league which goes back 60 years of strikes, spares, and friendships.
The league meets on the lanes week after week, and some of them began coming decades ago -- keeping score by hand.
"Been coming here for perhaps the last 50 years," Larry Miller said.
That's why it will be so hard to say goodbye and see it all go.
April 30 is the big goodbye bash before Elk Grove Bowl closes its doors for good.
Owner Debbie Handler says it's just time, but it's still sad. For her, this is a family business.
"Gonna miss it, yeah, it's been a lifetime," Handler said.
Handler's dad, grandfather, and uncle built Elk Grove Bowl from the ground up in 1962.
"I just want to thank you guys all for being with us," Handler said. "Our bowlers are like our family."
Within a few months, the bowling center and surrounding stores will be torn down to make way for residential development.
Don Lundgren says he's been coming here for "pretty much" his whole life.
Don will help dismantle Elk Grove Bowl. His business now is repurposing bowling centers.
"The equipment's going all over the country which is nice to see it reused instead of ending up in a landfill," Lundgren said.
