Needham Bowlaway Back in Business

Three months after it closed for good, the is back in business.

The local candlepin house reopened at 10:00 a.m. Monday, with a few families dropping by for a game—including one family that hadn’t heard the business had closed, according to new owner Zach Sundberg.

He and his wife Taryn—and their five-year-old daughter Kalista—recently started Needham Bowlaway LLC and are renting the space and opening it once again to parties, leagues and individuals.

“My family’s been in the bowling business for about 60 years. We own the bowling alley over in Acton [the Bowladrome],” Sundberg said. “So when this place closed down, the landlord was looking for a new tenant and he called around to people in the industry. Taryn and I jumped at the chance.”

Zach’s brother and his semi-retired father, Bob Sundberg­—who grew up bowling in the Needham Bowlaway—will continue to operate the Acton business, he said.

For now, the Zach and Taryn Sundberg don’t plan to change much about the Bowlaway, though they do hope to nearly double the hours of operation.

“We do have some changes in mind, but we don’t want to put anything out there until we’re sure that we’re going to be doing it,” Sundberg said. “So for now we’re keeping things the way people expect it. What they came in and saw before, they’ll see now. It’s going to be the same set-up in terms of pricing. We’re going to play with the hours and the pricing, get it to where it’s good for us and good for our customers.”

Though the bowling alley’s opening day was yesterday, it typically won’t be open on Mondays, Sundberg said. Hours at least up through Aug. 1 will be: 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday; 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Sunday.

"We’re considering a grand opening, but we haven’t settled on a date yet,” Sundberg said. “We’re going to be open full-time as of Aug. 1. We’re thinking of a grand opening on Aug. 6, but that’s still up in the air.”

The Bowlaway’s hours also will depend on how many candlepin leagues come back to bowl in Needham.

“We’d love to hear from leagues that bowled here before and would like to again,” Sundberg said. “Or leagues from Fairway Bowling in Natick, because it just closed down. If they’re looking for a place to bowl, we’re here.”

The business will retain its name but adopt a new Web site, needhambowl.com. They also will have a new phone number, 781-449-4060, which is expected to be operating after Tuesday, according to Taryn Sundberg.

Rates are $25 per lane per hour, pro-rated, and $4 per pair for shoe rental.

The alley is available for parties and has what Sundberg calls “a phenomenal cosmic bowling setup” that will likely be running on weekend nights, depending on league schedules.

“The previous owner was a very tech-savvy guy. He had these lanes in the best conditions I’ve seen, and I’ve been in all kinds of candlepin houses. They’re totally up-to-date,” he said.

For those who are new to candlepin bowling, there are a few major differences from 10-pin bowling: the balls are much smaller, a player gets three balls per turn rather than two and the fallen wooden pins stay on the lane rather than getting swept up between throws.

“It’s one of the least expensive options out there, and it’s good for people of all ages, so you can bring your whole family down,” Sundberg said. “Candlepin bowling in particular is great for younger kids because the balls are smaller, but it’s also more challenging than 10-pin bowling for adults. It’s more fun.”

Along with the price and the entertainment value, the challenge may bring players back to the Bowlaway over and over again. Because, as Sundberg explains: “There’s never been a perfect game bowled in candlepin. Never.”

Although it doesn't hurt to try.