24G breathes new life into former Thunderbird Lanes building

If you’ve been wondering what’s happening at the old Thunderbird Lanes, we have the answer. 24G, a digital agency, has officially moved into the former Thunderbird Lanes building on Maple Road in Troy, Mich. The iconic building, home of TV show Beat the Champ and a bowling staple in the Midwest for 56 years, has been transformed to suit the needs of a local company doing business globally, while still retaining elements of the past. The building’s new occupants work with some of the world’s biggest marketing agencies and brands such as Google, Volkswagen, Nike, and Microsoft.

“We’re a metro Detroit-based agency celebrating our tenth year of business,” said Scott Wiemels, co-founder and CEO of 24G. “Though our team has always resided locally, formerly in Clawson and Royal Oak, our clientele is worldwide. Now that we’re settled into a new, creative space with an incredible heritage, we’re poised to expand even further into the Detroit market, and add to our team.”

The building, located at 400 W Maple, is 44,000 square feet. Inside there’s open concept office space for a growing and collaborative team; 24G currently employs 65 people. Warehouse space holds components of experiential exhibits that travel the world and are seen at events like the Super Bowl, North American International Auto Show, Women’s World Cup in Vancouver, Diner’s Club in Australia and Bangkok, and SXSW in Austin.

Renovations to the former Thunderbird Lanes included repurposing wood from 35 lanes into table and counter tops used throughout the space. The building, now an open and airy agency workspace, uses retro neon signs reminiscent of Thunderbird Lanes’ glory days to section off an eatery and bar area, and features 10 working bowling lanes for entertainment purposes. Bowling balls offer pops of color in the décor and the iconic ‘Thunderbird Lanes’ sign that graced the front of the building during the bowling alley’s heyday now welcomes visitors inside 24G’s front lobby.

“We are believers in honoring what came before us, and staying playful and inspired,” said Marshall Bice, 24G director of creative and brand experiences. “That’s why we kept the massive teal sign many locals will remember, and restored 10 lanes. The space gives us opportunity to meet with our clients, diving into challenges that need digital solutions, and then decompress with a game from time to time.”

“The sound pins crashing has become therapeutic background noise,” said Wiemels. He claims he’s more creative and thinks better while moving. “It was important to expand into a space where our team felt encouraged to move and play throughout their day. It helps to keep our marketing skills sharp—as well as our bowling games.”

An ongoing event series, to be hosted at 24G, is in the works. The series will be designed to bring top tech talent and thought leaders in for TED-style talks, and will bring Michigan and Detroit to the forefront of the digital conversation. The series is scheduled to begin this winter.

About 24G

24G is a digital agency that empowers brands, agencies, and corporations with digital experiential solutions at live events, online, at retail and in the workplace. Founded in 2007, 24G makes digital dreams come true by deploying a ‘digital first’ process to every challenge. Core products include cloud based solutions that seamlessly mix the physical and digital worlds and a full-service rep firm, hyper-focused on providing Amazon marketing services, managing campaigns, ad placements, and more. 24G employs 65 people and is based on Troy, Michigan. Additional clients include Nike, Under Armor, Hot Laps, and Twitter. Learn more at www.24G.com