By Kellen Olshefski
Staff writer
For Bruce Kudick, though it may be tough, moving on after running Elkhorn’s only bowling facility for 25 years is something he just needs to do.
Kudick, who took over Two Seasons Bowl officially in 1989, worked previously as a photographer, shooting weddings, portraits and work for the paper on occasion.
In addition, he worked for several years at Our Own Hardware, ironically located in the previous location of the bowling alley, and at the Townhouse Restaurant.
After having children, he gave up photographing weddings, working primarily at the restaurant, until the opportunity to manage Two Seasons Bowl arose.
Financial problems forced the Langerman’s, the previous owner’s of Two Seasons Bowl according to Elkhorn resident and long-time bowler George Paulsen, to give up the bowling alley, at which time Kudick was asked to manage the alley after working there for the two prior years.
After no one tried to purchase it, Kudick who had bowled there since grade school decided to purchase the alley and take his shot at running a bowling center.
“Twenty five years later, here I am,” he said.
Kudick who has been trying to sell the facility for about ten years, aggressively for one and a half years, said there was unfortunately no interest with the current state of the economy and he made the decision it was time to move on as his family is migrating to Florida.
“I just want to be there and that’s kind of where I’m going with it,” he said.
Kudick said the facility, which has had softball diamonds, a driving range and a small miniature golf course over the years, has seen it’s fair share of struggles with the changing bowling industry.
Transitioning from an oil-based finished, incredibly flammable, bringing many bowling centers down in flames, caused problems for the center as there always needs to be oil on the lanes though water based finishes didn’t always mix well.
“You had ball problems, you had ball return problems,” he said. “We went through a number of years that way.”
Kudick said while many bowling alleys switched to synthetic lanes, switching to a direct oil type of lane machine was a difficult transition.
“The industry was so new and they’d suggest things, and you’d have to keep experimenting,” he said.
Though he experienced his share of struggles, Kudick described the opportunity as a great experience, giving him the opportunity to raise his children.
“It gave me the time to be able to go to their events at school,” he said.
He also noted the importance of the public to him over the years as well as the league teams who have played there including Paulsen and Herby Papenfus.
“They’ve all stuck with me through all the years, all the good times and all the bad times,” he said.
Kudick said although league play was up last year from the previous year, he had to make the decision to close so teams would have an opportunity to go somewhere else.
“They were a big part of my life for 25 years, but I didn’t want them to quit bowling either,” he said.
Kudick said having running the bowling center seven days a week over the past several years, physically and health-wise, it’s just time for him to back away.
Aug. 31 will mark the bowling alley’s last day open, which Kudick plans to throw one last final party for, charging $25 per person, all you can eat and drink as well as a potential volleyball tournament. Times are yet to be finalized.
Finally, Kudick noted he wanted to thank everyone who has been supportive over the years.
“I appreciate their business and support and I hope they keep bowling.”
Two Seasons
Built in 1963 by Phil Welch and Bob Reed, Two Seasons Bowl has been a staple as a bowling area in Elkhorn for 50 years.
Kudick explained the machines in Two Seasons originally came from Japan, where bowling was such a fad “in the day” it wasn’t uncommon to see bowling centers spanning the first three floors of a building.
When bowling began to become so overgrown overseas it was going under, AMF began to bring machines back to the states.
According to Paulsen, 84 and still bowling, the alley still has the original hard-maple lanes, of which six are from the bowling center owned by the Mischler family across from Elkhorn’s Pharmacy Station when he moved to Elkhorn in 1956.
Paulsen said after Welch and Reed, the Langerman family took over the bowling center, letting one of four sons, David, run it until Kudick took over as manager in 1988, purchasing it in 1989.
To this date, Kudick has kept all lane certifications for lanes one through 12 from the American Bowling Congress (ABC) and United States Bowling Congress (USBC) since he took over, as well as the certifications from the previous owners, dating as far back as 1965, something he’s considering donating to Elkhorn’s Webster House Museum.
Bowling over the years
Kudick said a lot has happened over the years, transitioning from hard plastic bowling balls to different styles and quality balls, as well as synthetic pin-decks and switching from hand scoring to computer automated scoring.
Kudick said he’s unhappy with the US Bowling Congress moving from Greenfield down to Dallas, Texas, because to him, “bowling was Milwaukee.”
“Milwaukee was like the capital of bowling,” he said. “We had probably one of the largest memberships in the country.”
Paulsen noted Milwaukee was home to the ABC and Women’s Bowling Congress up until about ten years ago, when they moved to Texas.
Paulsen said unfortunately bowling has lost its luster, recollecting days when Milwaukee had luxurious bowling establishments, such as the Red Carpet system, and ranked in the top ten nationally “even against Detroit, St. Louis, and New York City.”
“The establishments in Milwaukee just don’t have the luster they used to have,” he said. “They’re just not as attractive as they used to be.”
Paulsen noted running a bowling alley with added attractions, such as volleyball leagues and entertainment is key in these days.
“That’s what kept Two Seasons going because he had volleyball, baseball, all that land that was used,” he said.
“He’s had bands come in, entertainment, and karaoke on Thursday nights … you’ve got to have some kind of establishment other than just bowling I think.”
Paulsen said though popularity with the bowling as a sport has gone downhill, he hopes he can pass his passion for bowling on, amidst the many youth activities available, in the hopes the sport might one day see a resurgence.
Farewell Two Seasons!! I bowled my first game there, had my first drink, socially with my parents and our then neighbors. Great memories. Best of luck Mr. Kudick Enjoy Florida. Your Hometown Friend, Mary Chess
So sorry to see Two Lanes go — my daughter had her last two birthdays there and we really enjoyed ourselves. Seems like it is indeed end of an era. Hope someone comes in last minute and scoops it up.