Alley in the family no more: Paone's changes hands

STERLING – For the first time in 36 years, a Paone isn’t the head bowler at Blackhawk Lanes.

The bowling alley at 2325 E. Lincolnway was sold to Ching Mei “Cindy” Wong this month for nearly $1.9 million.

“It is now time to pass the torch to someone new,” owners TJ and Darla Paone wrote Dec. 11 on Blackhawk’s Facebook page.

Patrons have nothing to fear: Wong has been in the bowling industry since 2008, and was the assistant general manager of Country Club Bowl in San Rafael, California, and her partner, John Masberg, has more than 40 years’ experience; his family has owned and operated Country Club Bowl since 1959, their post said.

No operational changes are anticipated, and all employees will remain at the center and its Dog House restaurant, TJ said Tuesday.

TJ, who turned 45 on Christmas Eve, is not retiring – as a consultant for Unreal Bowling, “the world’s first interactive bowling experience,” he travels all over the world, and that business is taking up more and more of his time. Since 1997, he and Darla also have owned and operated Paone’s Computer Creations.

He’s not giving up the game, either: TJ will continue to hit the lanes for league competition every Friday, and he remains assistant coach of Sterling High’s girls bowling team.

He is, however, giving up his first love: the bowling alley itself.

It was built in 1959 by Wilfred “Coo” and Donna Glick. In 1961, the Glicks expanded from eight to 20 lanes. Tony Paone bought the center 20 years later, in August 1981, and TJ, who grew there up loving the business as well as the game, bought it from his dad in December 2005.

“The Paone family would like to thank each and every one of our customers for their loyalty, devotion and friendship over the last 37 years of business,” they wrote. “We have tried to make Paone’s Blackhawk Lanes a place that everyone felt welcomed and like family when they walked through the doors.

“Thank you for a lifetime of memories and experiences.”

HIT THE LANES

Paone's Blackhawk Lanes, 2325 E. Lincolnway in Sterling, offers league play, a full-service pro shop, a bar/lounge with video gambling, and The Dog House restaurant.

There's also four lanes of Unreal Bowling – a special effects program that combines music with vivid animation that tracks the ball down the lane, using imagery from outer space to a dust storm to beneath the sea. Go to crunchy.co to check it out.

Find Paone's Blackhawk Lanes on Facebook, go to BlackhawkLanes.com or call 815-625-0771 for more information on the bowling center itself.

TJ and Darla Paone also own and operate Paone's Computer Creations, which they have run from their Sterling home since 1997. Go to paonescc.com or call 815-626-7319 for more information on the business.