The nearly 70-year-old Maui Bowling Center, the only bowling alley on the island, apparently will continue to operate with the imminent sale of the building and property to a Wailuku man.
Kevin Tanaka, self-employed and an avid bowler, is buying the location and said Thursday afternoon that the sale was “closing as we speak” for an undisclosed sum.
“The reason I bought it was to save the bowling alley,” Tanaka said. “My fear was if I don’t do it, we may lose our one and only bowling alley.”
He is purchasing the property from the Robinson Family Trust, according to county property tax records. The asking price for the Wailuku property, which had been on the market for about five years, was $395,000, according to a representative from Malu Realty, the realty company involved in the sale.
The county’s 2015 property tax assessment for the 14,331-square-foot property and 7,664-square-foot building along Vineyard Street was $590,400.
Built in 1946, the building opened as a furniture store, which was converted into a bowling alley about two years later. Investors and others had begun to take notice of the property in recent years and rumors swirled about the building being torn down to make space for a parking lot or retail operation.
“That one was pretty serious because people walked into the interior and checked out the place,” Tanaka said of the retail space rumor. “That’s when I went into panic mode and thought these people are serious and want to tear this place down.”
Tanaka has been bowling at the center for over a decade and bowls about four times a week. He said his family supported him in the purchase, as well as fellow bowlers.
“The bowlers were thrilled so I’ve been encouraged every step of the way,” he said. “They’re happy because we’re still going.
“I want to make sure I have something to do four nights a week.”
Bowling center General Manager Alvin Kushiyama said the business, lanes and automatic pin setters are not included in the sale. He said many people have sought to buy the property and have thanked Tanaka for saving it from demolition.
“He loves bowling. That’s why he went ahead with it,” Kushiyama said. “He wants to fix the roof that leaks, and he wants to fix the building too because it’s ready to collapse.”
Tanaka said current management would continue to run the bowling alley and that his “first priority is making sure the building keeps standing.” A contractor is in the process of fixing the roof and over time Tanaka hopes to give the alley a “face-lift” and has encouraged Kushiyama to open it to the public more days and nights a week.
The bowling alley is open from 9 a.m. to noon on Monday and Thursday.
“For him, he’s comfortable because his staff are kept busy enough with leagues,” Tanaka said of Kushiyama. “It would be nice (to open it up more), but then again, I have no say in the operations in the bowling alley. If he wasn’t willing to keep going and keep working and running the alley, it wouldn’t have been this simple to buy the property.
“We need somebody to run it. Bowlers are thanking me for this, but I have to thank Alvin for his willingness to keep operating the bowling alley.”
There are more than a dozen bowling leagues that use the 10-lane Maui Bowling Center, which includes youth leagues. The Maui Interscholastic League also uses the lanes for its high school bowling season, which is in full swing.
There used to be a more popular, newer bowling alley, Aloha Lanes, on Kaahumanu Avenue below Stillwell’s Bakery & Cafe. It closed more than 10 years ago and now houses Central Maui Self Storage.
About 400 bowlers regularly bowl at the old Wailuku bowling alley and many were happy to see it in a fellow bowler’s hands.
“I’m glad that Kevin made the move, very glad,” said bowler Fred Calhau Jr.
Calhau, 68, has bowled at the alley since he was 11 years old, when his father would take him there to work as a pin setter. He now takes his granddaughter to the alley to play the sport that spans four generations.
“Bowling has been my life ever since I was a young kid,” he said. “My whole family are bowlers: my wife, sons, daughters and granddaughter.”
While bowlers remain hopeful that the bowling alley will one day be rebuilt and brand new, they were thankful for the repairs and additions that have been made in the past year. A new air conditioning unit has been installed to help with the heat waves that have recently hit the island.
Kushiyama said the alley eventually may need to find new management.
“I’m getting older. I’m not going to be here forever,” he said.
“I’m 78 and over the hill,” he continued. “I went through five surgeries in two years, so I’m very thankful that the Lord took care of me.”
* Chris Sugidono can be reached at csugidono@mauinews.com.
Today's breaking news and more in your inbox
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rq3UoqWer6NjsLC5jqecsKtfobykrctmpZ6vo2R%2FcX2UaGdyZ5GrtqV5waiupZ2iYq%2B2xdJmn6illWK8p3nMmqyiZaNivK%2B42GajmqaVqHw%3D