Highlighting a WWBA Business
Bel-Mark Lanes
The
new exterior paint of Bel-Mark Lanes at 3530 Jackson Road in Scio Township
is your first indication that the bowling center is undergoing changes.
Marc Smoltz purchased the property last August and has great plans for the
business.
Marc is a third-generation bowling center owner. He also owns Ford Lanes in Dearborn Heights. Bel-Mark, which opened in 1978, was named for a previous owner’s family members: Bonnie, Earl, Loren, and Mark. The center has 40 lanes, a Poker Palace/Texas Hold ’Em room, and a short-order grill. The day manager, Kris Rutledge, provides continuity—he has worked at Bel-Mark Lanes for 25 years.
Marc has plans to upgrade the facility and to focus more on group events, parties, and family activities, such as children’s birthday parties. So far, he has painted the outside and cleaned up the back of the property along the expressway. His future plans for the establishment include making the business barrier-free, improving the seating area, converting eight lanes to a party-group suite for meetings and party events, replacing the old ’70s-era backdrop over the lanes, enhancing the lighting and brightening the interior, and replacing the ceiling tiles (stained from more than 30 years of cigarette smoke) to coincide with the May 1st smoking ban. Depending on approval from the township, other plans include moving the Poker Palace to make room for a redemption games and arcade area for children and expanding the kitchen/grill. He would also like to increase the number of bowling leagues—currently they have 11. Marc said they are now hiring to ensure they have more depth of staff on hand for weekend activities.
Marc likes the prospects for his business on Jackson Road and is planning for the long term. He wants to make a difference in the community and will carry over the successful operating principles from his Dearborn Heights bowling center to Bel-Mark. He has retained the business’s membership in the WWBA and looks forward to being involved in this year’s Jackson Road Cruise.
In this economy, bowling is still affordable entertainment. Prices range from $1.00 to $3.75 a game and from $9.00 to $18.00 an hour for a lane. The ages of Bel-Mark’s bowlers range from 3 to 100.
Bel-Mark Lanes is open from 10:00 a.m. to midnight or 2:00 a.m., depending on the night. Their phone number is 734-994-8433. For more information, go to www.belmarklanes.com.
Photo :Marc Smoltz, owner of Bel-Mark Lanes