The sound of bowling balls crashing into the candlepins at the Needham Bowlaway can be deafening. That was the case last Sunday when all eight lanes in the relatively tiny space were in use by bowlers ranging in age from 3 to 70, with music blasting and lights flashing. You’d never know all this friendly chaos was happening by walking by 16 Chestnut St. There, an unassuming sign is positioned over a narrow doorway leading to the Bowlaway, which has been there for more than a century.
Owner Zach Sundberg says it’s not uncommon for someone to walk in saying, “I’ve lived in this town for many years and I didn’t know you were here.” “Walking in” actually consists of walking down a set of stairs to a basement and the low-ceilinged bowling alley. It brings back earlier times when middle-age men were there to gamble, bowl and smoke cigars.
But the clientele is now entirely different. The Needham Bowlaway is a family setting where children, parents and grandparents create a loud, lively and fun environment. Todd Dambrauskas of Wellesley said it was a “great way to spend an hour on Sunday” and his wife, Gail, concurred, “Anything to entertain my kid is what I like, so it’s great. It’s nice that it’s old-school, too. Nostalgic.” Their 3-year-old daughter, Charley, was having a blast as the bumpers alongside the alley kept her from getting gutter balls.
The Bowlaway is the oldest bowling alley in Metro Boston and Sundberg relishes its history. He proudly referenced the ladies’ room, which was the first one in a bowling alley; built after all the men went to serve in World War II and only women were around to bowl.
Coming from a family of bowlers, Sundberg also knows a lot about candlepin bowling, which started in Worcester in 1880 and is only found in the northeast, Nova Scotia and Denmark. Candlepin uses much smaller balls than tenpin bowling. The tall, narrow pins are less likely to collide and knock each other over, so bowlers roll three balls per round. Sundberg, whose mother was the first president of the International Candlepin Bowling Association, said tenpin bowling came after candlepin when people decided they’d get a higher score and have more fun by using bigger balls and fatter pins.
Bowling runs in the Sundberg family. Zach’s grandfather and uncle went to school in Needham but the family moved to Acton to buy and run a bowling alley built by a farmer in the 1950s. The Acton Bowladrome, now complete with a restaurant and arcade, is run by his brother. In 2011, Zach, who was in graphic design at the time, seized an opportunity to buy the Needham Bowlaway, making candlepin a completely family affair.
For some, candlepin is a link to the past with sentimental value. Catherine Richardi of Newton said she and her family come here all the time. Her deceased sister, Michelle, who was born with Down syndrome, had belonged to a candlepin league and she had the whole family bowling all the time. “Before she passed away, we were able to have her bowl with my older son, Dimitri, and now it’s a passion for our family in memory of her.”
Although there are some adult bowling leagues that use the Bowlaway, Sundberg said children’s birthday parties are his bread and butter and the best advertising for his business. He said it’s hard to promote to teenagers as they tend not to have disposable income, but when they do have parties for teens, those kids have the best time.
Sundberg said he’s not getting rich owning the Bowlaway (the lanes are $36 an hour) but he gets to be his own boss. “People come here to have fun and that’s more than you can say for a lot of jobs.” He said the business is recession-proof as families tend to stay local when the economy is bad. He’s been able to tap into some of his past job skills by developing the software for the Bowlaway’s scoring system and establishing partnerships with local businesses such as Hearth Pizzeria.
Sundberg wanted to emphasize he’s not a ghost story person, but there is some spooky lore surrounding the place, including a front door that opens and closes and some scary noises coming from the back of the alley. “I think a lot of it is explained by when the door is unlocked and the geometry of the entrance way is such that when cars drive by the door opens and closes.”
Sundberg lives in Acton but spends so much time in Needham he considers himself “a townie” in two towns. And he’s proud his business is a family place that continues the tradition of candlepin bowling. He doesn’t necessarily want the business to get too popular so that he can accommodate everyone who shows up. After all, there are only eight lanes, part of the Bowlaway’s old-time charm.
Don Ryan of Newton enjoyed his first time at the Bowlaway on Sunday. “The last time I did this was 40 years ago. I think it’s a great activity for families. Everyone can do it.” And his granddaughter, Maya, echoed that sentiment. “I thought it would be hard to do this, but it’s easier than I thought. I only wish there were more chairs … there are six of us!”
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