OOF! The hits just keep on coming for the already-moribund Montgomery County economy this morning. Lucky Strike has closed at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, leaving a huge vacant space behind at the popular shopping, dining, and entertainment center. In a related move, Lucky Strike parent company Bowlero announced that its Westbard Square location at 5353 Westbard Avenue in Bethesda is being rebranded as "Lucky Strike Bethesda." The future of the Westbard location is not on solid ground, though, as its lease expires in 2027, and it will be up to Bowlero and landlord Regency Centers to agree on an extension or new lease on a site that previous Westbard developer Equity One had planned to erect a mixed-use building on.
One needs a cheat sheet to keep track of the numerous brand names the venerable Westbard bowling alley has operated under in its five decades in business. Strike Bethesda! Bowlmor! Bowlero! But for longtime residents, 5353 Westbard will always be Bowl America, where thousands cheer. And where thousands ate the best hot dog in Bethesda, and real men pumped quarters into real arcade games while wearing rented shoes several years past their recommended replacement date.
Interestingly, but predictably, Lucky Strike at Montgomery Mall is our second victim of the moribund Montgomery County economy and virulently anti-business policies of the County Council this morning. Lucky Strike is not closing other locations around the country, just Bethesda. Here in MoCo, it faced the same perfect storm that has sunk many a business vessel in recent years, including government-mandated high minimum wages, the highest tax and fee burden in the region, and the requirement to buy all of its alcoholic beverages from the County government liquor sales monopoly.
With the average income of the County trending downward, as the wealthy depart and are replaced by low-income residents who are the majority of the inflow population, there was also the obstacle that fewer and fewer were left who could afford a pricey night out at an upscale bowling alley. Even one that looked like it had taken possession of the den bookshelves of George Plimpton's 541 East 72nd Street duplex. But thanks to the County cartel gaining control of the Council in 2002, a rapidly-dwindling number of Montgomery County residents in 2026 could even tell you who George Plimpton was.
Heckuva job, Brownie!
14 comments:
The line of eager bowlers is forming across the street on Zenith Overlook. . .
Just go back to Bowl America minus the hot dogs that stayed on the carousel for weeks at a time. Bowling alleys are struggling no question but man, are they a huge improvement from the aforementioned Bowl America days.
Bowling alley should stay. There needs to be some local entertainment options at Westbard. Bowling appeals to all ages.
You would be surprised at how busy good bowling alleys get. They are printing money
I personally look forward to riding the (top secret) expanded Purple Line to Westbard and joining a league at the Lucky Strike Bethesda. I of course wouldn’t dare parking in the Westbard parking deck…
What’s next!? A POOL HALL?
I still miss River Bowl.
4:52 The "cherry blossom" art installation at the Bethesda Purple Line station is a nice nod to the extension to Westbard. That will take riders on a scenic tour of Kenwood 's famous blossoms.
As they scout out which houses look easiest to break into?
Wheaton Plaza is getting a new bowling alley. Maybe it’s just Montgomery Mall that’s “moribund”, not Montgomery County?
I think the art-in-transit installation is very creative and by far the best artwork on the entire Purple Line. The installation will have a mural that shows cherry blossom opening as the trains enter the station. A vertical screen will allow only 25% of the mural to be seen at one time, so the four different images of the blossoms will appear to bloom as viewed from the slowly moving train. Very clever!
Lucky no bullet strikes.
No 716 a Billiards Parlor.
Yet you want to be a MABA and return to Bowl America old.
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