22-lane bowling alley planned at former Bi-Lo

By Rose Hooper

"We hope to be open by Christmas," said Jim Moss, one of the owners of the proposed Thunder Alley Lanes. At presstime, the other two owners, Andrew Dorau and Steve Yuzzi, were in Florida checking out equipment.

Sylva Zoning Administrator Jim Aust approved the request for the bowling alley in late August.

The 22-lane center will be located at the former Bi-Lo Supermarket location in Jackson Plaza. Eight of those lanes will be adaptable for children, Moss said. The owners plan to use Brunswick equipment and automatic pin setters, he said.

"Andrew and Steve are the avid bowlers," said Moss. "They are the ones who know what we need, and that's why they are in Florida checking out equipment.

"We've kicked the idea around for quite a while," Moss said. "The need is definitely here. Everywhere you go in the county you hear people say, 'We need a bowling alley.' Finally, for the three of us, the timing was just right."

Thunder Alley Lanes will be a family-oriented business, he said, as well as owner managed. The business will include a snack bar and a wide screen TV.

While the company has applied for on-premises beer and wine, the sale of alcoholic beverages will be an option, not the focus, Moss said.

"If we do get our license to sell beer and wine, we will do it with restrictions, like time limits of not selling alcohol until after 9 p.m.," he said. "Our main focus - 90 percent of it - is bowling. The rest will just enhance the bowling."

Such a facility has not been operated in Jackson County since the mid-1970s, when Eastgate Lanes failed to reopen after sustaining damage caused by an explosion.

Back to Archive: 09/06/01.