Tuscaloosa’s AMF Bama Lanes Being Demolished 5 Years After Bowling Alley Closed

A bowling alley beloved by Tuscaloosa for decades is now being demolished five years after it closed to make way for the far more modern Bowlero center on McFarland Boulevard.

Crews are working Monday to tear down the old AMF Bama Lanes, which sat on the corner of 15th Street and Hackberry Lane in a space with a long, storied history.

As Townsquare Media first reported on Alt 101.7 before the Thread brand was launched, AMF Bama Lanes was owned by the same company that operates Bowlero, and in 2019 the old-school bowling alley was shuttered and its staff was sent to work in the new space.

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Going even further back, the building at 520 15th Street was once a Sears store before the late Donald Clarke converted it into a bowling alley he named after his daughter - Kimberly Lanes - according to his obituary in the Tuscaloosa News.

The bowling alley was eventually acquired by AMF Bowling Centers, who ran it for years but were near bankruptcy when they were purchased by a company called Bowlmor in 2013. The merged companies launched the Bowlero concept the next year before rebranding as Bowlero Corp - now the largest owner of bowling centers in the world.

As crews tear down the old Bama Lanes, the Thread has been unable to confirm if there are solid plans for the site yet or if the demolition is proactive.

The space is owned by Capital Growth Buchalter, a Birmingham-based construction, development, investment and management firm.

CGB terminated the leases of two restaurants on the larger property, Ichiban Japanese Grill and Sitar Indian Cuisine, in 2021 for potential new development, but nothing has come to the site yet. Both restaurants, fortunately, were able to re-open in new locations in Tuscaloosa.

According to their website, CGB purchased Bama Lanes and the surrounding 59,000-square-foot property in 2013 believing its proximity to the University of Alabama gives space huge intrinsic value.

"Purchased with an intent to hold and optimize cash flow, the property is now being examined for future uses including current discussions with large retailers to ground lease the property as well as potential hotel and/or residential development," CGB said in a May 2020 post. "The master plan for the valuable site is still evolving."

For updates on the demolition and future development as they become available, stay connected to the Tuscaloosa Thread.