The long-closed Perry Lanes bowling alley on 103 Carlisle Street in New Bloomfield is once again open for business under the management of Joe Gasper and family. The 10-lane retro bowling alley, one town over from Newport, provides a local alternative for family and friends to fill an evening.
Gasper purchased Perry Lanes and Amusements in September 2022 and officially opened the business in February 2023. The alley, once owned by the Mutzabaugh family and then by Dave Little, had been closed for 12 years prior to Gasper’s purchase.
Gasper, who also owns Phat Joe’s Tattoos in New Bloomfield, explained in an interview with the Perry County Times, “We’re trying to give something to the community. We want to have something for the kids and the people to do locally.”
The nearest bowling alleys to Newport other than Perry Lanes are Trindle Bowl and the ABC Lanes and Lounges, all of which are near Harrisburg over half-an-hour away.
Much of the theming and the namesake were kept from the previous owners. However, Gasper completed necessary repairs, such as fixing the plumbing and roof of the building, repainting the venue in purple, and replacing the scoring system.
In addition to bowling, the business has claw machines, pool tables, air hockey, pinball and other arcade games. They also offer general concessions, including soda, chips, pretzels, pizza, hot dogs, and sandwiches.
There are general party plans laid out and various events such as the Rock N Bowl and Sunday Special, and the website explains that they do other parties and events per request. June Latchford, mother of Joe Gasper, says that parties are a point of success for the business.
In the future, the owners hope to break into professional bowling leagues. They have hosted casual leagues before, but plan to become a sanctioned bowling alley by the American Bowling Association so they can host formal events.
The owners also note that they would like to host high school leagues, either casual or sanctioned. In the past, they have hosted FFA clubs and sports teams for casual events from local schools like Millersburg and West Perry.
In terms of their progress, Latchford notes, “Everything is going according to plan, how it should be going.” The Summer months were slower, she mentioned, but the bowling season picks up in the fall, so they are looking forward to an increase in customer turnout.
The alley is open 5-10 PM on Thursdays, 5-12 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2-7 PM on Sundays. The website also mentions that they will open any time for parties and meetings.
