It’s not an identity crisis, per se. But a bowling center in Cherry Hill, N.J., is about to get a new name… for a second time.
The reason it’s not that big of a deal is that this rechristening of Erlton Bowl will be only the second in 54 years.
Erlton, which opened in 1961, became Playdome, and now Playdrome is being rebranded as “The Big Event.”
In this latest modernization project, an area once home to a gym and swimming pool will become a restaurant/pub featuring craft beers, as well as dedicated space for corporate events.
Moving forward also will mean moving back, as eight of the facility’s 36 lanes will be given a makeover reminiscent of the 1960s. “The retro look is coming back,” explained proprietor Jon Perper in a Philadelphia Inquirer story.
The $1.5 project is expected to be completed this year.
• BEFORE HE WAS THE BOSS P.S.: When the center was still known as Erlton Bowl, its Uncle Al’s Lounge featured an early-1970s concert by a then-unknown singer named Bruce Springsteen. Newspaper advertisements for the appearance spelled the last name of The (future) Boss like this: Springstein.
