End of the lane for Oxford Lanes in Dearborn
Oxford Lanes will close Dec. 31, 2011 and be replaced by a VW car dealership owned by LaFontaine, who owns a dealership across the street.
Finding a place to bowl in Dearborn will become a lot more difficult this summer.
Oxford Lanes — where Dearbornites have bowled for 53 years — will become just another memory, replaced by a car dealership and joining a growing list of alleys in Dearborn and across the country to disappear.
Denny Herwig, assistant manager at Oxford Lanes, says after 25 years at the bowling alley he will take some time off.
“I am going to miss this place,” said Denny Herwig, who has worked at the bowling alley for 25 years, the last 11 as assistant manager. “I spent a lot of time here and have lots of good memories. I guess this is progress. Change is inevitable.”
If all goes as planned, the bowling alley will close Dec. 31 and then be razed to make way for a new Volkswagen dealership that will fly the banner of LaFontaine, who owns a string of dealerships directly across Telegraph on the east side of the street.
Herwig says owner Oxford owner Mark Voight will likely roll the last ball on Dec. 31, New Year’s Eve, before turning off the lights for good that same evening. Voight, however, won’t be out of the bowling business. He will continue to own and operate a string of bowling alleys in the area, including Merri Bowl in Livonia; Skore Lanes in Taylor and Woodhaven Lanes in Woodhaven.
Oxford Lanes on Telegraph, just south of Michigan Avenue, opened in 1958. Voight simply couldn’t pass up the offer LaFontaine made for his Dearborn business, Herwig said.
The only remaining bowling alley in Dearborn is the Mercury on Schaefer. At one time Dearborn had as many as 10 bowling alleys, including Maple, Westborn, Pinetree, Holiday Bowl, Schaefer Lanes and Oakwood Blue Jackets among others.
“Most bowlers will find another center to bowl at,” Herwig said. “As for me, I am going to take some time off.”
December 13th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
Are u sure about Oakwood Blue Jackets being in Dearborn?
December 13th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
Just what we need another parking lot full of cars instead of some real retail. Just like Less Standford tearing down the Origianal Westborn market. Our downtowns are going to just look like a parking lot and visitors will just keep driveing on by.
December 14th, 2011 at 11:50 am
Don’t worry no one wants to visit Dearborn anyway!
December 14th, 2011 at 4:27 pm
yea, thats just what they need another car dealership!! the guy that owns the bowling alley is a jerk! (all about money) not whats good for the neighborhood! there having a hard time selling there over priced junk now, what makes them think theyll do any better with another location? we need that bowling alley, for some kind of relaxation, thats the only thing us poor people got, thats the family outing,to go bowl as a family! well so much for the GOOD ol days of family fun, now theyll have people breaking into the car lot to steal stuff! MORE RIFF RAFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
December 14th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
and you have to pay to park at most places in downtown…. unless you want to walk from the far lots but wants to do that with snow on the ground
December 15th, 2011 at 6:14 pm
I grew up in East Dearborn on Pinehurst street, just yards from West Warren Bowling, which was upstairs (!) and where I set pins on Thursday nights, and across Warren was Pinetree Bowling. Now both are gone. LaFontaine must be doing pretty well to open another dealership. I just worry that the lights from the parking lots will glare into the houses behind them. Can the city require shields on the lights to prevent that?