Shawnee Bowl
Shawnee, OK Photo courtesy Tony Craig
This ten-pin alley sign stands tall in the parking lot of Shawnee Bowl in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Shawnee Bowl features one of those classic bowling alley signs that immediately grabs your attention. Check out the font used for the BOWL lettering and the colorful Googie styling. Signs like this were designed to be noticed from a distance, and this one still does the job. 09-06
I've always enjoyed finding old bowling alley signs because so many of them have disappeared over the years. The combination of bright colors, oversized lettering, and space-age design made bowling centers some of the best places to find roadside architecture during the 1950s and 1960s. Shawnee Bowl's sign is a great example of that era.
UPDATE: The bowling center remains open today as FireLake Bowling Center. While the facility has been modernized over the years, the site continues to serve bowlers in Shawnee. Looks like the colorful sign was painted sometime after 2023 and no longer colorful. 06-26
Gage Bowl
Topeka, KS Photo courtesy Greg West
The towering Gage Bowl sign in Topeka is the kind of roadside find I always enjoy. Its bowling pin graphic and surviving neon recall an era when bowling centers advertised themselves with something more exciting than a plain business directory. 10-05
Opened in 1960, Gage Bowl has welcomed generations of local bowlers. Many similar marquees have disappeared, making this one worth a closer look whether you plan to rent shoes or just take photographs.
UPDATE: Gage Bowl remains open, with its familiar bowling pin marquee still standing out front. Another piece of classic bowling alley advertising continues doing its job. 06-26
Shawnee Bowl
