The giant bowling pin outside Twedt’s Lanes left little doubt about what waited inside. Standing beside the pink building, the colorful marquee was an easy landmark along Seminole Boulevard in Largo, Florida. Whether you were headed for a game or simply passing through, this was the sort of cheerful roadside display worth a second look. 09-13
Opened in 1967, Twedt’s spent 46 years welcoming neighborhood bowlers, league teams, and families. The adjoining Cue Ball Lounge provided another place to gather, extending the evening beyond the final frame. Together, the lanes and lounge made the building a familiar recreation stop long before Largo Mall appeared across the street.
Updates over the years helped keep the alley working without completely losing its older character. When synthetic lanes replaced the original hardwood, some of the wood reportedly found another use as tables inside the building. It was a fitting way to keep a little bowling history around, even after the balls stopped rolling across it.
UPDATE: Twedt's Lanes has announced that it will close on Labor Day 2013. The buyer is planning a retail center complete with shops and eateries. 09-13
Twedt's Lanes view from street
Largo, FL Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
UPDATE: Twedt's Lanes is indeed now a strip mall. There is a business called Smoothie King that now resides at 13100 Seminole Blvd in Largo. 10-17
UPDATE: Twedt’s and the Cue Ball Lounge closed on Labor Day in 2013 after the property was sold for redevelopment. The bowling alley and its oversized pin sign were subsequently removed, and a retail center took their place. Another longtime neighborhood gathering spot disappeared, leaving photographs to preserve that unmistakable roadside welcome. 07-26
Twedt's Lanes
Twedt's Lanes view from street
