Palo Alto Bowl (Demolished)
Palo Alto, CA
Image copyright Google

For more than half a century, Palo Alto Bowl gave locals and visitors a place to roll a few games along El Camino Real. The 44-lane center opened in 1957 and included a cocktail lounge and restaurant, making it an easy neighborhood gathering place whether anyone actually bowled or not.

When redevelopment plans arrived, more than 5,000 people signed a petition to save the alley. The effort bought some extra time, but Palo Alto Bowl finally rolled its last frame on September 16, 2011. By the time of this view, the old building was already gone. 12-12

UPDATE: Palo Alto Bowl was demolished in April 2012. A Homewood Suites hotel and residential townhouses now occupy the former bowling-alley property. 09-26