Hollywood Star Lanes (Demolished)
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Sal Garcia
Hollywood Star Lanes has neon to make even a star blush. This
is one pin that could be seen for blocks. The Hollywood Star Lanes was built in 1962 and has been serving the edge of Hollywood ever since.
Opened in 1961, the 32-lane alley later became familiar to movie fans as the bowling location in The Big Lebowski. Unfortunately, its screen appearance couldn’t save it when the school district acquired the property for an elementary school.
A farewell celebration in August 2002 gave bowlers one last game. The “Hollywood” lettering and wood from lane seven were salvaged for Lucky Strike in Hollywood, giving a few pieces another night out.
UPDATE: Hollywood Star Lanes closed in August 2002 and was demolished for Kingsley Elementary School. The original neon star marquee is gone. 10-26
Friendly Hills Bowl (Demolished)
Whittier, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
The Friendly Hills Bowl in Whittier was looking a little friendlier when this photograph was taken. A fresh paint job and renewed neon gave the towering marquee another chance to show off, lighting the way for bowlers heading in from Whittier Boulevard.
Built in 1957 and designed by Powers, Daly & DeRosa, the bowling center belonged to an era when the building could be as much of an attraction as the game. Its 32 lanes were accompanied by a restaurant, cocktail lounge, billiards room, and nursery. There was plenty to keep an evening going, even for anyone whose bowling average needed a little help.
The sign brought that same personality out to the street. Its separate diamond-shaped panels gave each letter of “BOWL” a place of its own, making a simple word into a familiar roadside landmark.
Friendly Hills Bowl
Whittier, CA Photo courtesy Adriene Biondo
The lanes eventually went quiet, but the property escaped complete clearance. A retail conversion preserved important parts of the building and gave the old sign a new assignment.
UPDATE: Friendly Hills Bowl closed in June 2015. The building was partially demolished and adapted for retail tenants, including Aldi and BevMo. The roadside sign was retained, with “SHOP” replacing “BOWL” in its four diamond-shaped panels. 10-26
Linbrook Bowl
Anaheim, CA Photo courtesy Georg Balandran
At Lincoln Avenue and Brookhurst Street in Anaheim, the towering sign for Linbrook Bowl makes a pretty good argument for looking up. The giant bowling pin and bold lettering give the corner the kind of roadside personality that a small panel by the driveway would have trouble matching.
Opened in 1958, just three years after Disneyland, Linbrook has entertained generations of Orange County bowlers. Its 40 lanes keep the action indoors, while the marquee gives passing traffic a preview of what the place is all about.
One side of the bowling pin says "40 lanes open lanes
now" the other side says "Open 24 hours". The bowling pin
sign spins and is a huge impressive sign. This bowling alley was built in the heyday of the ten pin alleys, in
1958.
Linbrook Bowl
Anaheim, CA Photo courtesy Michelle Murth
The sign mixes neon with flashing bulbs, and its large bowling pin originally revolved. Apparently standing above the street wasn’t quite enough. A little movement helped make sure motorists noticed the invitation to bowl.
Inside, updated scoring equipment shares space with the center’s vintage atmosphere. The Kopa Room lounge and Kegler’s Korner add reasons to linger, carrying on the tradition of a bowling alley being more than a place to count fallen pins.
UPDATE: Linbrook Bowl remains open. Its distinctive roadside marquee survives, and the center continues operating with 40 lanes, a lounge, and food service. 10-26
Gage Bowl
Huntington Park, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Here’s the neon at Gage Bowl, standing proudly along Gage Avenue in Huntington Park. The tall marquee gives motorists plenty of notice that a few games await inside, while giving sign enthusiasts a reason to slow down and take another look. 12-98
Opened in 1960, the bowling center has been part of the neighborhood for more than six decades. Places like this became familiar gathering spots, where league nights, family outings, and an occasional lucky strike could keep the lanes busy well into the evening.
The roadside sign carries some of that history above the traffic. Its stacked lettering and geometric panels belong to a time when bowling centers made sure their names could be spotted from a distance. After dark, the neon added another layer to the display.
The original photograph catches the marquee near the end of the 1990s. The sign has received different colors since then, but its recognizable shape continues to give the street a little mid-century character.
UPDATE: Gage Bowl remains open in Huntington Park. The vintage marquee survives and was repainted around 2019, with red at the top and black on the lower panels. 10-26
Cal Bowl
Long Beach, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Check out the neon sign for Cal Bowl in the Long Beach area. The bowling ball and scattered pins give the display a little action, making it easy to imagine a strike before anyone has even entered the parking lot. Stare long enough and the ball almost seems ready to finish the job. Hopefully the only strain involved is choosing which part of the sign to look at first. 04-99
Behind the marquee is a sizable bowling center. With 68 lanes, Cal Bowl has room for league competition, family outings, and plenty of bowlers hoping the next frame will go better than the last.
Although the original caption places it in Long Beach, the center’s address is in neighboring Lakewood. Either way, the photograph captures a lively piece of the area’s bowling scenery, with a roadside strike that never needed rental shoes.
UPDATE: Cal Bowl remains open in Lakewood. The 68-lane center continues hosting leagues, tournaments, and recreational bowling. 10-26
Hollywood Star Lanes
