The Wiemer family: Pinning Down Success

Founded: 1971

Address: 1625 S. Enterprise Ave., Springfield, MO 65804

Phone: (417) 883-0511

Fax: (417) 823-9612

Web sites: www.enterpriseparklanes.com and www.sunshinelanesbowling.com

E-mail: enterpriseparklanes@yahoo.com

Services: Bowling alleys with open bowling, leagues, lessons, tournaments, pro shops, concessions and bars.

Employees: 100

Roger Wiemer and his son, Steve, are titans of the bowling business.

They either own or have owned nearly every bowling alley in Springfield. Their current holdings are Enterprise Park Lanes and Sunshine Lanes, under the banner of R. Wiemer’s Inc., and Holiday Lanes, under the banner of Bowl Inn Corp. and through a partnership with Holiday Lanes manager Gary Clouse.

The two bowling centers in town they don’t currently own are Lighthouse Lanes, 350 S. Glenstone Ave., and Battlefield Lanes, 1127 E. Battlefield Road. However, they’ve still played a strong role in those businesses.

The Wiemers owned Lighthouse Lanes from 1976–1988, when it was Walnut Bowl, and Battlefield Lanes owner Andy Bartholomy credits Roger Wiemer for much of his success. Bartholomy’s first job was in 1979 working for one of Wiemer’s bowling alleys. Bartholomy kept that job for nine years and now owns eight bowling centers in Oklahoma, Tennessee and Missouri, including Battlefield Lanes.

“Roger is my mentor,” Bartholomy says. “(He) was very instrumental in teaching me the bowling business.”

From retail to bowling

Wiemer spent 21 years in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Missouri as a manager for J.C. Penney Co. before he got into the bowling business at age 38.

In 1971, Wiemer bought Cherokee Lanes, which operated adjacent to Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World on South Campbell Avenue. He had been an avid bowler since his teenage years and decided to make the career switch after getting supportive advice from a Minnesota friend who owned a bowling center.

“We looked at the books, and we decided that if we could grow that business, we could make it,” Wiemer recalls. “And if we couldn’t make it, it would take us probably five years to go bust.”

The Wiemers certainly didn’t go bust, though they declined to disclose 2006 revenues.

Cherokee Lanes closed in 1990, when landlord Bass Pro Shops decided to use the building as an outlet store. The same year, the Wiemers built a replacement for Cherokee Lanes called Enterprise Park Lanes at 1625 S. Enterprise Ave. That opened in January 1991 and serves as company headquarters.

The Wiemers bought the Sunshine Lanes property, 1500 W. Sunshine St., in 1989 and took over operation of the bowling alley in 1993, after the lease with the previous operator expired. They bought Holiday Lanes, 1111 W. Kearney St., in 1987.

After more than 35 years in the business, Roger and Steve Wiemer are still avid bowlers, participating in several leagues year-round and carrying averages above 200.

Making an impact

About 2,000 people bowl every year in leagues at Enterprise Park, Sunshine and Holiday bowling lanes, accounting for about half of the Wiemers’ revenues, according to Steve Wiemer, who says joining the family business was a natural move. The remaining revenue comes from open bowling, pro shop sales, food sales, bowling lessons, special events and tournaments.

Among tournaments they host is an annual NCAA women’s event at Sunshine Lanes, but the biggest tournament is the Greater Ozarks Open. Every year, for 17 weekends between February and June, Steve Wiemer says about 10,000 bowlers stream into Springfield to participate in the all-events amateur competition.

“In relation to other tournaments of this kind around the country, this is probably the second- or third-biggest,” Roger Wiemer adds.

Steve Wiemer estimates the Greater Ozarks Open, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year, generates 20,000 hotel nights and at least $4 million in economic impact annually for the city. Participants mostly come from Missouri and surrounding states, as well as Texas.

“I would say it’s one of the most underrated sporting events we have in our community,” says Tracy Kimberlin, executive director of the Springfield Convention & Visitors Bureau. “It has a huge impact on the community, and not very many people locally know about it.”

‘Good friendships’

Steve Wiemer says the most rewarding part of his work is interacting with employees and customers. Holly Brannen, manager at Enterprise Park Lanes, says employees often know regular customers by name.

“We definitely have some good friendships there,” Brannen says.

One loyal customer is Tim Delawder, a manager at Springfield Mechanical Services Inc. and a league bowler for more than 30 years. Delawder, a 200-average bowler, says he and his family felt at home bowling at Enterprise Park Lanes after moving to Springfield about three years ago.

“It’s a good place for people to get together and just have fun,” he says. “It’s kind of a big, family-oriented place.”