My Biz: Still on the lanes at Lancer Lanes

CEDAR RAPIDS - Back when John Staub was a junior at LaSalle High School, his parents expressed an interest in owning a bowling alley. What they created became a family business.

'Most people don't realize that it has been in the same family since we opened up. Some days I do wish my parents had opened a place that offered a 9-to-5 job,” he joked.

The bowling alley, Lancer Lanes, was built by his father's construction crew and opened in 1972.

John and Barb Staubs have been married 43 years - nearly as long as the bowling alley itself has been open - and have found a good working routine between them.

'We started going together in 1973 and the both of us have been here ever since,” John said, noting they officially took over ownership from his parents in 2008.

To honor the business' 45 years, the Staubses this week are charging throwback pricing - 'We will have 45 cent bowling, 45 cent shoe rental and 45 cent draws of Busch Light,” John said.

The couple said they have definitely seen changes to their family business over the years.

'Back in 1972 all you had to do was open the doors and people would come in to bowl,” John said. 'Everyone knew where Lancer Lanes was. And people bowled two or three times a week.”

'But kids weren't as involved in after-school activities as they are now,” Barb added. 'So we have all kinds of new marketing and sales ideas that we are putting together to bring people in.”

Those include a Family Night special featuring special pricing on bowling, shoe rental, pizza and soft drinks on Wednesdays.

But over the decades, bowling leagues have remained strong.

'On Monday nights all 24 lanes are full of league bowlers,” Barb said.

Lancer Lanes also sponsors two local high school teams - Washington High School and Prairie High School, which John also helps coach - which keep the bowling alley busy with matches.

Customers who stop in to bowl - whether for league play or open bowling - are likely to find one or both Staubs on the job.

'People will definitely see us here. We are here 60, 70, sometimes 80 hours a week and we are here for every special event,” Barb said.

'Just recently on a Saturday morning, we had our granddaughters here bowling with two girls who were the great grandchildren of some of our original customers. It makes us feel older as we are seeing these kids grow up, but how cool that we are now seeing the fourth generation of bowlers here at Lancer Lanes.”

AT A GLANCE

Owners: John and Barb Staub

Company: Lancer Lanes

Address: 3203 Sixth St. SW, Cedar Rapids

Phone: (319) 364-1506

Website: www.lancerlanes.org

l Know a business more than a year in operation that'd be great to feature in 'My Biz”? Contact michaelchevy.castranova@thegazette.com