The History of The Holiday Bowl
Welcome to The Holiday Bowl: The Greatest Bowl on Earth!
Founded in 1958
Originally built in 1958, The Holiday Bowl has undergone a full restoration to capture the Golden Age of Bowling. Equipped with cutting-edge technology to elevate your game, it’s the perfect spot for fun, food, and friends. Don’t forget to try one of the best pizzas in town, along with a delicious selection from our lunch and dinner menu. And if you're in the mood to relax, our mid-century lounge is the perfect place to enjoy one of our signature barrel-aged old fashions or a refreshing draft beer. Come on down and experience a true classic, reimagined for today!
Our History: Bringing a Classic Back to Life
After being left unused for over five years, we’ve revived this historic venue with a passion for preserving its charm and celebrating its legacy.
The Holiday Bowl was originally built in 1958 by David Cohen and managed by Bob Stanford from Augusta, marking the start of the Golden Years of bowling. What started as an 8-lane center quickly grew to 12 lanes due to its success. Around the same time, Brunswick Bowling introduced the iconic "Gold Crown Line" of equipment. You can still find a vintage promotional video on YouTube showcasing the equipment from that era! Watch the video here.
Today, we’re honoring this golden era by restoring The Holiday Bowl to its original glory. We’ve scoured the country to find and restore authentic, 60-year-old bowling equipment, with local professionals carefully bringing these historic pieces back to life. From the "Star Trek Enterprise" ball returns to the stunning Mid-Century masking units, we’re preserving the beauty of bowling’s past.
But we’re not just looking back – we’re looking forward too. Our lanes feature the latest Brunswick scoring systems and monitors, with In-Sync allowing for online reservations and an enhanced bowling experience. And with the help of Jayhawk Bowling, we’ve cleaned and refurbished every inch of our lanes, ensuring they’re in tip-top shape. While we’ve kept the traditional wood lanes for now, we’re considering a future upgrade to synthetic lanes for an even better experience.
A Hub for Serious Bowlers
We’re not just about preserving the past; we’re building for the future of bowling too. The Holiday Bowl is set to become a premier training center for aspiring bowlers. That’s why we’ve installed Specto on 6 of our lanes – an incredible tool to help bowlers of all levels improve their skills. Learn more about Specto.
Additionally, we’re one of only 10 Brunswick bowling centers in the USA to offer Lanetalk, an innovative app that tracks your stats, equipment, and even connects you with virtual leagues across Kansas and Europe! Discover Lanetalk.
A Classic Space, Completely Transformed
We’ve spared no detail in restoring the interior of The Holiday Bowl. From our custom-built 20-foot cedar bar to the carefully chosen lighting and vintage-inspired color schemes, every element has been designed to evoke the mid-century charm of the original venue. We’ve even partnered with a local artist to create original artwork, and we’re planning a "Greetings from Augusta, Kansas" mural on the side of the building.
And because we care about the environment too, we’ve installed one of the largest solar arrays in Augusta to help power the local grid!
Delicious Dining & Drinks
Our completely remodeled kitchen features the largest new pizza oven we could find! With over a decade of pizza-making experience, we’re starting with a smaller menu and expanding as we get settled in. Great food is our top priority – if it’s not delicious, it won’t be on the menu!
The bar is fully stocked with local brews, craft cocktails, and our signature drinks, including barrel-aged old fashions. For sports fans, we’ve installed 12 brand new bowling monitors and 14 additional TVs with Dish Network receivers (including ESPN+ for college football and basketball).
More Than Just Bowling
The fun doesn’t stop with bowling! We’ve added 3 dart lanes for steel-tip enthusiasts, and we’re diving into the world of dark spirits – particularly rum and whiskey – with hosted tastings and special events. For music lovers, there’s a small stage for live performances, trivia nights, and karaoke.
And we’re excited to offer an exclusive membership, giving you free bowling whenever a lane is available, discounts on food and drinks, and access to special events!
The Greatest Bowl on Earth
Our mission is simple: to create a bowling experience that isn’t just the best in the state, but the best in the world. We’re committed to making The Holiday Bowl a place that Augusta can be proud of – a vibrant destination to live, work, and play.
So, whether you're here for the nostalgic charm, the delicious food, or just a good time with friends, we invite you to come down and experience The Greatest Bowl on Earth!
