Pali Lanes lost a four year battle to stay in business.
Kailua Bowling Alley and its landlord announced today that the exposure from COVID-19 is too high to endure, so the 60-year-old deal will end on June 30th.
“It is with great sadness that we have to close the bowling center,” said Daniel Sylva, co-owner of Pali Lanes, in a statement.
Co-owner Arthur Machado thanked the customers and the community for their loyal support.
“I’ll miss watching the leagues, school groups, senior bowlers and special needs teams most,” he said.
Pali Lanes is one of the few remaining bowling alleys in Hawaii that has dwindled away from such recreational facilities over the past few decades.
The local real estate investment company Alexander & Baldwin Inc. acquired the land under Pali Lanes in 2013 as part of the acquisition of the large landowner Kaneohe Ranch in Kailua.
In 2017, A&B announced that it would redevelop the property. But the company held back after a setback in the community that included supporters from Pali Lanes, who handed over a petition with more than 5,000 signatures to A&B headquarters in Honolulu.
A&B let Pali Lanes continue their monthly leases and below market rent.
Pali Lanes owners reached out to A&B about the closure and thanked them for the accommodations Thursday, but previously said the dubious situation is hampering their ability to invest in the business and improve operations.
A&B said it wishes the owners and staff of the bowling alley well and will look for ways to maintain the building.
“We appreciate the affinity of the Kailua community for Pali Lanes and have worked closely with the owners by providing financial assistance in 2018 and 2019 to keep a profitable business and adding extra thought in 2020 during their mandatory closure” , Lance Parker, A&B chief real estate clerk, said in a statement. “We have seen the impact of COVID on the Hawaiian economy and the shutdown of numerous long-standing Kamaaina businesses.”
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