Shuttered East Hamilton bowling alley is making a comeback
Published October 23, 2020 at 4:47 am
When Skyway Lanes shuttered in the spring of 2019, many Hamiltonians mourned the loss of a long-standing, family-owned business that stood as a symbol of a much simpler time and was a bastion of bowling in the city.
These days, however, life is once again returning to the bowling alley under the guiding hand of a proud Hamiltonian and a renowned bowler.
Lionel Lewis’s first job was as a pin chaser at Skyway Lanes in the early ‘80s. He grew up down the street from Skyway on Melvin and visited the bowling alley regularly with his family.
“From a young age, I loved bowling; I loved the people and the competition,” Lewis told InTheHammer. “Bowling is my life. It’s in my blood.”
Today, Lewis is the visibly proud new owner of Skyway Bowl, previously Skyway Lanes, which is expected to reopen to the public in a matter of weeks.
“This has always been my dream,” he said. “Skyway has always been my second home.”
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Lewis spent his formative years working in various roles as an employee at Skyway and playing in the leagues. He eventually went into business for himself, running his own pro shop in bowling alleys across Burlington and Hamilton.
All the while, Lewis developed into a professional bowler, even competing in international competitions and touring the world.
Through it all, his home base remained Hamilton and his love for and loyalty to Skyway Lanes never waivered.
“[The owners] always treated me like I was a member of their family,” Lewis said.
“I’ve raised my kids here,” he said, noting that all three of them, two of which are now adults, love the sport and work in the industry here in Hamilton.
“Skyway has always been about more than just bowling; it’s about family and friends and having fun. It’s a community.”
Lewis says he always had an eye on running Skyway someday but previous attempts years ago to buy the business proved fruitless.
Earlier this year, the opportunity arose again and he jumped at the chance. Since then, Lewis has been undertaking renovations of the building to give it a more modern feel.
“I’m not changing too much though,” he said. “I want to keep that same family atmosphere that it’s always had.”
He maintains that his top priority is creating a space that engages people of all ages and makes them feel at home and safe the moment they walk through the door.
“I want to make sure people feel safe coming in and leaving,” he said.
He said when Skyway does reopen, they will be taking all the necessary precautions to ensure physical distancing, mask-wearing, sanitizing commonly touched surfaces, plastic dividers at the front desk and concession stand, limiting the number of people in the building at one time, hand sanitizing stations throughout and touchless handwashing in the bathrooms.
When they do reopen in the coming weeks, Lewis said the plan is to focus on bowling but he has big plans for other parts of the building.
“I’ve been in bowling alleys all over the world, so I know what works and what doesn’t,” he said.
“I want to eventually turn part of the basement into a classic arcade room and add some party rooms.”
Lewis says he’s certainly stressed out by the prospect of opening a business in the midst of a pandemic but says he’s driven by his lifelong dream.
“It’s scary….opening up a business during a pandemic. Sometimes I lie awake at night wondering how I’m going to do it,” he said.
“But the dream just keeps me going.”
He envisions an entertainment venue that will welcome families for afternoon rock n’ bowls and birthday parties and welcoming back bowling leagues, of which there are few in Hamilton, and he plans to keep prices within the previous Skyway’s range.
“I really just want to bring something fun back to this part of Hamilton and give families an affordable place to come and relax and leave the rest of the world outside for an hour or two.”
For more information on Skyway Bowl and its upcoming reopening, give them a follow on Facebook.
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