Steve Kucirek, owner of The Alley, provided a recent update on the progression of the renovation of the former Leopard Lanes. He invited several stakeholders to The Alley for a walk-through including Bellevue Mayor Rusty Hike, Bellevue Chamber of Commerce President Diane Bruce, Westside State Bank CFO Heath Paulsen, and representatives from the Greater Omaha-Area Bowling Association.
Despite several setbacks, Kucirek has continued to press forward and is eyeing an opening day this fall. “It is very challenging,” Kucirek said, “to take a structure this large, built in the 70s, and renovate it to comply with modern day standards and codes.”
While a lot of major items on the to-do list were known before construction started, several unexpected items were added after the project began. Kucirek mentioned these new items included, “A drain pipe that ran across the property was failing and needed to be replaced, gutters needed to be replaced, ductwork needed replacement, electrical fixtures needed replacement, bathrooms were in severe need of upgrades, and then there were some various upgrades needed with ceiling supports and other electrical upgrades.”
A few notes from the tour:
- At the former Leopard Lanes, there was a step down into the bowling area. In order to be ADA-compliant the entire floor, including the area the lanes are in, is being raised and the entire facility will be one level with no steps.
- Frank’s Pizza will be the restaurant inside The Alley and it will be available for those who just want a quick lunch or dinner. Customers can go in and eat without bowling if they choose.
- The Axe throwing area will implement a computer system that includes several games. For example, instead of just throwing axes at a plain target, in one game players throw axes at zombies. Kucirek mentioned there are several games planned to be ready when the axe-throwing area opens.
- There will be two party rooms that can be combined into one if needed. The rooms will also have audio/visual capabilities to use for business or corporate presentations.
Mayor Hike commented on Kucirek’s work ethic and determination, “Steve has worked really hard to make this happen and he doesn’t give up. Bellevue needs the entertainment venue and I’m just excited that opening day is near.”
Chamber President Diane Bruce sees the benefit of not just having more entertainment options in Bellevue, but on the positive value it has to other area businesses, “I am excited for the family entertainment that the bowling alley will bring – but with that also comes visitors from outside of Bellevue that will bring additional traffic to other local businesses. It is a win-win for everyone!”
Jeff Gehrig with Mercury Contractors met Kucirek at a networking meeting a few years ago and the idea of renovating the old bowling alley came up. “It’s a huge opportunity for entertainment in Bellevue. Bowling, the arcade, the axe throwing… we want to get the community at large to come back to what Leopard Lanes had, but also more – something for the whole family.”
Barb Melonis with Greater Omaha-Area Bowling Association shared how her first meeting with Kucirek went, “When we heard about how this might become a reality I reached out to Steve to offer our assistance as the membership organization for bowlers because it was very exciting that this might be coming. Steve invited us to lunch and, as we talked, I soon realized a bigger part of this is helping Steve accomplish his dream.”
The Alley recently launched their website and is accepting job applications. They are hiring for all positions including general managers, customer service managers, bar managers, bartenders, mechanics, and customer service team members. Experience is required for most of those positions. Individuals that are interested may apply here: https://thealleybellevue.com/
