norwood sport center

Love it, love it! Everything from the bad 70's carpet to the lighthouse motif designs to the stale smell of old cigarettes to the wooden pins and throwback vending machines! This place doesn't have to pretend it is a flashback to the yesteryear of bowling and leagues and when this was the king of amateur sports. This place is the same place it probably was back then and has not changed and you know what, who cares! It is great the way it is. From the outside it doesn't look like much, old brick building, no windows and you would never know it was a bowling alley. However once you step inside, it takes you back to a time when things were simpler, no iPhone, no internet, no text or email, etc. and another thing, it's cash or check only. Don't try and compare this to Kings or Splitsville down the street since there is no comparison. Kings is the modernized bowling alley complete with booze and flashiness. Guess what, Kings and Splitsville also have crowds, a disorganized staff and are both small and you can barely get a lane (see my other reviews of both places). This place has 36 lanes some upstairs and some downstairs and it is all Candlepin (real wooden pins - typically New England) and even has raised bumpers for the kids and even a ball assist for littler kids. Plus the prices are cheap ($1 for shoes and $12 a game) and the staff is cool and helpful. Sure there was an occasional jam from the pinsetter and it held up the game a bit and the shoe rentals are old, but it didn't matter and was expected. This is an old place with old furnishings and old lanes and balls and seats even an old arcade etc. You come here to have fun and have a no stress game. I would highly recommend this place and not only that, I will be coming back every few weeks since this is a new fun place to bowl! You can even have birthday parties here and they have a special room and everything!

We love to go to this place w/many generations. We get 2 alleys one for kids and one for adults. We bring snacks and celebrate mini parties w/seating behind individual alleys. It is busy w/families on weekends and bad weather days. They have rooms for parties, bathrooms on first floor and have everything from a game room to coats hangers. Lollipops always available.....coupons sometimes available to help cost and being your own bowling shoes.....