🠈  Bowlmor AMF  🠊

Bowlmor AMF

Bowlmor AMF is the largest chain of bowling centers in the world with over 300 centers primarily in the United States. The company owns about 7% of the 4000 centers in the country. The business passed to Nick's son John in 1981.

Bowlmor was founded in New York City's Union Square in 1938 by Nick Gianos. Bowling became a national pastime in the following decades with the invention of the automatic pinsetter.

Starting in 1992, an entrepreneur named Tom Shannon decided to upgrade Bowlmor into a upscale venue. The company expanded under the name of Strike Holdings.

In 2013, Strike Holdings merged with AMF which had declared bankruptcy the year before. The new company took on the name Bowlmor AMF with Tom Shannon as CEO. The debtors agreed tos swap debt for equity.

Bowlmor AMF continued the merger process by acquiring Brunswick Bowling & Billiards in 2014. They developed the brand Bowlero for lanes that emphasized the night-ife aspects of bowling.

American Machine and Foundry

American Machine and Foundry (AMF) was founded by Rufus L. Patterson who had invented a cigarette machine. The company began creating automated equipment in other industries such as baking. AMF began acquiring patents for automatic pinsetters in 1937. The company began development of pinsetters after WWII with the first pinsetter unveiled in 1946.

AMF entered other industries including bicycle manufacturing and atomic energy. (I guess a ball hitting pins is a little bit like a nuclear reaction.)

AMF went public in 1997. The company operated at a loss and the stock lost value as was delisted in 2000.

Brunswick Bowling and Billiards

Brunswick Corporation was founded in Cincinnati 1845 by John Moses Brunswick to create carriages. After buying a machine shop, Brunswick began manufacturing billiards tables. The company also created bar stools, toilet seats, bowling balls and pins.

In 1910, the company introduced a line of phonograph records under the company name Brunswick Records. During WWII the company manufactured airplanes then set their site on created semi-automatic pinsetters. The went on to develop automatic pinsetters, automatic score keepers and developed their own chain of bowling centers.

As a conglomerate, Brunswick moved into other areas such as the manufacture of fitness equipment and boats.

The sold their bowling interests to Bowlmor AMF in 2014 to focus on the company's other products.

Brands and Products

Brands by the company include "Bowlmor", "AMF", "Bowlmor AMF," "Bowlero" and "Brunswick Zone." Their web site portfolio includes bowlmoramf.com, bowlmor.com, bowlero.com, amf.com, bowlbrunswick.com.

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References:

  1. Wikipedia - Bowlmor AMF (Drawn 10/6/2017)
  2. Old Bowling (Drawn 10/6/2017)
  3. Brunswick Corporation (Drawn 10/6/2017)

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