ST. GEORGE — Local bowlers have been hit with a pair of gutter balls this week.
The closure of one local bowling alley combined with a fire at another has left league bowlers having to go cold turkey for at least the next couple of days – if not longer.
St. George News has learned that the Sunset West Bowling Center on Sunset Boulevard closed its doors Monday – apparently for good – after its sale to a developer who intends to tear it down, according to bowling alley employees, league bowlers and the local bowling association.
That has left Dixie Bowl & Billiards as the only place with bowling leagues in St. George, with the Fiesta Fun Center only offering open lanes.
However, Dixie Bowl is closed for at least the “next few days,” its owners say, after a fire late Tuesday gutted its pro shop and caused water and other damage inside the non-bowling area of that structure.
Even so, with 12 lanes in the older alley that dates back to the 1950s, a local bowling official said bowlers who like to play in leagues are facing a handicap in finding a place to play.
“We had several league bowlers that were not able to find leagues to bowl for this fall season. We’ve had some go to Mesquite and some go to Cedar,” said Susan Hill, vice president of the Washington County chapter of the United States Bowling Congress. “(Owners) Barry and Elizabeth Sustin with Dixie Bowl have been awesome and getting as many leagues transferred over to them but their alley is only 12 lanes and they can only handle so many leagues.”
And at least for the next few days, even that won’t be an option. Elizabeth Sustin told St. George News the Tuesday fire will keep the alley closed for at least a couple of days.
For local league bowlers, the damage may be more than physical with the closed Dixie Bowl now the only place in town with league bowling.
The Sunset West center, which according to the Better Business Bureau opened in 2005, had 20 lanes. Fiesta Fun also has 20 lanes but its website and an employee there said they only offer “open lane” bowling and no leagues.
For those who like to form teams, check their handicaps and wear the classic bowling shirts, there will only be 12 lanes for every league bowler in the St. George area for the time being.
According to the U.S. Bowling Congress, the average bowling center has 20 to 34 lanes.
“We need someone to build a bowling alley,” said Hill, who added the new owners of the property Sunset West sits on have stated their intention to tear it down and build a non-bowling property.
Even though the phone line for the Sunset West Bowling Center ar 1476 Sunset Blvd., still answers with a message proclaiming it as “Your No. 1 bowling destination in Southern Utah,” its parking lot remained empty during operating hours Wednesday.
Myron Mitchell, listed as the most recent owner of Sunset West according to the Washington County Assessor, was not available for comment. Numbers listed for him are disconnected and the bowling alley’s website has also been taken down.
There are also others who have been affected by the closure who have nothing to do with bowling.
Olga Brian, co-owner of the Pico de Gallo Mexican restaurant that was inside the bowling center, said the closure was sudden.
“We had a week’s notice. We’re a little scattered,” Brian said, noting they will continue catering to customers who call 435-862-1995. “I understand it was so the owners can retire, but it was like a bucket of cold water.”
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