8/7/2023 0 Comments Stars and strikes bowlingCarnival-style games, Canouse said, have “brought more fun to Mom and Dad and young adults. He added that Giant Taj Mahal by Smart Industries and Cruis’n Blast by Raw Thrills have been two top performers in his arcades, along with Big Bass Wheel (Bay Tek Games) and - of course - Elaut’s Wizard of Oz.Īnd remember, the lineup of games isn’t just for kids. “We don’t want people to come into our arcades and come away with little to nothing,” he said, noting a one-out-of-three payout on many of his cranes. With 65-70 percent of the games being redemption-based, another key factor, Canouse said, is allowing players to actually win. “It’s not the same old, same old every time you go in,” he said. They’re constantly changing up location and selection of games. “We are about 50 percent in arcade and attractions since making our game rooms bigger (starting in 2013).”įood and beverage still makes up about a third of business with bowling hovering just below 20 percent.Ĭanouse attributes the success of the arcade at Stars and Strikes to one main thing: keeping it fresh. “We have always looked at our revenues as three equal parts - food and beverage, bowling and arcade and attractions,” Canouse said. Their arcades are at least 7,000 square feet and are bringing in a bigger piece of the pie than ever before. Some locations have virtual reality and escapeĪll of the brand’s newer centers are in the 55,000-square-foot range. “Our product really appeals to every single person out there, whether you’re 5 years old or 95 years old,” he said.Īside from bowling, the centers typically offer sizable arcades, multi-level laser tag arenas and bumper cars. “We’ve been trading lanes for bigger game room floors.”įrom upgraded flooring throughout their facilities - including the bathrooms - to all-couch seating on the bowling side of things, Stars and Strikes aims to attract anyone seeking entertainment - with a focus on families, of course. “We have gone to a different floor plan in the last five years or so,” Canouse said. Since starting the business, they have 24 lanes in most of their stores, down from as many as 36, reflecting the trend of creating a more even entertainment environment as they boost the size of their arcades. The Wizard of Oz, Giant Taj Mahal, Cruis’n Blast and Big Bass Wheel are some of the most popular games in the arcade, which is 65-70 percent redemption-based.Ĭanouse said that he and Albano have aimed to make Stars and Strikes a “bowling destination,” focusing on continually improving quality of entertainment, food and service, and creating an upscale atmosphere. In November, they opened their 13th location in 13 years in Summerville, S.C.įifty percent of revenue comes from the arcade and other attractions. “But watching the reaction, we decided that very day this was going to be our career going forward.” “We were still working at our jobs when we opened that location in Cumming,” Canouse said. So, without any industry experience, the pair linked up with Brunswick and went through their training program, co-founding the first Stars and Strikes with bowling, an arcade, laser tag arena and sports bar. They started brainstorming how they could make a better place - one without the stereotypical bowling food and outdated décor. After a night at a local bowling center with their kids, the lightbulb went off. Both had three children each and began to ponder what options are out there for families to do together. “We both thought it was a good idea to see what else was out there,” Canouse said. In 2003, Canouse was an investment banker and Albano was working a corporate job. In fact, for the past 20 years, their families come together and spend Thanksgiving week at Canouse’s second home. The same week, Chris Albano moved into the neighborhood. The yellow brick road that led Canouse to the family entertainment business started in Alpharetta, Ga., a suburb 25 miles outside of Atlanta that he moved to in 1996. Perhaps it’s no surprise that the 1939 film is on Canouse’s mind these days considering Elaut’s coin pusher of the same name is a favorite in his arcades. Its managing partner and co-founder Jack Canouse said opening the first location in Cumming, Ga., in July 2005 was like watching The Wizard of Oz - doors swinging open to a new, vibrantly colored world that was a former Walmart facility in his case. Longtime friends and neighbors, they opened the first location in 2005 in Cumming, Ga. Partners & Pals – Jack Canouse (right) and Chris Albano are the co-founders of Stars and Strikes.
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