Jeopardy! champ pays it forward
Bringing the convenience of the city to the middle of nowhere
December 8, 2025
MERRILL – Bowlers at Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes will now roll into action with the help of newly installed Brunswick Boost ST string pinsetters.
Owner Mark Bares said the recently installed Brunswick Boost string pinsetters make them the first bowling center in Wisconsin with such equipment.
“I really focus on customer experience, and the old pinsetters would break down,” he said. “With our focus on customer experience – whether it is our league bowlers, open bowlers, birthday parties, moonlight bowling, whatever – it [would] be diminished, and I did not want that. I wanted our bowlers to have a great experience.”
Bares said the new pinsetters replace the original pinsetters from when the bowling center was built in 1962, “so it was probably time that they were replaced.”
String pinsetters, he said, use a system of strings and pulleys to lift and reset pins instead of the classic free-fall method.
The result, he said, is lower operating costs, simpler maintenance and improved energy efficiency.
Though a few bowling centers in southern Wisconsin have installed string pinsetters made by a different manufacturer, Bares said he believes the Brunswick brand is the superior brand.
Certified by the United States Bowling Congress for league competition, Bares said the new pinsetters provide faster cycles, quicker ball returns and customizable pin setups to help bowlers hone their spare shooting.
In addition, he said the pinsetters allow bowlers to play new games – like Horse and Angry Birds – played interactively through the overhead scoring system.
Arriving in late October, Bares said the pinsetters were installed over the course of three weeks, with the center remaining open as crews worked on half of the 16 lanes at a time.
“Our leagues were very accommodating,” he said. “They split up, and we had limited open play, but we were still open. We just had to clean up a lot of dust and stuff in between [since] they had to take the old machines out. So, it was interesting to take them apart.”
More improvements to spare
Bares said the new pinsetters weren’t the only improvement – noting the installation of Brunswick’s Nitro lighting system as well.
“There is lighting that goes down the lanes and on the pin decks, and it is all built into a program where the lights will flash and change colors, so it is going to be much more entertaining,” he said.
Bares said the Nitro lighting improves on the formerly popular static black-light glow bowling, offering a dynamic experience that still keeps the focus on the game.
“This will create an environment that is entertaining, high-energy and allows people to have fun bowling,” he said.
Continuous improvement, upgrades
Bares said since his grandfather, Les, and father, Jim, purchased the bowling alley in 1969, they have never shied away from improving Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes.
He said a banquet hall was added to the bowling center in 1975 – which has hosted everything from weddings and fundraisers to performances by Chubby Checker, Herman’s Hermits and Cheap Trick.
Around 1984, Bares said the bar area was expanded to include a disco.
In 1998, he said Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes installed its first automatic scoring system, which was upgraded in 2017.
And around 2000, Bares said the center transitioned to synthetic lanes as part of an ongoing effort to modernize, reduce maintenance, enhance reliability and improve the customer experience.
After the COVID-19 pandemic, Bares said he remodeled the disco and bar area and created The Center Grill – a stand-alone restaurant, which is managed by his brother-in-law.
Creating The Center Grill, he said, was a smart move for both the bowling center and the City of Merrill, which, while home to some great restaurants, could use a few more.
The food at The Center Grill, Bares said, is a step above typical bowling alley fare, offering a slightly more upscale dining experience.
“We do not [just put frozen food] into the fryer,” he said. “Most of our dishes are made from scratch. Training our cooks on consistency is really important to us, and that is one reason we decided to rebrand the restaurant side and call it The Center Grill.”
Where teamwork strikes
Bares said the bowling center and The Center Grill together employ 30 people, and while staffing is always a challenge, the new equipment eases some of the pressure by reducing the need for staff to maintain outdated machines.
“I would say the biggest challenge is staffing,” he said. “And the staffing side is not just finding people to work, [it’s about] finding the right people to work.”
Bares said fostering a positive workplace culture where employees are motivated to come to work and serve customers effectively is key.
“That takes training, not just with our new employees but with our current employees – really instilling in them the belief that we are here to create happiness,” he said.
Bares said his employees, many of them long-time employees – are like family and in fact many of them are.
Several of his nine children, he said, have also worked at the bowling center or the restaurant at one time or another.
Bares said his employees are what set Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes apart from the competition – which comes in many forms.
“We have tons of competition,” he said. “And not just bowling alleys, but anything that provides entertainment. Could be a festival that’s in the area, or the movie theater.”
To attract customers in a crowded entertainment landscape and create memorable experiences that can’t be matched at home, Bares said, is about aligning every employee – from front-of-house staff to cleaners – around a shared mission of fostering happy customers and lasting friendships.
Bares said Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes supports the community in ways that go beyond a one-size-fits-all approach, often hosting fundraisers and benefits free of charge.
“If the community needs something or needs some help, there are lots of ways we can help,” he said. “I talk to them to see just how we can help. I love helping the community.”
Looking ahead, Bares said Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes will continue to be a place where people can relax, have fun, connect with friends and enjoy life – a true hub for the community.
“The long-term vision is [to continue] doing whatever we do – creating experiences for people, and helping them enjoy life,” he said. “Life is tough… I can create a place where people can go to have fun and share their experiences with friends, and meet new people and create friends.”
For more on Merrill’s Les & Jim’s Lincoln Lanes, visit lesandjims.com.
