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October 14, 2024
TOMAHAWK – Jerrod Hock said he’s on a roll at Strikers Tomahawk Bowl – located at 309 W. Wisconsin Ave.
Hock is restoring the bowling alley – a community landmark and gathering place for almost eight decades – with a goal, he said, of establishing an entertainment venue welcoming to everyone from the youngest bumper-ball bowlers to the most seasoned of keglers.
“I love it when you can look at one alley and there will be a three-year-old using the ramp to roll the ball, and then a couple of lanes down, his grandfather is having a great time bowling with friends,” he said. “That’s what drives you – when you see the kids, the families and people excited. They are having fun.”
As a youngster in rural Illinois, Hock said he literally grew up in the game as his best friend’s family ran a six-lane bowling center.
By age 10, he said he scored a part-time job helping out at the alley. .
“My first job was to come in and sweep all the gutters and approaches, vacuum the carpets and later, maintain the machines,” he said. “I got $6 for three hours of work. I’d put half in the bank and use the other half for pizza with my friends.”
One big perk of the gig, Hock said, was free bowling, and by age 13, he was playing in a men’s league.
“Back then, you could do that,” he said. “With the rules today, it wouldn’t be possible.”
A bit more background
Hock said he continued with the game through college at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville where he graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and math.
Though at that point he likely could have joined a professional league, Hock said, “my monetary goals were not going to be met by bowling.”
Instead, Hock said he became a “serial entrepreneur” – focusing on the consulting industry.
He operates a 70-person consulting company, a real estate holdings and investment company and also has a minority interest in a large information technology staffing firm.
As a child, Hock said he and his family paid regular visits to the Tomahawk area, traveling 350 miles north from their home in Minonk, Illinois.
In 2007, he said he bought a lake home in the area, and in 2018, he and his wife, Beth, made the decision to build a year-round home for them.
Given his history with the sport, Hock said it was only natural that he began taking his two children – Christian and Ceclia – bowling at the Tomahawk Bowl, then under the ownership of Gary Voelker.
The property was already a community landmark, dating to 1947 when it was constructed as a Ford automotive dealership.
“That never materialized, from what I’ve been told,” Hock said. “Instead, it became a bowling alley and has been ever since.”
Hock said Voelker owned the center for more than a decade, making a series of improvements, – but he was ready to retire.
“Gary is a great guy and bowling is in his blood as he would say,” Hock said. “He was looking to exit but wanted to make sure it stayed a bowling alley and not let the loyal bowling clientele down.”
While taking his kids bowling, Hock said Voelker struck up a few conversations with him in an attempt to get him back into bowling – which he had been away from for more than a decade at that point.
“I finally gave in and became a substitute bowler for those unable to bowl for a night…,” he said.
Now as the establishment’s owner, Hock said, “you can see how that turned out.”
After a few conversations over the 2022-23 bowling season, Hock said the deal was sealed in July 2023.
With other businesses to manage, Hock said he turned over most of the day-to-day operations to business partner Andy Leverance – a lifelong resident of Tomahawk.
Leverance, Hock said, had earned a degree in microbiology before returning to Tomahawk to work for a tree service company.
After 20 years there, he and Hock said the stars aligned and they teamed up as new owners of Striker’s Tomahawk Bowl.
“It’s worked out great,” Leverance said. “I grew up coming to the Tomahawk Bowl, and I love seeing all the people coming in. This is a new career for me.”
Updates/upgrades
When he took over the alleys, Hock said the most pressing need was for new overlays for the center’s eight lanes to keep the game moving forward for the next generation.
He said he found what he needed at a bowling center set to close in New Caledonia, Minnesota.
“The lane panels were nearly new and barely had any signs of use on them,” he said. “We were able to get them at a fraction of the cost of new, which is important for a small center like we have in Tomahawk. Pinsetters, automatic scoring, bowling lanes and all the supporting infrastructure are very expensive and can be cost prohibitive for a small center, so many end up going out of business when their infrastructure falls into disrepair.”
Hock said he, Leverance and his son, Christian, took two trucks and trailers to New Caledonia and loaded approximately 80 panels, each weighing 250 to 300 pounds.
Then it was back home, all in a single day, for unloading.
“We were worn out and needed some help with the unloading,” Hock said. “Andy and I made some phone calls along the route home, and when we got back to Tomahawk, there were trucks parked all around the alley. We had more than a dozen volunteers – all local bowlers – standing by to help unload. It was surreal and heartwarming to see the support.”
Hock and Leverance said they removed the existing lane overlays, pin decks and approaches, selling the panels to local bowlers and donating some to local organizations who wanted to utilize them in the community.
“People now have a piece of the old lanes in their homes,” Hock said, adding they are especially popular as keepsakes for longtime bowlers as countertops or cutting boards.
Installation, with the help of a retired Brunswick installer following strict United States Bowling Congress requirements, Hock said, took seven days.
“After 894 work hours and 486 miles traveled over 24 days, 1,982 screws and caps, 11 tons of lane panels and pin decks hauled by hand with the help of the best bowling family in the world and numerous obstacles, Strikers was back open,” he said.
Even though the new lanes were open for business, Hock said there was more work to be done – including determining the correct patterns for the new lane-oiling machine.
Lanes, he said, are coated with oil, not just for aesthetics but to influence ball movement and protect the wood.
The oil patterns, Hock said, affect where and how a ball rolls, contributing to the strategy of achieving strikes.
“The new lane machines help put out a consistent oil pattern,” he said. “When I bowl, I try to watch other bowlers and their scores and get ideas about how to reprogram the oil patterns to accommodate all bowlers.”
A warm welcome
Reaction to the updates, the partners said, was swift and overwhelmingly positive.
“Everyone was pretty excited to see the new lanes,” Leverance said. “There was a lot of excitement when we opened back up for business.”
The first leagues – a well-rounded mix of senior and open men, women, couples and social offerings – Hock said, are already underway.
Leverance and Hock said they are also making plans for numerous bowling events, including the annual Lions Crazy-8 Tournament and the popular Getty Sue Tournament, which honors past female bowlers and raises funds for local recreational facilities.
“The Getty Sue, held in December, is unlike any bowling tournament you will find,” Hock said.
Strikers Tomahawk Bowl has added bumper bowling to all eight lanes, expanding from four, along with ramps for the youngest bowlers, Hock said – which helps encourage future generations to enjoy the lifelong sport.
Other plans for the bolling center, Hock said, include improved air handling systems, roof repairs and new scoring equipment – all with a goal of enhancing the bowling experience.
“It’s good to be part of the community,” he said. “Small communities like Tomahawk need to have a bowling center. It’s good for kids and adults and gives families the opportunity to enjoy an activity together and take a break from their phones and computer screens.”
Strikers Tomahawk Bowl opens at 5 p.m. Monday and noon Tuesday through Sunday.
In addition to bowling, Hock said the center includes a lounge with a range of soda, beer, mixed drinks, bar fare and what many consider the best homemade pizza in Tomahawk.
For more information, visit Strikers-Tomahawk Bowl on Facebook.
