Being QuickBooks Consultants in the Wilmington, NC and surrounding areas, Denise and I get to see numerous types of businesses. Some old; some new. Some unique; some typical. Some which are run well; others who need a lot of help. On Friday, August 14th, I had the privilege of visiting a new client in Leland, NC; Thunder Alley. This business is fairly new (TA opened in January 2009), unique and run well. Located in the Magnolia Greens area of Leland, Thunder Alley is the place to go for family fun.
What can make a bowling alley unique you might ask? I observed several unique qualities about Thunder Alley as I pulled up to this place of business. First, the place was immaculate. Second, I could not smell any signs of smoke or beer as I entered. Third, there is a true sense of pride of ownership and customer service which was better than I have ever witnessed in a bowling alley.
Owners Rick and Ginger Roberts are the people responsible for making Thunder Alley a reality. I spent a good portion of my day at Thunder Alley working with Ricky. He and I were working to properly configure his Point of Sale (POS) software to communicate with QuickBooks. As Ricky and I hung around each other during this day, a sense of common values quickly emerged. Ricky is simply a "likable" kind of guy with high morals, standards and values. I found him easy to get to know (and like). When I asked, "how did you get into the bowling business?", Ricky explained, "Thunder Alley has been a childhood dream of mine which became a reality in January 2009."
As you enter the doors of Thunder Alley, you will notice a fabulous arcade area to your right. Again, very clean and safe. This 2,500 sq. ft. arcade alone will keep kids (and kids at heart) entertained for hours. Second, to your left is a dining area full of clean tables and chairs so you can enjoy the next thing on your left; a coffee shop and grill. I was treated to wings and rings and they were very tasty indeed.
To your right and past the arcade are 12 open lanes of bowling. These lanes are pristine with a look-n-feel which call out to you, "bowl on me". If that's not enough, hanging over the various lanes are multiple big screens. So, if you want to bowl while watching Tiger Woods win another tournament, or the Atlanta Braves play baseball, or the Chicago Bulls against LA, you can have the best of both worlds. But wait; there's more! Turn the lights down low and fire up some very cool looking black light overlays. Various overlays are superimposed on each of the 12 lanes. Very cool.
But wait; there's even more. If you own a small business and want to conduct some team building, Thunder Alley has a special space just for you. A corporate meeting room with...get this...two private lanes of bowling. And if you want additional privacy in your space, all it takes is a push of a button for the clear windows, looking out at the other lanes, to become completely frosted.
I have never been impressed with a bowling alley before in my life. Thunder Alley is certainly a tremendous exception. And if all of the above is not enough to pique your curiosity, there's one more thing which got my attention early on during my visit. Remember above, I mentioned there was no smell of smoke or alcohol? There's a great reason for this...Thunder Alley is smoke and alcohol-free. WOW!
Check out Thunder Alley for an excellent family and fun filled adventure into bowling, arcades, good Java and good food.
#ilm