The Bowling Alley on SE Powell Boulevard Will Close This Spring

It will be replaced by a national retailer.

By Sophia June

Southeast Powell Boulevard is about to experience its greatest loss since Wendy's.

The AMF Pro bowling alley on SE Powell Boulevard and SE 30th will close at the end of May, as reported by the Portland Business Journal.

The space will be developed into a "national retailer," by the MAJ Development Corporation, who bought the alley last August for $4.8 million. Work is expected to begin this August.

There's no word yet on what will go into the space, but Portland Business Journal lists MAJ's other projects as: "24 Hour Fitness, Gentle Dental, Starbucks, Panera Bread, 7-Eleven and Subway." Scrolling through their website, we also found a Popeye's.

But, don't worry! In a Facebook post, MAJ writes they play on "updating and upgrading the building without losing its nostalgic features."

Uh huh.

The alley was nearly lost to a fire in 2015 due to some oily or greasy rags, but had made a miraculous comeback.

When we went in January, there was a 30-minute wait to bowl—on a Tuesday night. This was in part due to the heavy metal bowling league that calls the alley its home.

The closure means the only place to go bowling in inner-Portland is Grand Central Bowling, which is so, so shiny. If you want to experience a classic bowling dive, you'll have to go to Milwaukie Bowl or KingPins Family Center on SE 92nd and Powell Boulevard.

Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.