Riverside Lanes Is Back
Au Sable Forks – After being closed for three years Riverside Lanes reopened on August 1st. Leagues have returned and the kitchen is operating. Au Sable Forks native John Sorrell, his wife Amy and Amy’s brother Kevin Bedard have brought the business back to life.
Amy Sorrell quit her full-time job to operate the business. She said, “I began working in restaurants when I was 15 and went to school for restaurant management. My brother Kevin has a degree in business and my husband John retires in five years and has always wanted to go into business.” She’s optimistic about the future saying, “It’s a vital part of the community and there are some serious bowlers here.”
Many things have been happening since the August 1 opening. Amy explained, “We opened the kitchen on September 15th. There’s a dart league and bowling leagues every night or afternoon except Wednesday. Bowlers are coming from several surrounding communities including Peru. The youth program is back and we have pre-school to 12th grade leagues and bowling instruction. We’re especially proud that as of November 13th the Au Sable Valley Patriots, the NYS Bowling Champions, are coming back. We’ll be the Home of the Patriots.”
Located at the corner of Route 9N and McCrea St. Riverside Lanes has been an important part of the community since 1902 when it opened as Riverside Hotel. Bowling lanes were installed in 1935. Today it includes an attractive restaurant, pool table, large arcade room and eight modern bowling lanes. The arcade games have proven to be popular with teens and families already enjoying their birthday parties. At a birthday party price of $12 for 3 bowling games, shoes, a burger and fries it’s quite a deal. Amy already has plans to expand the kitchen and install more comfortable seating in the alley pits. Eventually she’d like to open the upstairs as an Airbnb.
Town of Black Brook Supervisor Jon Douglass is very happy that Riverside Lanes has re-opened, He commented, “This is very positive. The business is a community staple and it adds to the quality of life here.” Douglass cited the nearby new Peru Credit Union building and the removal of an abandoned building as a sign that Au Sable Forks is moving in the right direction.
Riverside Lanes is open daily. There’s Early Bird Bowling on Tuesdays. The kitchen is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily and hours will expand as soon as a liquor license is issued. Call 518-647-0179 for information.
Posted: November 4th, 2019 under Adirondack Region News, Community Events, General News, Northern NY News, Peru/Regional History.