(By Jon Harris/NEWS STAFF REPORTER) Many would consider what’s inside the building at 165 Sears Street on Buffalo’s East Side to be an endangered species.
The Corpus Christi Social & Athletic Club has a 12-lane bowling alley within its walls, complete with retro furniture, paper scoring and nearly 60-year-old AMF machines that run like new.
For many of the past several years, the building that was constructed in 1928 has sat idle with only one of the bowling alley’s lanes functioning – and barely at that. But this past winter, all 12 lanes were oiled and ready for winter leagues.
The lanes at Corpus Christi are making a comeback when other church bowling alleys continue to die off as they have for the past 30 years. The most interesting part: The lanes are helping Corpus Christi stay afloat financially.
Meanwhile, the eight-lane bowling alley at Infant of Prague in Cheektowaga recently shut down because of expenses not deemed cost-effective.
