Changes ahead for bowling alley

The Alley Cat Lanes & Lounge, formerly the Knights of Columbus bowling alley, is under new ownership and some major changes are on the horizon. 
The new owners, Lexy and Ryan Schilling of Perryville, say they are very invested in this “local treasure.”
“We recognize the nostalgia and the wonderful memories that many in our community have with the bowling alley,” said Lexy, who has taken the lead on the renovation project. “We aren’t looking to move away from the nostalgia — we want to build upon it.” 
One of the ideas that Lexy has includes remodeling the bowling alley, including the bathrooms and the flooring. Specifically, Lexy wants to add glow-in-the-dark carpet to “add to the fun atmosphere.” 
With the renovations come some reorganizing of the floor space, and some new and exciting additions. 
“Not only do we want people to come to bowl, we want our community to see us as a fun place to hang out and take a load off,” Lexy said. 
In keeping with this spirit, planned additions include a sports bar and grill, as well as a new arcade.
“We want to put as many arcade games as we can fit into this building,” Lexy said. “The goal in mind is to attract customers not just for the bowling, but for drinks, great food, and a fun hang-out spot to watch games and chat with other members of the community.”

With the new sports bar, she said, an expanded menu is sure to come. 
“In the future, we see a place where parents can come to take a load off,” Lexy said, “while the little ones run around and bowl or play arcade games.”
While there are many projects planned for the inside, Lexy said there are also plans for the exterior and the parking lot. 
“We hope to offer a beer garden for adults, as well as fun games such as washers, cornhole, and anything else we can think of,” she said.
The plan is to include a fire pit and seating right outside of the front entrance along with the beer garden and outdoor games. 
With all of these changes, Lexy emphasized that the current leagues and tournaments the bowling alley offers will stay the same.
“We hope to offer more leagues, and really make our bowling alley a staple of the community at large,” Lexy said. 
The Schillings say they plan to keep the bowling alley open as much as possible for the enjoyment of the community.