Striking Up Fun at Royal Z Lanes Bowling Alley

"You always want to please your bowlers... We always try to make the bowlers happy," stated Jackie Balon, General Manager of Royal Z Lanes, located at 2667 Rombach Avenue.

Jackie, originally from Hillsboro, Ohio, has worked at Royal Z lanes for over 28 years. In 2017, she took on the role of general manager. Prior to becoming the general manager, Jackie managed the youth leagues for young bowlers. She has continue displaying that passion and encouragement to young bowler and continues to help with the youth leagues today.

Constructed in 1959, the bowling alley was originally known as Airport Bowl and was partially owned by a member of the Zavakos family. In the late 1990s, Louie Zavakos, one of the original owners, passed away and his son, Jim took over. Jim renamed the bowling alley to "Royal Z Lanes" and has owned it ever since.

Royal Z Lanes features bowling lanes, a game room, pool tables, and more. The alley hosts leagues, parties, and all four Clinton County high school bowling teams. On specific days of the week, the bowling alley has a women's, men's, senior, and youth leagues. Their regular leagues begin in August and end in April. The alley also hosts an unsanctioned 12-week summer league for those who want to continue bowling for fun. The bowling alley even hosts tournaments for bowling leagues, bringing in individuals from as far as Dayton to bowl.

In addition to the activities available, Royal Z also has a kitchen and bar that serves "a little bit of everything," including chicken tenders, fried mushrooms, hamburgers, hot dogs, cheese curds, pizza, and more.

On the side of the bowling alley, they host Relentless Pro Shop, a pro bowling shop operated by Austin Smith. According to Jackie, the pro shop features "any type of equipment you need for bowling [professionally]," including shoes, balls, and even a drill to custom drill the ball holes. "

In addition to their regular offerings, Royal Z Lanes will also host fundraisers for sports teams and other organizations.

To learn more about Royal Z Lanes or Relentless Pro Shop, visit royalzlanes.com.