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St. Cloud State University
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Granite bowl offers option for students
By Jake Zisla
Published:
Thursday, October 17, 2002
Media Credit: Jessica Tonsfeldt
Fourth year SCSU student John Scott, an advertising and public relations major, gets ready to bowl during College Night at Granite Bowl Tuesday night.
SCSU students willing to take a quick jaunt down the street from The Red Carpet and The Press can find a night dedicated to them at Granite Bowl.
Granite Bowl is hosting Show Your ID night again this year with specials on bowling, beer and mixed drinks every Tuesday night for anyone with a college ID. Granite Bowl South hosts a similar promotion every Thursday.
Specials for college night include bowling, 22 ounce tap beer, Captain Morgan drinks and appetizer specials, each for $2.
Rich Bares, general manager of the newly remodeled Granite Bowl, said that the response to the college night has been encouraging.
The turnout has been really good," Bares said. "We had a lot of college kids in here on Tuesdays last year, and hopefully, we can duplicate that this year."
Bares, who graduated from SCSU last spring, credits last year's remodeling with bringing in a good portion of the crowd.
"We took some really big steps to get rid of the dark and gloomy 1940s feel in here," Bares said. "We wanted to make it more up to date, like a sports bar, and really incorporate a restaurant into it. I think we did a good job."
SCSU senior Jeremy Coffman, a marketing major, remembers Granite Bowl before the renovations.
"Honestly, I thought it was just a dump," Coffman said. "Now it's got this really cool, kind of new-age style going on. It's pretty slick."
Granite Bowl South also underwent some changes, as an almost entirely new bowling center was put in this summer. Dave Bischoff, owner of both alleys, is very proud of the changes.
"The renovation at Granite Bowl was done last year, and has had a huge impact on the number of people we've had in there," Bischoff said. "Down here (at Granite Bowl South), the changes are a little newer, and a lot of the younger crowd hasn't really caught on yet, but we're hoping they will."
Bischoff is most proud of the new light and sound system installed at Granite Bowl South, guaranteeing that the cosmic bowling show on Saturday night is the "best in the whole state." Bischoff said he owes this to the $150,000 he spent on the light and sound system.
"It's a lot of fun down here on Saturdays," he said. "We see a lot of high school and college kids."
While the college promotions have thrived at Granite Bowl, they are still struggling to catch on at Granite Bowl South.
Kevin Hopper, a junior majoring in travel and tourism was intrigued by the specials, but not impressed by the turnout at Granite Bowl South last Thursday.
"There were good prices on everything, but there weren't too many college kids there," Hopper said.
Bischoff credits the slow start to location, and the fact that the promotion is only in its fourth week at Granite Bowl South.
"Granite Bowl is in a great location downtown," he said. "It's easy to get to and we have had that promotion going on since last year, so more people know about it."
Bares said Granite Bowl's location on West St. Germain and Division Street is the main draw for college kids.
"We haven't really done much advertising as far as radio or television," Bares said. "But that marquee out there is right on Division, and thousands of cars pass that every day. If we have a sign up there that says, 'drink specials for college kids', people will show up."
Granite Bowl and Granite Bowl South have gone through some changes in the last year, all in an effort to generate a more pleasant atmosphere for bowlers and a more entertaining experience for everyone. While it remains to be seen if Granite Bowl South can court the college crowd on Thursdays, one thing is certain; college kids who go to Granite Bowl can get a little bowling with their cheap drinks.
