Views on Bowling Lanes’ Closing

On Monday, April 10, I announced to the employees and customers of the Conejo Village Bowl that after 35 years of continuous operation, I was forced to close the business for economic reasons. It was a sad and wrenching experience.

Late that night, a Times reporter called my home and started peppering my wife, Marney, with questions. Marney explained that we would appreciate it if The Times would hold the story until the following Wednesday as I had not had a chance to inform all of my employees. Marney went on to explain how wrenching this decision was, how I’d about run through my life savings subsidizing payroll and mortgage payments while trying to keep the bowl alive, that we would be saying goodby to friends and loyal employees of many years and how painful that it was and, well, that she guessed that there would be a better economic use for the property, but coming to that conclusion was the most painful thing.

The quote that hit the paper was, “There are better uses for that property than a bowling alley.” Sort of like Marie Antoinette saying, “Let them eat cake.”

My friends, employees and customers are furious, and people who don’t know Marney or me are considering us cold and heartless. I’ve received anonymous phone calls. It was truly an unappreciated application of salt rubbed in an already tender wound.

LARRY JANSS

Thousand Oaks

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I must respond to your article in the April 12 edition relating to the closing of Conejo Village Bowl.

Larry Janss states that business has dropped off and he acts as if people should feel sorry for him and in this manner he can justify putting 55 to 60 people out of work.

Where was Janss a year and a half ago when several hundred bowlers asked for him and his management to support our right to smoke and to appear before the Thousand Oaks City Council and ask for an exemption for the bowling alley? Even if the council had not granted the exemption, Janss would have tried.

What was the purpose of raising league fees for the 6 p.m. bowlers? The 6 p.m. bowlers are the lifeblood of any bowling operation. As if that were not enough of a slap in the face to the people that have supported this bowling operation for years (I have been a steady league customer for approximately 10 years), they also raised the price of food and drinks.

I would ask Larry Janss when he last walked through the bowling center during leagues and asked his patrons how everything was and if they had any advice on how to make it better?

This is why people left Conejo Village Bowl and went to bowl in Simi Valley, Camarillo and other cities, not because bowling is any less popular than it used to be.

BILL WILLIAMS

Thousand Oaks