New York’s Oldest Bowling Alley Closes After Nearly 100 Years

After nearly 100 years of strikes, spares, and community memories, the oldest bowling alley in New York State is closing its doors.

There's a sign outside the Solvay Recreation Alley on Milton Avenue in Syracuse that reads “closed indefinitely.”

The bowling alley was built back in 1928 and started with six lanes, according to Syracuse.com.

In the 1950s, the bowling alley underwent an expansion, increasing the number of lanes to 14.

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Owner Passes Away

The closure follows the passing of longtime owner John Zollo, who died on May 3 at the age of 61 after a battle with cancer.

His son, Jonathan Zollo, told Syracuse.com the alley had already been closed to the public for several months during his father’s illness.

With no website or social media presence, Solvay Recreation Alleys was the kind of local gem everyone in town knew about—even if it flew under the radar elsewhere.

In a recent post on the Solvay-Geddes community Facebook page, John’s other son, Joe Zollo, shared that the family is selling bowling balls, shoes, and other equipment as they begin to part with pieces of the alley’s long history.

It’s the end of an era for a place that meant a lot more than just bowling.