
Bowling Centers
Description
Bowling centers function as dedicated entertainment venues where patrons rent lanes to play bowling under professional supervision or for self-service. These establishments go beyond the basic sport by offering extensive food and beverage options, often including themed restaurants, bars, and catering services to complement the game. Typical business activities involve maintaining the condition of the lanes, cleaning equipment, managing security, and organizing special events such as corporate team-building outings or local tournaments. The industry also frequently hosts seasonal promotions, holiday celebrations, and children's parties designed to attract families and social groups seeking leisure and social interaction. Operators in this sector range from large regional chains with multiple locations across various cities to small, family-owned local franchises. Some venues specialize specifically in bowling, while others integrate additional amusement attractions like arcade games or mini-golf into a single recreation complex. The scale of these businesses varies significantly, with some operating hundreds of lanes alongside large hospitality facilities, while others manage a compact footprint with just a few lanes but a focus on premium dining and entertainment experiences. Collectively, these businesses serve as important community hubs that combine physical activity with dining, providing a diverse range of recreational activities that encourage repeat customer visits and year-round patronage.
Hierarchy
| Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 71 | Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation 2-digit sector | The Sector as a Whole The Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation sector includes a wide range of establishments that operate facilities or provide services to meet varied cultural, entertainment, and recreational interests of their patrons. This sector comprises (1) establishments that are involved in producing, promoting, or participating in live performances, events, or exhibits intended for public viewing; (2) establishments that preserve and exhibit objects and sites of historical, cultural, or educational interest; and (3) establishments that operate facilities or provide services that enable patrons to participate in recreational activities or pursue amusement, hobby, and leisure-time interests. Some establishments that provide cultural, entertainment, or recreational facilities and services are classified in other sectors. Excluded from this sector are: (1) establishments that provide both accommodations and recreational facilities, such as hunting and fishing camps and resort and casino hotels, are classified in Subsector 721, Accommodation; (2) restaurants and night clubs that provide live entertainment in addition to the sale of food and beverages are classified in Subsector 722, Food Services and Drinking Places; (3) motion picture theaters, libraries and archives, and publishers of newspapers, magazines, books, periodicals, and computer software are classified in Sector 51, Information; and (4) establishments using transportation equipment to provide recreational and entertainment services, such as those operating sightseeing buses, dinner cruises, or helicopter rides, are classified in Subsector 487, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation. |
| 713 | Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries 3-digit subsector | Industries in the Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries subsector (1) operate facilities where patrons can primarily engage in sports, recreation, amusement, or gambling activities and/or (2) provide other amusement and recreation services, such as supplying and servicing amusement devices in places of business operated by others; operating sports teams, clubs, or leagues engaged in playing games for recreational purposes; and guiding tours without using transportation equipment. This subsector does not cover all establishments providing recreational services. Other sectors of NAICS also provide recreational services. Providers of recreational services are often engaged in processes classified in other sectors of NAICS. For example, operators of resorts and hunting and fishing camps provide both accommodation and recreational facilities and services. These establishments are classified in Subsector 721, Accommodation, partly to reflect the significant costs associated with the provision of accommodation services and partly to ensure consistency with international standards. Likewise, establishments using transportation equipment to provide recreational and entertainment services, such as those operating sightseeing buses, dinner cruises, or helicopter rides, are classified in Subsector 487, Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation. The industry groups in this subsector highlight particular types of activities: amusement parks and arcades, gambling industries, and other amusement and recreation industries. The groups, however, are not all-inclusive of the activity. The Gambling Industries industry group does not provide for full coverage of gambling activities. For example, casino hotels are classified in Subsector 721, Accommodation; and horse and dog racing tracks without casinos are classified in Industry Group 7112, Spectator Sports. |
| 7139 | Other Amusement and Recreation Industries 4-digit industry group | This industry group comprises establishments primarily engaged in operating golf courses and country clubs; skiing facilities; marinas; fitness and recreational sports centers; bowling centers; and providing other amusement and recreation services. |
| 71395 | Bowling Centers 5-digit NAICS industry | See industry description for 713950. |
| 713950 | Bowling Centers 6-digit U.S. detail | Bowling centers function as dedicated entertainment venues where patrons rent lanes to play bowling under professional supervision or for self-service. These establishments go beyond the basic sport by offering extensive food and beverage options, often including themed restaurants, bars, and catering services to complement the game. Typical business activities involve maintaining the condition of the lanes, cleaning equipment, managing security, and organizing special events such as corporate team-building outings or local tournaments. The industry also frequently hosts seasonal promotions, holiday celebrations, and children's parties designed to attract families and social groups seeking leisure and social interaction. Operators in this sector range from large regional chains with multiple locations across various cities to small, family-owned local franchises. Some venues specialize specifically in bowling, while others integrate additional amusement attractions like arcade games or mini-golf into a single recreation complex. The scale of these businesses varies significantly, with some operating hundreds of lanes alongside large hospitality facilities, while others manage a compact footprint with just a few lanes but a focus on premium dining and entertainment experiences. Collectively, these businesses serve as important community hubs that combine physical activity with dining, providing a diverse range of recreational activities that encourage repeat customer visits and year-round patronage. |
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Index Items
Bowling alleys
Bowling centers
Candle pin bowling alleys
Candle pin bowling centers
Duck pin bowling alleys
Duck pin bowling centers
Five pin bowling centers
Ten pin bowling alleys
Ten pin bowling centers
How Item Can Help
Item.com's Warehouse Management System optimizes inventory by automating bin allocation and picking routes tailored to the specific dimensions of bowling balls and accessories, reducing staff errors and speeding up order fulfillment in high-volume sports retail environments.
The Order Management System consolidates orders from online, social media, and walk-in customers into a single unified view, ensuring that salespeople in bowling centers can instantly check real-time inventory levels across multiple store locations before recommending specific products.
Transportation Management Software provides cost-effective routing solutions for delivery trucks hauling heavy sports equipment, ensuring timely and safe deliveries of bowling lanes' specialized supplies and new retail stores' large pallets.
External Resources
Census.gov NAICS Detail
Official US Census Bureau definition and scope for NAICS 713950.
Bowling Green Association
National trade association representing bowling center owners, operators, and suppliers.
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Bowling Alleys
Government labor statistics page detailing industry data for bowling centers and alleys.
Bowling Culture
Industry directory and community resource providing resources for bowling center professionals and enthusiasts.