NJ bowling alley is coming back to life

If you grew up in Piscataway — or P-way, as some locals there like to call it — there’s not a chance you don’t know about Stelton Lanes. The bowling alley on Stelton Road has been there for decades, originally opening in the 1960s. More than half a century of strikes, spares, leagues, and kids' birthday parties.

So when the pandemic hit and they were forced to close down for two weeks, and those two weeks turned into months, and then years, it was a big deal. Just when people in Piscataway figured it was never coming back, it’s now been bought out by Circle Bowl & Entertainment.

The new owners announced on Facebook they’re bringing the bowling alley back to life and it will be opening in the fall of this year.

It won’t be just a bowling alley anymore.

On Facebook Circle Bowl & Entertainment said:

For our bowling lovers, we will have 14 bowling lanes, along with competitive leagues and pro shop.

For everyone else, we will have a full service restaurant/bar, state of the art arcade/AI games, giant LED tv wall, private party rooms & VIP area, gift shop, & so much more!”

It’s nice to see a New Jersey bowling alley making a comeback because so many have been closing down.

Woodbridge Bowling Center went dark in May. In March Stryxe in Madison (the former Plaza Lanes) abruptly shuttered. Warren Lanes in Warren County just closed for good at the end of July and they had been there since the 1950s.

By the way, if the name Circle Bowl is ringing a bell, there’s another location in Ledgewood, New Jersey. But I wonder if three generations of Stelton Lanes fans will ever call it anything else. Sort of the Garden State Arts Center of bowling.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

You can now listen to Deminski & Doyle — On Demand! Hear New Jersey’s favorite afternoon radio show any day of the week. Download the Deminski & Doyle show wherever you get podcasts, on our free app, or listen right now.

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.