Snapshots of History by Mike Avitt
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Lucky Lanes was not Mount Ayr’s first attempt at a bowling alley. In January 1937, a “duck pin” alley opened in the Wilson building on the west side of the square. I believe the location to be 107 S. Fillmore as United Food Market had moved out of this building after a fire in February 1936.
Duck pin bowling differed from 10 pin in that duck pins were shorter than 10 pins and the balls, being without finger holes, were about half the size of regular bowling balls. The alley would be managed by Arnold Bell, of Charleston, Illinois, a member of the Duck Pin Bowling Association. Pin setters, probably teenage boys, would be hired to set the pins manually.
Three weeks after the alley opened Sam Holland bought the business and put his brother Kenneth in charge. I could not find anymore information about this enterprise. But, during my search I found a short-lived business that had previously escaped my notice.
A dance hall opened at 111 S. Fillmore in October 1941. The business offered a lunch counter and space for parties or bridge clubs. It was owned and operated by Johnstons’, which I’m guessing was Raymond and Rupert Johnston, who were very active in the Mount Ayr business community in the 1940s and 1950s. This dance hall later operated under the name Drift Inn. Earlier in the year, the Johnston family sponsored open-air dances behind the popcorn stand at 114 S. Taylor.
The last mention I find for Drift Inn in the Mount Ayr Record-News is April 1942. Most indoor activities are better attended in the winter months. Iowa is a very seasonal state.
In June 1960, Ted Perlenfein and Albert Bagley approached the Mount Ayr City Council seeking a permit to install a bowling alley in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows building on E. Madison Street. Ted and Albert were members of the Odd Fellows and the IOOF would be the owners and operators of the bowling alley.
Lucky Lanes opened on September 10, 1960 at 106 E. Madison with Bagley and Perlenfein as managers. Early in 1961, the pair bought the business from the Odd Fellows.
An article in the April 20, 1961 Record-News states Bagley and Perlenfein had secured land one-fourth of a mile west of the west junction of Highways 2 and 169 for the purpose building an eight-lane bowling alley. This new alley never materialized and I can only speculate as to their motives. In April 1962 Bagley bought the interest of his partner, Perlenfein, in Lucky Lanes.
In the early days, pins were set manually by teenage boys. By the time Jake Dailey bought Lucky Lanes in 1966, the alley was equipped by automatic pin-setters. Bob and Jane Thomas managed the bowling alley for Jake. Mr. Dailey sold in 1972 to Bud and Hazel Mathews. Jake bought Lucky Lanes back in 1977 with partner Keith Bastow. Jake bought out his partner in 1981 and continued to own Lucky Lanes until the business closed in 1994.
