Autumn Mowery, 20, operates the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine. She has been operating the place by herself and must replace the bowling alley’s equipment so as to have the ability to rent any workers.
Sofia Aldinio for NPR
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Sofia Aldinio for NPR
Autumn Mowery, 20, operates the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine. She has been operating the place by herself and must replace the bowling alley’s equipment so as to have the ability to rent any workers.
Sofia Aldinio for NPR
ELLSWORTH, Maine — Pins are crashing. Bowling balls are rolling. Funkytown is taking part in on the stereo.
It is a typical Saturday afternoon in November at “D’Amanda’s,” a candlepin bowling alley and arcade in Ellsworth, Maine. The ambiance at D’Amanda’s might sound like common bowling, however with one look, it is apparent this isn’t traditional 10-pin huge ball bowling.
Eleven-year-old Lola Stratton holds a candlepin ball. It is small, concerning the measurement of a grapefruit. She stares down the pins, that are slender, like huge toothpicks. Despite the fact that candlepin permits three rolls and the small ball makes it seem simple, it is troublesome to knock down all 10 pins.
“Would not actually matter what I do personally as a result of I at all times lose. However I am OK with that,” Lola says.
The candlepin bowling alley is the one leisure in Ellsworth, Maine.
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The candlepin bowling alley is the one leisure in Ellsworth, Maine.
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Autumn Mowery cannot take any walk-ins, as a result of she is the one worker of the candlepin bowling alley. A gaggle of native ladies made reservations to rejoice a celebration.
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Autumn Mowery cannot take any walk-ins, as a result of she is the one worker of the candlepin bowling alley. A gaggle of native ladies made reservations to rejoice a celebration.
Sofia Aldinio for NPR
Lola takes her first roll, and it is a gutter ball. Her second roll goes extra heading in the right direction and he or she knocks three pins down. The downed pins are known as “deadwood” and keep within the lane for the final throw.
Roll No. 3 glides down the middle of the lane and knocks down three extra pins.
“Oh!” Lola says. She’s glad. It is one in every of her finest frames but.
Candlepin bowling isn’t well-known in many of the United States.
In accordance with the Worldwide Candlepin Bowling Affiliation, it started in Worcester, Mass., in 1880. From there it unfold all through New England and the Canadian Maritimes. At present, this area continues to be candlepin nation.
Lola is bowling with a gaggle of associates. Earlier within the sport, the balls stopped returning of their lane. So that they seize the boss, Autumn Mowery.
Mowery is 20 years previous and is aware of tips on how to repair most lane issues on the spot. She began working right here in 2019 and grew to like the game and constructing relationships with clients. In 2020, her mother purchased the enterprise and Mowery started operating the day-to-day operations.
Bowling balls and pins on the candlepin bowling alley.
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Mowery and a pal who’s volunteering take away a canopy from the ball chute and discover a jam within the ball return. Whereas she types the jam out, Mowery explains that for the reason that gear is previous, every lane has its personal quirks.
“I really like these lanes. They’re positively a ache within the butt. However they’re nonetheless operating for me — a few of them,” she says.
The pinsetters are prototypes from 1949. So Mowery cannot order new elements. Within the meantime, she makes use of Lane 5 as a scrap yard. Through the years, earlier house owners have jerry-rigged numerous fixes.
“It is all duct tape and bubblegum again there,” she says.
When clients arrive, Mowery apologizes prematurely of breakdowns.
Quickly sufficient, Lane 1 is down. Mowery zips out again.
Behind the lanes is a symphony of whirring and clanging among the many jungle of motors, chains and conveyors. Mowery inspects the issue: the sweeper bar is not gathering the pins.
“It is too chilly,” she says. “These should not shifting the best way they need to be.”
Mowery resets a number of switches and will get the lane again on observe. She expects to have this drawback all day for the reason that climate has turned chilly and he or she’s nonetheless ready on her heating oil to reach.
Autumn Mowery is answerable for all the upkeep on the lanes.
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Autumn Mowery is answerable for all the upkeep on the lanes.
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Autumn Mowery behind the lanes on the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine.
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Autumn Mowery behind the lanes on the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine.
Sofia Aldinio for NPR
This is only one of many stressors Mowery offers with every day. She lives above the alley and sometimes makes repairs till 1 or 2 am. She’s the one worker. The roof leaks. Heating and cooling the large constructing is pricey. She even dropped this semester of school to atone for sleep.
Mowery’s decided — in opposition to all odds — to maintain the candlepin alley going. She says the custom is disappearing as a result of many house owners cannot sustain with the upkeep, and it is too costly to get new candlepin elements. Many alleys are closing or changing to traditional 10-pin.
Regulars recognize the trouble to avoid wasting the custom.
“I do wish to see that she’s making an attempt her hardest to maintain the unique elements. And hats off to her as a result of I do know that is positively not a straightforward activity to maintain up with,” says Sam Sawyer, a girl in her mid-20s who grew up coming right here and whose household has been coming to this alley for generations.
“I’ve such distinct and fond reminiscences of identical to, me and my cousins going out, like getting Pizza Hut after which coming right here. It was essentially the most happenin’ place,” she says.
At present, Sawyer is right here for her niece’s birthday. Household traveled from hours away to fulfill at D’Amanda’s.
“It means so much to so many individuals round right here, that it is actually like one other house for us. So I believe it is a matter of preserving it alive for generations to return,” she says.
Mowery is aware of how a lot candlepin means to her group and he or she needs extra cities throughout the nation to have it too. She has hopes to increase in Maine after which unfold the game exterior of New England.
She began a TikTok account, @EllsworthCandlepinAlley, to get the phrase out. For now, she’s bringing individuals collectively in Ellsworth, Maine, one candlepin at a time.
Autumn Mowery prepares the lane for a gaggle of locals on the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine.
Sofia Aldinio for NPR
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Autumn Mowery prepares the lane for a gaggle of locals on the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine.
Sofia Aldinio for NPR
