Opened in 1939, Day Street bowling alley to close in spring

By Elizabeth Bernardi

Walking into Sacco’s Bowl Haven and Billiards is like walking back a half-century in time. The d√©cor has not been updated in as long, and as evidence, a framed copy of The Tufts Weekly hangs in the entryway, the front page headline reading, ‚ÄúTuition Raised $150.‚Äù A silver-and-blue Marlin hangs on one wall, a pink flamingo behind the counter, and framed photos of bowling games past dot the walls. And all of the scores are still kept by hand.

The bowling alley and billiards hall has been on Day Street since 1939, and four generations of the Sacco family have overseen it. At one time, there were 19 bowling alleys owned by Sacco’s in the Boston area, a number that dwindled over time. Sacco’s Bowl Haven is the last remaining, but as of this spring, its doors will close permanently.

Co-owner J.P. Sacco says his family has decided it’s the right time for them to move on. The bowling alley, with prices that seem not to have increased in 50 years either, is not a lucrative business, said Sacco. He and his brother Damon, a co-owner, both hold other jobs that occupy much of their time. Their father, who is also a co-owner in the business, has retired to Florida. And although they all feel sentimental loyalty to the Bowl Haven, they are ready to let go of what Sacco called something of a ‚Äúdinosaur.‚Äù

Shoe rental at the Bowl Haven costs $1.50, and a string of candlepin bowling goes for $3.00 ($2.75 on weekday mornings and afternoons). Sacco’s father was adamant that the business remain uncomplicated, so there have never been food or alcohol sales, where Sacco says other bowling alleys make most of their money.

On a recent Saturday night, though, the lanes and tables were packed, with a waiting list for bowling lanes numbering half a dozen. The jukebox played loudly, nearly drowning out the sound of employees calling the names of those waiting.

First-time bowler Charlotte Johnson, a newcomer to Somerville, said she had discovered the Bowl Haven while driving home from dinner one night. ‚ÄúWe’re trying to find more places to hang out, and this was cool,‚Äù she said.

Sacco has not taken this decision lightly, and it has been a long time in coming, he said.

‚ÄúI took over this bowling alley with my brother back in ’95 and ’96 and it was four generations – my father, grandfather, and great-grandfather – who were involved in this bowling alley thing‚ĶThis is the last of the dinosaurs.‚Äù

Sacco, who grew up in Arlington, has memories of playing hockey in the streets of then-quiet Davis Square. Although he’s never lived in Somerville, Sacco said he feels loyalty to the community his family’s business has served.

‚ÄúI know the importance of a place for people — children, adolescents, and seniors — to go to for leisure activities,‚Äù he said. ‚ÄúSomerville doesn’t have a lot of outdoor space, and although I don’t live in Somerville, I really like the place.‚Äù

And that, he says, is why he has continued to run the Bowl Haven all these years.

‚ÄúThe reason I kept it alive was for the community,‚Äù explained Sacco, not the profits. ‚ÄúKing’s in Boston charges exorbitant prices for the shoes,‚Äù he said, citing the upscale bowling alley, ‚Äúand I think he’s doing pretty well, so that’s a money maker. This is more of a community business. Because of my attitude, I’m really more invested in doing what I think is right for the community.‚Äù

Sacco has entertained offers for his property over the course of the last decade, turning down corporate giants or real estate developers looking for luxury condo space or parking lots. He said he felt an obligation to the community to try to find a buyer who would use the space to contribute to the Davis Square neighborhood in a constructive way.

Enter Trish Blain, whose proposal to buy the Bowl Haven included a community center where residents could surf the Web or chat over coffee, said Sacco. Blain, who did not return phone calls for this story, is a four-year resident of Davis Square, and Sacco said she has been eager to engage her neighbors in conversation about what sort of space would serve them well.

In an October posting on LiveJournal, Blain described her idea. ‚ÄúThe quick overview,‚Äù she wrote, ‚Äúis that we want to develop unique spaces and services that (1) help people meet each other (2) expand people’s homes and offices and (3) enhance the creative/renaissance lifestyle. (Features like flexible meeting space, unique social events, art and music salons are some examples).‚Äù At the time, she was calling the space ‚ÄúThe Connections Center‚Äù but Sacco said that after some negative feedback about that name’s ambiguity, she set it aside.

Blain also agreed to keep some of the bowling lanes and billiards tables available for use, and she decided to include a small exhibit space dedicated to the rich history of Sacco’s Bowl Haven.

J.P. Sacco, who has signed a purchase-and-sale agreement, supports the plan Blain laid out to build the community center, although he said that once the deal has closed, of course, Blain will have the right to do whatever she chooses with the property, provided she can secure the necessary permits from the city.

At a December meeting of the Davis Square Task Force Blain said part of her plan was to build a 100-room hotel on Day Street after securing the Bowl Haven and other surrounding property.

   
Restrictions will prohibit her from building higher than 50 feet in Davis Square, and Sacco said he believes Blain can only expand upward on half of the building. The property abuts residential space, which will also limit Blain’s options. The Somerville News last month reported that Blain announced her plan to build a ‚Äúconnection center that also has 100 hotel rooms.‚Äù In a comment posted on the Somerville News website later that week, Blain mentioned ‚Äúthe guest rooms/hotel aspect‚Äù of her plan, promising that ‚Äúthe guest rooms would not be rentable by the hour.‚Äù

Whatever Blain’s plan, employees and customers at the Bowl Haven will be sorry to see it shut down if the closing succeeds in early April, after the dozen leagues that play there have finished their seasons. Sacco said he was sorry to see any of his employees put out of work, and his league teams displaced. ‚ÄúI don’t want to put people out in the cold,‚Äù he said. But he emphasized that he is behind Blain’s plan as he understands it.

‚ÄúI think it would be such a great asset. I’m promoting her plan and when I stood up at the [Davis Square Task Force meeting last fall where Blain presented her plan], I told them I’ve considered many options and it’s definitely not going to stay in our family. It’s going to enhance the flavor of our square.‚Äù

One employee and longtime customer, Fred Blank, said he has been coming to the Bowl Haven since he  was four years old, and that it gave him a place to hang out.

‚ÄúIt’s like if you closed a park in the city,‚Äù said Blank. ‚ÄúIt’s like taking down the Powder House – it’s like taking a piece of history out of Somerville.‚Äù

Blank, who grew up in nearby Teele Square, said the Bowl Haven had been just that Рa haven Рto him and his siblings, a place to play on school vacations. He described both J.P. and Damon Sacco as “real good guys” who listened to his suggestion for a weekday bowling deal for kids and then made it happen.

“Look how many people are here,” he said, gesturing around him. “The lanes are filled, there are no open tables. It might be just one night a week, but still.”

Ten-year employee Mike Carey summed up the benefits of the Bowl Haven: “You can throw balls here without getting into a lot of trouble, as long as you aim at the pins.”