July 2026 updates
July 2026: it's been a while since the last update.
Instagram and the email newsletter got some June progress news. Here we’ll recap a bit of what's been in the works in June and July, and what's ahead through summer and fall.
See Facebook post for comments and discussion.
The short version, starting from square one:
Ukiah’s former Rite Aid is going to be a bowling alley and all-ages social hub.
The location's locked in, and the conditional use permit’s approved for it, as of early June.
On site, we’re catching up with deferred maintenance from while it was vacant, measuring everything as-is, and working on keeping the property cleaner and safer in the meantime. Also meeting and getting to know a lot of neighbors.
On paper and in bowling alleys, we’re doing research, planning, design, and engineering for the build-out, systems, and equipment for every part of the business. That’s involved a fair amount of bowling, checking out the back-end of alleys across northern California, and hearing from other owners – old school, new school, country, city, everything in between.
Those plans will hopefully turn into permits, then actual interior demolition and construction before the end of this calendar year if all goes well. (A lot of variables, though.)
On bowling:
There are three main US bowling equipment vendors/installers. We’ve worked in depth with each of those on proposals for Ukiah Bowl’s 12 lane setup, and continue to iterate through every line item.
Nothing to share on specific decisions there just yet. As someone (Steve) new to the industry side of the bowling world, I’ve very much appreciated how open and helpful everyone’s been along the way, from bowlers to owners to vendors.
In terms of the vision and priorities for bowlers’ experience, we’re trying to hit the full spectrum: serious bowlers can focus on their game and compete in a league when the lights are up, and casual bowlers can have a lot of glow-in-the-dark fun when the lights are down.
It’d be easier to design with just one or the other in mind – but as the only alley for a long ways and with the goal of bringing a wide range of people together, it’s important to strike (ha!) a healthy balance.
It’ll be U.S. Bowling Congress-certified. It’ll have leagues. It’ll have birthday parties. It’ll be fun.
And it will start out as one thing then adapt, as people's preferences on the lanes and off evolve. Hopefully over many years.
Progress, physically and conceptually:
The abandoned car’s gone, the irrigation’s patched and on, the dead trees are gone (to be replaced later), the litter is gone (then back again, then gone), the graffiti’s mostly painted over, the remaining shelves are donated, the aisle signs are gone, the circuit labels are updated, the sewer’s mapped and measured, the surveying’s done.
On paper, the walls and floors are drawn, pipes are planned, outlets are penciled in, kitchen’s spec’d, exterior signs are designed, water heaters are listed, restrooms are configured, solar’s laid out, calculations are being calculated, etc.
Still to come are details on every light, seat, rack, door, plant, shelf, paint, and so much more that makes a place come into its own.
Last, some local business shoutouts since the last round. Thanks for making it a reality step by step:
Advantage Towing & Transportation Services, Affordable Backflow Inspection, Cornerstone Civil Design, Deep Valley Security, Hernandez Electric, Matt’s Custom Tree Care, Paramount Sign Contractors, Redwood Credit Union, Redwood Empire Title Company, Redwood Rooter, and apologies to others missing from that list.
