Despite a slightly lower-than-usual turnout due to limits on international travel and cash-strapped businesses, Bowl Expo 2021 was by all accounts a major success. According to BPAA Executive Director Frank Desocio, both attendee and exhibitor numbers were about 80% of 2019’s numbers.

The vendors and bowling proprietors alike were just happy and thankful to see their peers, he noted, adding: “There’s also no doubt they do more business being face to face than they do by trying to do it on a Zoom call or something like that.”

While certain portions of the country are still in earlier stages of recovery mode, many are thriving. “The bowling business is off the charts across the country,” Desocio said. “Even the operators who just opened more recently. We’ve got guys in Florida doing record numbers.”

Now, for most of us, it’s off to Las Vegas for Amusement Expo next week. Desocio will be there too and said he hopes the event is even bigger than Bowl Expo. “Our industry’s comeback is simple: We’re just trying to get back to normalcy.”

 Our full coverage from the Bowl Expo floor will be in the August issue of RePlay.