The Cupertino Courier
News
Bowling is rolling into Cupertino Square mall July 16
By Cody Kraatz
Strike Cupertino, an upscale 32-lane bowling venue, is slated to open at Cupertino Square, formerly Vallco Fashion Park, on July 16. The new tenant is part of the mall's continuing renovation.
Strike's offerings include standard bowling alley amenities, but it aims for a different audience than traditional bowling alleys. The company is banking on the business of local technology companies based in Cupertino and Silicon Valley.
"We don't like to be considered a bowling alley. We like to be considered an entertainment venue that has bowling," said Julie Lavallie, vice president of sales for New York-based Strike Holdings LLC. At the company's flagship location on Long Island, about 50 percent of the sales come from corporate business, which requires more sophisticated food and entertainment choices. In Cupertino, the company expects similar sales.
"This is going to be our staple property," said Lavallie. Companies can rent lanes and arrange catering for office parties, team-building sessions or sales celebrations. Strike is located on the ground floor near the Wolfe Road overpass, and can be accessed from the JC Penney parking lot.
Strike exemplifies a trend in the already mature bowling industry. Some traditional bowling alleys in the area have been bulldozed for new development, and flashier, upscale venues such as Strike seem to be taking their place. The 12-lane Lucky Strike Lanes, which has faced some delays, is still anticipated in downtown San Jose.
"I think the bowling industry is making a comeback because they're staying away from league bowling so they're not discouraging the retail clients from coming in," said Lavallie.
Homestead Lanes on Stelling Road near Homestead Road is a local, old-school bowling alley with a focus on league play and late-night Cosmic Bowling with lights and music videos.
Strike will have a full-service restaurant with lane-side service and a menu including filet mignon, shrimp lo mein and a chocolate fondue station in its buffet. A deejay, a wall of video screens over the pins, an upscale sports bar, pool tables and a 50-game arcade are other offerings.
Lavallie and her staff have a hiring office set up and plan to bring on 150 to 200 people when Strike opens. It needs the approval of the city's building department and the Santa Clara County Fire Department before then.
The remainder of the Cupertino Square redevelopment is moving along, but no other major tenants have been announced.
AMC Cupertino Square 16, which opened last April, is ranked 11th out of the 90 AMC theaters in the Bay Area in terms of ticket sales. Cupertino Square management is waiting on bids from contractors to bring utilities to the sites of a planned California Pizza Kitchen and Islands Restaurant.
To learn more about Strike Cupertino, visit www.strikecupertino.com.
