Popular Wilmington bowling alley set to close soon

John Staton, Wilmington StarNews
·2 min read
Miriam Marlar bowls in The Young at Heart League at Cardinal Lanes in Wilmington in 2019.
Miriam Marlar bowls in The Young at Heart League at Cardinal Lanes in Wilmington in 2019.

Wilmington bowling alley Cardinal Lanes, which has drawn serious and casual bowlers alike to its location on Shipyard Boulevard for nearly five decades, will close within the month.

Ron Schnell, who's owned Cardinal Lanes for 20 years and worked there for 45, said the business will close on May 1 or 2, after its current leagues have finished their seasons.

"I'm going to miss all the good times," Schnell said. "We've enjoyed it over the years. I know we'll be missed."

Schnell owns the business but not the land, which he said is owned by The Oleander Company. He said he believes that the bowling alley will be torn down and the tract that it's on will be developed.

Ironically, Schnell said, Cardinal Lanes had its best year ever financially last year and was on pace to top it this year.

Cardinal Lanes, which has been a fixture in Wilmington for decades, will close for good by early May.
Cardinal Lanes, which has been a fixture in Wilmington for decades, will close for good by early May.

"We've had our strongest league season in quite a while," he said. "Financially it's probably crazy to close ... But we've got the opportunity to get out, and I'm taking it."

"I'll miss the people," he added. "But I won't miss sweeping up."

Schell said Cardinal Lanes dates to a previous bowling alley that used to be located on Oleander Drive, where Independence Mall is now. When the mall was built in the late 1970s, the bowling alley moved to its current location on Shipyard.

In recent years, Cardinal Lanes has become a popular location for movies and television shows shooting in the Wilmington area. The exterior of the bowling alley was prominently featured in the 2022 horror movie "Scream." Most recently, both the exterior and the interior of Cardinal Lanes was featured in an episode of the Fox TV comedy "Welcome to Flatch."

More: Wilmington film Locally made 'Scream' hits No. 1 at box office, showcases many Wilmington locations

The closing of Cardinal Lanes on Shipyard won't affect the Cardinal Lanes Beach Bowl on Market Street, Schnell said. The two businesses used to be connected but separated when he bought the Shipyard location.

Schnell said he doesn't know yet if Cardinal Lanes will have any kind of event or celebration to mark its closing.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Wilmington NC bowling alley Cardinal Lanes is set to close