A major revamp is coming to the old Heritage Lanes in OKC. Here's what you can do, including bowling

Conversion of one of Oklahoma City’s last old-school bowling alleys is nearing completion with promises of it reopening in October as a showcase of cutting-edge entertainment.

Bowling will still be part of the mix at Andy B’s, formerly known as Heritage Lanes, at 11917 N Pennsylvania Ave. But instead of 40 regular bowling lanes, the new Andy B’s will be reduced to 14 regular lanes, eight “VIB” — Very Important Bowler — lanes and four duck-pin lanes.

Melissa Robertson, vice president of special projects at Andy B’s, recently gave a tour of the renovation, which she said will be completed in time for an opening on Oct. 1.

What's changing at Andy B's in OKC?

The first change is noticeable from the street where the plain exterior of the former Heritage Lanes has been revamped with what Robertson said will be an Andy B’s sign larger than the building itself.

Once inside, customers will be asked to place cash on a card that can pay for bowling, the expansive game room, digital axe and dart throwing, and play on a billiards table built into a convertible Ford Mustang.

“This is our first operation where we are going cashless,” Robertson said.

The card works both ways, with tickets won at games going back onto it to be redeemed for prizes that include gas grills and kayaks.

“We’re going from a traditional bowling center to where everything is at,” Robertson said. “At the redemption center, people want more than just candy. You're getting more on your card with more games to play. And the clientele are telling us what to do.”

During a recent tour, the three types of bowling lanes were being installed at the revamped Andy B’s.

The VIB bowling will offer guests the option of interactive games that include the lanes lighting up with flames or water or turning a spin of the ball into a game of Angry Birds. The traditional mechanical gears that sometimes tie up games, meanwhile, are being replaced with hopefully less-troublesome string pins.

The old-fashioned snack bar, meanwhile, is replaced with a full-size restaurant and kitchen, much of it already in place. Eating areas are located throughout the entertainment center.

Andy B’s is hiring and expects to employ between 50 and 70 people when it opens.

The history of Heritage Lanes dates back to the early '80s

Heritage Lanes opened in 1981 as the sport was going through a resurgence. Smaller alleys, maybe a dozen or so lanes, were the norm during the first half of the 1900s. Brunswick and AMF built new alleys across the country in the 1970s and 1980s that replaced pencils, paper and transparency projectors with automatic scoring, cathode ray tubes and overhead screens that carried scores, messages and reports from other lanes.

Bowling was in its prime with lanes being built in churches, homes, schools (including Midwest City High School) and even the White House. But bowling was fading when Andy B’s purchased the 40-lane bowling alley from Brunswick in 1999. League participation went through a steep decline, and Brunswick competitor AMF Bowling went through bankruptcy twice as its league bowling dropped from 80% to 20% of its business.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Old-school OKC bowling alley to reopen as Andy B's on Oct. 1