Brooklyn Bowl - open July 7
“After two years of development, we’re happy to finally say… Brooklyn Bowl has arrived!”
Brooklyn Bowl, the highly anticipated 16-lane bowling alley, 600-capacity performance venue with food by Blue Ribbon in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, is pleased to announce it will be open for business in a soft launch capacity beginning this Tuesday, July 7, at 6:00 p.m.
Operating hours will be scaled back during the soft launch: Sunday, Tuesday – Thursday, 6:00 pm – 2:00 am, and Friday and Saturdays 6:00pm – 4:00am. During this time Brooklyn Bowl will not be open on Mondays, and are serving only to a 21+ crowd. A small snack menu will be served from July 10 through the 20th. On the 21st, an expanded “preview” menu will be presented, with the full menu by Blue Ribbon debuting on August 4th. Live music performances, advance lane reservations, and extended hours (including child-friendly weekend days) will begin in late summer. Brooklyn Bowl is located at 61 Wythe Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11211.
The venue, that’s been in the works for a while, is finally opening. The first concert at the Brooklyn Bowl will be O’Death, Justin Carter, Eamon Harkin and Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt on Friday, July 10th.
The other event currently on the Brooklyn Bowl’s schedule is the Lebowski Fest New York, which will hold one of its three nights at the space on Thursday, September 24th. Bowling and non-bowling tickets are on sale.
More info on the venue, below…
Brooklyn Bowl
61 Wythe Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11211
(718) 963-3369
Sustainable design and green commitment
The recently completed 23,000 square foot space is the brainchild of Peter Shapiro and Charley Ryan, former owner and operator, respectively, of the landmark NYC music venue, Wetlands Preserve (1989-2001). Their vision of creating an environmentally friendly venue that provides more than passive entertainment options, is embodied in this new endeavor. “There are a lot of great music venues, but a lot of them are similar, a basic box,” says Shapiro. “We tried to create something that hasn’t been done before, and it looks like we’ve pulled it off,” says Ryan.
Working hand in hand with GreenOrder, a leading consultancy in sustainability and energy innovation, Shapiro and Ryan oversaw all decisions related to the construction of Brooklyn Bowl. Green design decisions can be seen everywhere, from the stage made entirely of recycled truck tires to the bowler’s lounge floor made of reclaimed cork. The bowling equipment is also environmentally friendly, with pin-spotters that use 75% less energy than the industry standard. In another green move, Brooklyn Bowl will be serving beer on tap only; no bottles or cans.
Food, drink and entertainment
Along with a full bar, the venue will showcase 10 Brooklyn-brewed draughts, including brews from next door neighbors Brooklyn Brewery as well as Sixpoint in Red Hook and Kelso in Clinton Hill. For dining and late night noshing, visitors and bowlers alike can dine on an affordable and eclectic food menu created by NYC foodie favorites, Blue Ribbon.
Not satisfied with simply tantalizing taste buds, Brooklyn Bowl strives to be music to your eyes and ears, literally. The venue features a custom-designed JBL Vertec sound system installed by Tom Heinisch of SK Systems, an LED-centric lighting grid designed by Chris Ragan of BML Blackbird, along with a nine-screen high-definition digital video projection system installed by Mathew Galati of Meta-AV, perfect for viewing, well, anything. The technology will be put to good and frequent use, with presentations of high-definition concert films, live video DJs, and custom motion graphic, music video and short film content from the top creative studios in the world.
Space and design
Cushy black Chesterfield couches, a rich red Victorian style curtain adorning the stage, a bar that resembles a 19th century Coney Island shooting gallery, tables crafted from old bowling lanes, and hand-crafted “knock down punks” by scenic artist Heather Corbett at HGC Studioworks, are but a few of the elements chosen by interior designer Tristam Steinberg to give Brooklyn Bowl its old world meets new world feel. Among the many talented designers and artisans contributing to the aesthetic of the venue are New York Design Architects (NYDA), Executive Constructors of New York (ECNY), Manuka D::B, headed by Mike Gibb (woodwork), Rob Ferraroni of Ferra Designs (ironworks) and AMJ Ironworks.
Management and operations team
Brooklyn Bowl’s management and operations team is comprised of some of the industry’s top talent and contributors. Peter Shapiro is a producer of major live events, such as the Jammy Awards and the 10-city Green Apple Festival, as well as films, including the acclaimed IMAX productions U2-3D and All Access. Shapiro is also the publisher of Relix magazine. Brooklyn Bowl’s team includes veterans of New York’s music scene, including longtime Knitting Factory production manager Stephen Schwarz; sound technician, Jason Tubbs; talent buyer, Mia Sladyk (formerly of Bowery Presents, as well as Burlington, Vermont’s Higher Ground); and design, media, and marketing specialists Learned Evolution, headed by Justin Bolognino.
