Decades ago, nearly every town here in Wayne County had a bowling alley.

Once the heartbeat of small suburbs, the number of bowling facilities both here and across the country has dropped significantly over the past 30 years. A steady decline in league participation coupled with people’s changing habits have seen thousands of local venues close down for good. 

The ones that still remain have learned to embrace a new customer that often wants more than just pins and pints.

Back in 1958 when Route 104 came to Sodus, a new bowling center opened its doors on the corner of Maple Avenue. Formerly known as The Alley & Cherry Lanes, the property has seen its fair share of bowlers and proprietors over its nearly seven decades.

Sodus local Jim Burnett has bowled there since he was a Junior in high school, so when he and a partner had the chance to purchase the property back in 2012, he did just that.

While Jim says the traffic was never what is was back in its heyday, once COVID hit, the business of bowling took a turn for the worse.

"Years ago, guys used to bowl a few times a week," Jim recalled. But just as people’s habits, interests and schedules have changed, so must the local bowling center.

So in 2022 when Jim’s then partner wanted to exit the business, Roy McCarthy, a longtime friend of Jim’s and fellow Wayne County resident decided it was time to invest.

"I bowled here for years and it seemed like a great opportunity," Roy said, but they both knew they needed to make some changes to stay competitive.

The pair got to work on renovating the property and the business. In 2023,  a new addition went up to make room for a more recent craze that has helped expand their customer base: Cornhole.

What began as a popular game at tailgates and backyard parties has now evolved into a full on sport with professional matches played on ESPN.

They dubbed their new entertainment facility "3B’s - Beer, Bags and Balls."

Roy said they wanted to blend the new with the old and create a place where more people could come out and have fun. "Our goal was never to take away from the bowling. We still fill all 12 lanes for league play." But the addition of Cornhole has brought in new faces and new customers that have helped keep the business rolling.

"We have players that travel from hours away just to compete in Cornhole leagues here," Jim said.

Since Cornhole only involves foldable playing boards, the venue can be easily transformed to host live entertainment and a variety of other events, giving the partners the flexibility to be ready for whatever may come next.

In addition, there’s a full restaurant that’s open 7 days a week that the pair says keeps them going all year long even when bowling is slower. There’s also an outdoor patio, billiards, darts and even a small arcade.

They recently purchased an adjacent property to add more parking for guests which they say has been one of their biggest issues, which as far as problems go, is a decent one for a business to have.

Roy and Jim both say they want to break the stigma that some bowling alleys have had in recent years. Roy saying "We really want more folks to stop in, bring the family, grab a bite, and see what’s new."

For more information on their open bowling hours and more, visit their website at sodus3bs.com.