SAN DIEGO
The San Diego region lost two bowling alleys during the COVID-19 pandemic and narrowly avoided losing a third, continuing the steady decline of a hobby so popular in the 1960s and 1970s that it helped define American civic life.
Roughly two-thirds of the nation’s bowling alleys have closed since the mid-60s, a trend industry leaders blame on everything from the advent of cable TV to younger generations avoiding firm commitments like joining a bowling league.
San Diego faces even greater challenges than most communities because the scarcity of land here makes sprawling bowling complexes appealing targets for developers planning ambitious projects.