Dillon and Kateri Johanson are excited to be the new owners of Lucky Lanes, the bowling alley in Winnebago.

When asked why they decided to purchase a bowling alley, Kateri and Dillon Johanson point to their 11-year-old son.

“I come from a long line of Johnsons who are all very good bowlers,” Kateri says. “I never got those genes, but my son did. He is naturally good.” 

Her son wanted to join the youth bowling league at Winnebago’s Lucky Lanes, but Kateri received unfortunate news about the bowling alley just when she was about to sign him up.

“I saw a ‘for sale’ post on Facebook,” she remembers.

Lucky Lanes was listed for sale by its previous owners, Bob and Penny VanNote, in mid-August, and it seemed likely that the bowling alley would close if it did not find a buyer.

Kateri worried that if the bowling alley closed this year, it would never re-open.

“I texted my husband about it,” she recalls. “His response was, ‘Should we buy a bowling alley?'”

It seemed crazy at the time, but that was what the Johansons ended up doing.

Kateri and Dillon waited to see if any other buyers would emerge. When no one did, the couple decided they cared too much about their community’s success to let a Winnebago staple shut its doors.

“We wanted to bring (Lucky Lanes) back to its glory days,” Kateri explains.

The Johansons signed the paperwork on Friday, Oct. 6, but even before the purchase became official the couple had started working toward that lofty goal.

Lucky Lanes’s soft opening under its new ownership was on Sept. 25, but in the weeks prior, the Johansons got on their hands and knees and gave the facility a good scrub from floor to ceiling.

They have also implemented several other changes. They now accept credit cards, and they have updated the food and beverage menu.

“We have a very, very large selection of candy bars now,” Kateri says. “There is something for everyone.” 

Other improvements include new indoor signage and renovations to the men’s bathroom. The Johansons also hope to add a coat of fresh paint to the facility next summer.

 Kateri says the first week of business following Lucky Lanes’s soft opening was slow, for which she is grateful.

“We needed that to get through the mishaps that happen in the first week,” she explains. “But, the mishaps are fewer and farther in between now.” 

As she was learning the ropes of bowling lane ownership, Kateri discovered one way she could help more customers enjoy their evening out.

After observing that parents needed a safe place for their children to play while they bowled, Kateri constructed a ‘Kids Corner’ – a safe, fenced-in area complete with toys and an entertainment center.

“We really want this to be a family-friendly place,” she explains. “If you have a small child, you can put them in (the Kids Corner) while you bowl.”

Kateri herself has been booking a lot of time at the bowling alley with her children. Apart from their 11-year-old son, she and Dillon have a five-year-old and a two-year-old. And, they are expecting their fourth child. The kids frequently accompany Kateri to Lucky Lanes.

Prior to embarking on bowling alley ownership, Kateri worked part-time for Rainbow Cleaning System. She was also a homemaker and homeschooler by day.

“Now, I am a bowling alley-maker and bowling alley-schooler,” Kateri jokes.

Dillon, meanwhile, is a plumber at Day Plumbing in Fairmont.

Needless to say, the Johansons are a busy family. They keep Lucky Lanes open to the public from 4 to 9:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays, from noon to 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 3 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Sundays.

They also host private events outside of Lucky Lanes’s business hours, like birthday parties and corporate events.

Meanwhile, Lucky Lanes will host its own event this year in honor of Halloween. The bowling alley will be putting on a costume party from 7 to 10 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 27, complete with door prizes and awards for the best costumes.

And, of course, Lucky Lanes hosts a number of weekly bowling leagues on a regular basis.

The M&M Co-Ed League meets on Monday evenings, the Lucky Lanes League meets on Tuesday evenings, the Sparette League meets on Thursday afternoons, the National League meets on Thursday evenings and a mixed couples league meets on the first and third Sunday of each month.

Dillon has embraced bowling alley ownership by joining three leagues. The Johansons’ son, meanwhile, is finally a member of Lucky Lanes’s youth bowling league.

Kateri says watching her son bowl has been one of the highlights of her new business venture.

She recalls her very first day operating Lucky Lanes, which was spent cleaning. After the hard work was over, her son picked up a bowling ball and bowled a whopping 22 games in a row.

Kateri says she, herself, will turn on a machine and bowl if business is slow.

“I enjoy it, but I am not very good,” she laughs.

Actually, Kateri counts the social component of owning a bowling alley as the best part of her new gig.

“I’ve met a lot of people in the last three weeks,” she says.

Kateri, an introvert by nature, felt that she had not met very many people in Winnebago since moving there in 2010. However, she says, “We’ve formed a lot of friendships since the start of this.” 

Kateri adds that bowling is a supportive sport by nature – perfect for meeting new people.

“You don’t have to be good – it’s just about having fun,” she explains. “It’s a really lively place to be. Everybody cheers when someone gets a strike.”