On the morning of Tuesday August 14, 2012; I was going to the Irving Public Library when I've noticed that the AMF Irving Lanes (formerly Triangle Bowl until the late 1990s) closed without warning. The signs were taken down, and the doors & windows were boarded up without a single word. I flooded AMF's Facebook, Twitter, and emailed them about the inquiry of the facility. So far, there was no further comment from the main company. I also found an article from 'The Dallas Morning News' about it and they too haven't been given a reason for the sudden closure.
Thankfully, I have a friend who knows one of the former employees of AMF Irving (now transferred to another AMF facility in DFW), and she gave some insights as to what happend. Apparently, there were many things wrong with the building.
- It seems to fall apart with age, though it never really looked that way throughout decades of operation from one bowling company to the next.
- Many 'bad events' (fights, arguments, etc.) that I would rather not discuss.
- And most recently...the final nail on the facility's coffin: their main A/C unit was broken and couldn't be fixed.
In one Facebook group for past and present residents of Irving, TX; very few people knew of the closure, but the notice was 2 days prior. 2 days wasn't really enough of a warning. 2 weeks or a month, I can see. I can understand their dire circumstances, but they still could've taken it to the news and said "Last Chance to Bowl Here!" "Last month this is in operation!" something.
It's a good thing I went on July 31st with a friend as a last-minute alternative activity to Hurricane Harbor as temperatures were hitting triple-digits and a few other things that came up, otherwise I would drive myself crazy. And yeah, with the main A/C unit broken, it was hot in there. Thankfully the fans and floor units were working. I remembered the first time I went there in March 1998 as a field trip with the special needs students I help out in gym class at Austin Middle School. Ahh...the memories. It was fun while it lasted. Now to find some other place to bowl.
It is unknown if AMF Irving Lanes would be demolished & rebuilt (I hope we get a new AMF or a newer bowling building) or if something else will take its place.
