Andy B’s FEC In Tulsa, Okla., Earns 2009 Center Of Excellence Award From Brunswick

To make your business grow, give your customers what they want – and even more.

That’s exactly what bowling center owner Andy Bartholomy did; and it worked.

Bartholomy started by adding 16 VIB (Very Important Bowler) lanes, to his traditional 40-lane center. He also upgraded his scoring and management system to take advantage of the latest technologies available to bowling centers. Then he turned an old snack bar, party room and storage area into a 60-game arcade and prize redemption room. He added a 16,000-square-foot indoor go-cart arena. He brought in a consulting company to retrain his staff to provide the high level of service required at a family entertainment center. Finally, he hired a food and beverage manager to upgrade the facility’s food offering that would also cater to corporate group events. The transformation was so complete that Bartholomy rebranded his traditional bowling center, River Lanes, to Andy B’s Family Entertainment Center.

To recognize his outstanding efforts, Brunswick Bowling honored Bartholomy and Andy B’s in Tulsa with the 2009 Brunswick Center of Excellence Award. Brunswick singles out the Center of Excellence award recipient each year among bowling-based entertainment centers that demonstrate an exemplary blend of cutting-edge planning and design, business-critical general management and operations, effective marketing and sales strategies, and superior customer service.

“Andy took a step back from his existing traditional bowling center environment and saw that his customers wanted more. He did his research, and the outcome is an exceptional family entertainment center that is the epitome of a Center of Excellence,” said Warren Hardie, president of Brunswick Bowling & Billiards.

Bartholomy, who owns seven traditional bowling centers throughout the Midwest, was inspired to take his business in a new direction after attending several recent Brunswick product showcase seminars. He saw the success and variety of entertainment options at a Brunswick Zone® XL, and decided to create a new experience at Andy B’s that would better appeal to families as well as corporate group events.

Understanding how to meet people’s service expectations in the newly renovated center was essential for success. That’s why Bartholomy, a member of MUBIG (Multi Unit Bowling Information Group), not only upgraded the physical aspects of the center, but also transformed his staff by hiring Trifecta Management Group, a management company that provides innovative concepts and comprehensive management services and solutions to retail entertainment industries. Bartholomy engaged Trifecta to retrain his staff to ensure they were comfortable with the level and type of service required at a family entertainment center.

The positive business results are so significant, that Bartholomy is already working to select the next traditional center in his chain to remodel as the next Andy B’s.