Spare Some Change?

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Aug 18, 2005 8:07PM

Just like the cool kids in L.A. made the formerly white trash trucker's hats hip, they've now discovered bowling -- making it trendy. And Hollywood types like Paris and Ashton have been haning out at Lucky Strike Lanes, the bowling "lounge" that opened in L.A. in 2003. Their new Chicago location opens today in Streeterville at 322 E. Illinois.

Of course you may be asking yourself, "Isn't there already a 'Lucky Strike' here?" And you'd be correct. For the past 10 years, there has been a bowling and billiards bar on Lincoln that goes by that name. They also have locations in Hyde Park and Elmhurst.

When Lucky Strike Lanes decided to move into the Chicago market, CEO Bill Scheidhauer -- a Chicago native -- planned to call this location "Star Lanes" because of the existing alley. Lucky Strike owner Steve Soble, knowing of the L.A. company's plans to enter Chicago, was mulling a different name. The two spoke and Scheidhauer agreed to help cover Soble's costs of changing the signage and marketing if he would rename his bowling alleys. He was initially going to shorten it to "Strike" but found that name was already taken. So Soble is holding a contest at Namethatalley.com to help re-name his Lucky Strike. While they've already received hundreds of submissions, you still have until Friday to send in yours. Every person who sends in a name gets a free game of bowling while the winning submission wins it's submitter a lifetime of free bowling. If that isn't incentive to get those creative juices flowing... After submitting your ideas, feel free to share them here!