Spare Time in the Diamond Junction

Published on Sunday, 20 February 2011 09:07

Written by Randy Garbin

UPDATE: We received the following response from the alley's owners: 
Thanks Randy! When we bought the building two years ago the alley's were basically dead. We've been cleaning up and fixing up for two years now and still have a long way to go. Our lanes are featured in the soon to be released movie "Family Secret". It's a whodunnit/thriller/horror film. http://www.facebook.com/l/9fac8/Amazon.com will have it shipped March 22. It's exciting to be sharing Candlepin worldwide! I'm glad you and your family enjoyed our lanes. Forris Day Jr.

Unless you've lived in New England, you probably never heard of candlepin bowling. Growing up in Western Massachusetts, I knew no other way. With smaller balls and three rolls, this version made more sense to my kid-sized sensibilities.

Roadside Girl shows her style at the Diamond Junction Lanes in Palmer, Massachusetts.

For those who don't know, candlepin bowling involves rolling balls about five inches in diameter down a lane at ten cylindrical pins that taper slightly at both ends. Unlike ten-pin, you have three rolls per frame and the fallen pins stay in play. The average player has a better chance winning the lottery than bowling a strike in this version of the game.

On a recent visit back to Massachusetts, I decided the time had come to introduce Roadside Girl to bowling and candlepins. Given its rarity, even around here, I can only guess how much longer she might have to experience the game. So, I brought her down to the eight-lane Diamond Junction Bowling Lanes in downtown Palmer, Massachusetts. Still marked with a vintage neon above the modest, otherwise non-descript entrance, the alley rumbles in the basement of a storefront right on Main Street.

I barely remember my last visit. My father took me here in the late 1960s, so I could only wonder how time had treated the place, especially since the years were no friend to the town in general. A quick check on the interwebs gave me the impression that this retro amusement welcomed families, and the happy screams of children as we reached the bottom steps confirmed it.

I wish I could say the place looked much as I remembered it, but I barely do. The basement space looks a little worse for the wear, but fresh coats of paint and an obvious attention to the maintenance of the space and the equipment means plenty of vintage charm remains for a true Roadside-Approved experience. Operating only about two doors down from the much beloved Day & Night Diner certainly helps, but I think we found a perfect spot for the Family Roadside every time we come up to visit. Roadside Girl didn't want to leave.

Find the Diamond Junction Bowling Lanes at 1446 North Main Street, Palmer. Telephone (413) 289-0013. Find them on the web at http://www.diamondjunctionbowling.webs.com/.