Peoria Landmark #354

Opened Dec. 22, 1928 and closed in May of 1933. Auto Parts Recreation, 815 S. Adams St., William Bill Grawey, prop. Opened first with eight lanes in early 1929 and six more were added to what is often referred to as the “old side. ” 16 new lanes put down in 1935 to make house 30 lanes, largest center in downstate Illinois.
Mid-Town Bowl, 815 S. Adams St., This 16-lane side of the old Auto Parts Bowling Lanes was operated by coalition of Jack Maggio and associates.
Airport Bowl, 815 Maxwell Road, Bartonville, Leo Grawey prop. Automatic pinspotters moved from Auto Parts Bowling Lanes. 16 lanes purchased from 1970 ABC Tournament at Knoxville, Tenn. Opened Dec. 17, 1979. Creve Coeur Club, Southeast corner Liberty and Jefferson St.
-Bowling Centers of Peoria; Peoria Journal Star, Nov 23, 1996
The end of an era in Peoria bowling transpired on the Thursday before Christmas.
The Grawey Era.
That was when Leo Grawey sold the building which housed Airport Bowl since 1970 to Walter Brothers.
The Grawey Era actually started back in 1929 when Leo’s father Bill operated Peoria Auto Parts .
Leo was just 7 at that time and remained associated with the sport there through high school and after he was discharged from the Air Force/Calvary in 1946. Grawey, 72, has been so involved since working three nights a week for his father. This week, he drew only his third paycheck not signed by a Grawey (now working overnight at Town & Country Bowl). In 1970, Grawey opened Airport Bowl which featured 16 automatic pinsetters used during the Knoxville, Tenn., American Bowling Congress Tournament.
Leo remained in command until selling the business in 1984. Last June, Grawey started court proceedings to take possession of Airport, but was able only to get the building and land but not the business and equipment.
The lane beds and pinsetters will be sold by court order Tuesday.
Grawey made a concerted effort to reopen Airport by late September or early October, but was unsuccessful.
The Grawey name is firmly entrenched with bowling as Auto Parts was the home of the Journal Star Brothers Tournament starting in 1934 when it was moved there from Saratoga Lanes. “I’ll never forget that year sports editor Fred Tuerk had buttons with the number 777 made,” Grawey said. “That was the number of entries he was shooting for.”
That was exceeded and the tourney under Grawey management continued growing before it was moved to old Crossroad Lanes in 1964. ” Auto Parts was the first Peoria center to join the BPAA ( Bowling Proprietors Association of America),” said Grawey, who purchased Auto Parts in 1954. “I think Dad joined the proprietors the second year second year of its existence. We had high school intramural bowling , hosted the BPAA National Doubles and was the only house east of the Mississippi to host the Midwest Bowling Championships.”
Grawey started the Mother-Daughter-Sisters Tournament at Airport and notes this year’s event will move to Town & Country Bowl.
While operating Airport, Grawey continued a close association with the BPAA, holding every state office but treasurer in his 16 years.
Grawey was on the BPAA board of directors when the Bowling Hall of Fame and Museum opened in St. Louis.
“The day it opened in 1984 my dad died while I was there,” said Grawey, who like his father is member of the local Bowling Hall of Fame.
Grawey said the thing most instilled in him by his father, “Be fair to all the customers. Treat them all the same. Give then a clean place to enjoy bowling .”
Grawey reminds any Airport bowlers still having equipment there, they may call him at home from 6 to 10 p.m. (682-1282) and he will arrange to meet them.
Grawey said, “The thing I’ll miss most is the public. All friends my wife Jeannette and I have made through bowling .”
Grawey said he and Jeannette would be at Airport when the lanes and pinsetters are removed.
“It’s going to be an end of an era,” Grawey said. “We want to see it.
- Airport Bowl Will End Grawey Era; Peoria Journal Star, Jan 5, 1997
Thanks to Scott Smith for emailing this picture which he found on flickr and originally was published in the 1956 Bradley Yearbook. The uncropped photo lists the address as 817 S. Adams.