Tony Pirruccello’s West Lanes Bowlatorium

February 13, 2024

4–6 minutes

40 Bowl, 72nd and Dodge, Adminral Theater, Blackstone District, Carlentini Sicily, Chop’s Bowling, City Market, Crossroads Mall, Nellie Pirruccello, Omaha Bowling Hall of Fame, Omaha Exploration, Tony Pirruccello, West Lanes

February 13, 2024

When Tony Pirruccello immigrated to the U.S. from Carlentini, Sicily in 1922, he couldn’t speak English and only had four months of formal schooling. He first settled in Wichita where he took business classes and learned the language. He then relocated to Omaha where a number of other Sicilians from Carlentini also settled in the Little Italy neighborhood south of downtown. He made his living as a cement worker and by selling fruit in the City Market. It was there that he met his wife, Nellie Gibilisco.

After operating a couple of other bars, Tony opened the popular Purcello’s Cocktail Lounge across the street from the Blackstone Hotel at 3570 Farnam. By 1947 they opened Forty Bowl at 120 S 40th St next to the Admiral Theater. He would leave the business and by 1955, Tony and Nellie opened a new bowling alley. He purchased a lot that was three blocks west of the city limits in a corn field north of Dodge along 72nd St. The location was considered a risk given its remoteness and the fact that the other bowling alley’s were near or in downtown.

Purcello’s Lounge at 36th and Farnam across from Blackstone (Cottonwood) Hotel. This building burned to the ground was replaced with the current building that is home to Crescent Moon.

Tony did his homework and knew that in other cities, bowling alleys on the outskirts of towns and in the suburbs were thriving. He gambled that as the city continued to grow west, the bowlers would follow. By some accounts, Omaha was considered the bowling capital of the world as it would eventually have 25 establishments operating 500 lanes. The family lived upstairs and worked tirelessly to build it into one of the best bowling alley’s in town. Five years later Crossroads Mall was built across 72nd in 1960. The intersection of 72nd and Dodge would subsequently become one of the busiest in Omaha. West Lanes with its 24 lanes was state of the art with automatic pinsetters, a lounge that advertised a luncheon for businessmen, free bowling lessons for women in addition to a nursery to care for children.

1960 photo of 40 Bowl on the right. It faces Dodge St with 40th running across the photo. This is the current site of McDonald’s. Admiral Theater is the large white building.

Despite suffering the loss of their son, Sam, when he was just 28, the business continued to thrive. Capitalizing on the increased traffic that resulted from Crossroads opening, Tony remodeled it 1961. The bowling alley was the point of some controversy in 1971 when the American Bowling Congress investigated it following a rash of high scores. Tony doubled down by stating that they had done nothing wrong and the scores were the result of refinishing the lanes using a new Brunswick finish combined with the fact that they had the best bowlers in town. Following its investigation, the ABC took no further action.

1954 Durham photo showing the future site of West Lanes along 72nd St.

Tony had served as the president of both the Bowling Council and Bowling Proprietors Association of Greater Omaha. He was then admitted to the Omaha Bowling Hall of Fame in 1968. He would remodel again in 1973 and become the first bowling alley in Omaha to install computerized automatic scorekeeping. When a series of 36 tornadoes touched down in the midwest in 1975, one of them struck West Lanes ripping the roof off and causing water damage to half of the lanes. This resulted in the closure of the business for a period of time.

1955 Durham photo of West Lanes looking east.

The couple decided to retire in 1980 and sold the business to Bud Simmons and Larry Phillips who agreed to let Tony come and go as he pleased and to help out around the lanes. During their time operating the bowling lane, the Pirruccello promoted a number of charity tournaments including Goodfellows, Bowler’s Victory Legion and the Heart Fund.

1955 Durham photo of West Lanes. Photo is looking northwest where Crossroads would be built in 1960.

While Tony passed away in 1996, his grandchildren would once again take over the bowling in 2011. Following a renovation, Nellie returned at the age of 99 to throw out the first ball as a part of its grand reopening. Today West Lanes is among the oldest bowling alley’s still operating. Only Chop’s Bowl is older having opened in 1950. Also open are Ralston Bowl (Scorz) and Immaculate Conception. If you missed my history of the Cap brothers Chop’s Bowl, you can find it on my page or a link in the comments.

I’d like to hear what you have to say so feel free to drop a comment and share your experiences, favorite bowling alleys and whatever else. Until next time, keep exploring!