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Landmark bowling alley in Piscataway reincarnated as ‘party central’

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Landmark bowling alley in Piscataway reincarnated as ‘party central’

PISCATAWAY – Stelton Lanes, one of Middlesex County’s landmark bowling alleys, has been reincarnated as Circle Bowl & Entertainment Center.

The bowling alley at 1665 Stelton Road is now open four days a week, Thursdays to Sundays, with plans to expand next month to seven days a week.

Event manager Kaelyn Laib said the business opened in late July with a grand opening on Aug. 1. It is owned by Keith Dougherty and Shawn Aiello, who has 28 years in the bowling industry, according to Circle Bowl & Entertainment’s website.

The facility includes a 16-lane bowling alley with a bar, restaurant, party room and arcade. More than 50 redemption amusement games are planned.

Recently the Township Council introduced an ordinance allowing the use of redemption amusement games. A public hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for Sept. 10.

Like arcade games on boardwalks at the shore, players can earn points in redemption games and cash them in for prizes.

Stelton Lanes, which had been around since the 1960s, closed in the summer of 2020 during the COVID pandemic. The busiest months of the bowling season were during the months lost to the COVID shutdown.

More: The Goldman House, a piece of utopian history in Piscataway, is in danger of demolition

The former business offered 26 lanes, as well as Automatic Qubica scoring and an automated bumper system.

Laib said the new Circle Bowl facility has undergone a full renovation with 16 United States Bowling Congress certified bowling lanes and new flooring.

She said there are plans to have leagues.

“We are planning on it being the new party central,” she said, adding there also are plans for corporate events.

Circle Bowl’s other location in Ledgewood, Morris County is known as a league house and offers family entertainment, children and corporate parties.

“We liked the location of it; we liked that it was close to Rutgers and everything,” she said.

Email: srussell@gannettnj.com

Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime, courts and other mayhem. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

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