Geneseo Genealogy: Bowling alley facilitates community fun

Since the early 1960s, Livingston Lanes & Pub—located at 4260 Lakeville Road—has provided members of the Geneseo community with access to sparkling bowling lanes. With inexpensive prices, the bowling alley provides Geneseo students and community members a fun and relaxing night out.

Part time instructor and worker Matty Samearing has been an avid client of the lanes since he was a child. “I remember them building the place when I was about six or seven years old,” he said.

Samearing has worked part-time at Livingston Lanes for 20 years. “I was introduced to bowling at a young age by my parents,” he said. From there, Samearing joined the pub’s junior league and participated up until he graduated from high school. After serving in the Navy, Samearing returned and began adamantly bowling four to five times a week at the lanes.

According to Samearing, the place has changed with each successive owner. “The place has seen several owners and each one tries to upgrade a little bit to make it nicer or a little more modern,” he said. Samearing noted that the bowling alley recently changed their scoring systems. “We upgraded this past fall to a new system,” he said. “They have the original machines, but with good maintenance, they last.”

The addition of an arcade in the past couple of years, including pinball and basketball machines, has increased the influx of guests. The lanes, however, remain old-fashioned—maintaining their original wooden floors and blue and white 60s diner-esque décor.

The bowling alley attracts Geneseo locals and families that are looking to spice up the average night. Every Friday, the lanes host “College Night” featuring glow bowling and free shoe rentals with a college ID.

Many leagues frequent the lanes. Assembled of members from age four to 18, a junior league meets each Saturday morning for a day of learning at the alley. “We get a lot of families here and I like that,” Samearing said. “Saturday mornings, I instruct our league for young bowlers.” He added that there have been conversations at the alley about starting a college league with Geneseo.

Samearing expressed his disappointment with the diminishing state of bowling in today’s society, “You have so many other sports to compete with and it’s unfortunate,” he said. According to Samearing, the number of people who visit the alley has decreased over the last couple of years. He explained that the attraction grows as you keep practicing. “Once you progress to a certain point and learn a little more, you get a little better,” he said.

Even for people not interested in pursuing bowling as a serious hobby, it can still be a fun way to kick back with friends and enjoy an evening. “The alley provides something to do for the Geneseo community,” Samearing said. “We have a bar and we have a restaurant and I hope people come bowl and have a good time.”