06/04/2026
For those of you that have never met us, here’s our story as it relates to the bowling alley and how we got here. We come from the commercial fire alarm and life safety industry and own/operate a company in the Valley, which we still actively operate today.
In 2019, an investor from the area acquired the bowling alley from auction, because the community wanted to “save it as a bowling alley.” He also didn’t know the first thing about a bowling alley, so he decided to sell it, but quickly struggled to find buyers who also wanted to “keep it a bowling alley.”
It was July of 2020 when we stumbled across the opportunity and decided to take a look. We met each other in 1998 working at Starlite Lanes (the bowling alley in Flagstaff), and thought it would be fun to have our lives come full circle. The investor could see how excited we were for a bowling alley specifically, and before we knew it, on August 1, 2020, we became the owners of Rim Country Bowl and The Arizona Bar in Payson, AZ. It needed a lot of work and we put in a ton of it for 2-1/2 years. We replaced just about every piece of equipment in there…. remember to old CRT monitors for the scoring system, lol? We felt we really created a great business, but also didn’t feel like we were able to continue to give it the attention it needed without living in Payson. We decided to sell it so it could get the attention it deserved.
In January of 2023, we sold the business to a family that we really, truly thought were the right family. It started really great, business was booming, they were busy and bragging. Pretty quickly after taking ownership, unfortunately, the issues started. We won’t go into the disgusting details, but we will say that it is pretty awful to see and learn how they treated this place, the staff, our valued league members and especially the condition they left it. To have such lack of respect for property and people (to the point of sabotage) and then not take accountability for your own business and personal choices is beyond us. Fortunately though, now it is behind us!
On August 1, 2025, 5 years to the day after we bought it, we had to lock it up and close it down. This was an unexpected addition into our lives so the process has been challenging and slow. We have had to make difficult decisions and choose a direction. Upon entering the building, it was pretty clear that this time around was going to be different. There wasn’t any reinvestment back into the business, it was the same balls, shoes, pins, etc, used and abused for 2-1/2 years. Out of order signs everywhere. Reopening in 2025 was immediately off the table. Then we were hoping to open in the Summer of 2026, which trust us when we say, we really wanted. Now after cleaning out all 20,000 sq ft of 40 years of hoarding (10 40-yd dumpsters so far), the plan has once again evolved and we really can’t say when we can open. What we can say is that we are determined to still “keep it a bowling alley.” We believe it is a staple of every community and a gathering place that we all have memories of. We are also determined to create an affordable family entertainment center that all of Payson can enjoy and be proud of! There isn’t an in-between this time, the old now has to become new, but at the same time, stay affordable to the community to prevent future closures.
So what exactly are we planning?
* (10) - USBC certified string pinsetters (complete rebuild with new lanes as well)
* (3) - 8’ open play pool tables for all ages (hourly rental, no quarters)
* (3) - 9’ Gold Crown tournament tables (a new membership only area not open to the public)
* (2) - BullShooter Dart boards (connected for Worldwide tournament play)
* 9-Hole Mini Golf Course
* 500 sq ft Arcade (with digital card system, no more quarters)
* (20+) Seat wrap around bar
* An event space for large parties (up to 100 people)
* Full kitchen buildout
* Full Restroom remodel
* In place of 6 bowling lanes, we plan to install 4 lanes of regulation size shuffleboard! We are so excited to introduce this activity that all ages can enjoy, but mostly the Senior population can benefit from. We can offer a low cost membership plan and give seniors a great activity that keeps them moving and is great for the joints. It’s fun for all ages and we’re really excited for it!
We want the community to know that we are once again going to embrace this opportunity and make the Town proud. It will be worth the wait and we look forward to posting and updating you as we go! Although the buildout has turned into something way more complex, we are certain it is the right direction to go. It’s a ton of work, but we look forward to seeing this through and “keeping it a bowling alley!”
RIP Rim Country Bowl and The Arizona Bar
Please stay tuned! We appreciate all the love and support so many of you have already provided!
