Showtime Lanes, a restaurant, and Family Entertainment Center

By Cindy Ladage

Showtime Lanes has been open for 26 years at 1515 North Springfield Street in Virden.  The Pickford family took over the former Samarge’s bowling alley in January of 1995.  Besides the bowling alley, the Pickfords also own and operate the wonderful Showtime & Café and catering s well.

Bill Pickford has a vast amount of experience in the bowling sport, in fact his very first job was at King Pin Lanes in Springfield when he turned 16!  “I grew up bowling,” Bill said.  “I was in the JR Pro Bowling League. That helped introduce me to bowling.”

Bill knew that he loved the sport and when they offered him his first job as a porter at King Pin Lanes, it was the beginning of a long career.  A year after starting he moved up to the working at the counter.  Bill graduated from Lanphier High School in 1978.  While attending high school he participated in carpentry in Vocational School.  However, Bill said that at that time, carpenter jobs were not to be had, even though these skills would come in handy down the road.  Bill was contemplating heading to Vincennes, Indiana along with a friend to attend college and obtain a Bowling Maintenance and Management degree.  But when the mechanic at King Pin retired, and they offered him this huge step, Bill took it.  He learned how to be a mechanic receiving training while on the job.

“Instead of going to college, I learned from the retiring mechanic and an AMF employee. I did that for 15 years,” Bill shared.

Bill, along with a partner opened a Pro Shop at King Pin Lanes and operated it along with working as the nighttime mechanic for several years.

1978 was a big year for Bill. Not only did he graduate from high school and start a new career, but he also married the love of his life, his wife, Terri.  Together they have three children, Bryan, Gina and Kaylee who now serves as Bill’s assistant manager. Terri eventually quit working at Franklin Life and took over bookkeeping at Show Time Lanes.

While working as a bowling mechanic, Bill had the opportunity to also work at the bowling lanes in Virden and Girard.  This is when he first saw Samarge’s alley and became acquainted with the lanes.  Early on Bill reached out to Samarge’s owner Marge Osbourne asking if she needed the help of a bowling mechanic.  He wasn’t needed at first, but later got the opportunity to do mechanical work there periodically and see everything firsthand.

“It was my dream to own my own bowling alley,” Bill said. When Samarges came up for sale Bill said he had the experience to run it, but not the collateral being a young married man with a family.  However, Bill was able to come up with financing with the help of his good friend Joe Carter that he knew from King Pin lanes.

“Joe owned Carter Brothers Lumber and other places,” Bill said.  “After I brought it up, we drove down to the area and found out the details. He had the needed expertise and made an offer. Weeks later we got the call that we bought a bowling alley.”

With the assistance of Joe Carter, Bill was able to buy the alley and his dream came true.  Paying back Mr. Carter with profits from the alley, it was a win-win situation.  “Joe was a builder and we built on the restaurant dining area,” Bill said sharing that Joe said the diner was needed to go along with the bowling alley to make it a success.

Bill’s bowling success has been a driving force for the alley.  Bill was part of the GSBA Greater Springfield Bowling Association, now called Central Illinois USBC.  “I was inducted into the hall of fame in 2003.”

He has the second highest average series in the Association’s history it was an 879 series.”

While he had experience in the bowling end, Bill said they had to learn restaurant work from the ground floor.

“Through good and bad times, not having to pay the bank, this helped.  I had the right partner for twenty years.  Then the opportunity came where I could buy him out,” Bill added.

Over the years, Bill had added gaming machines and six years ago they added Laser Tag.  “It used to be the banquet room,” Bill said about the laser tag area.

He learned about laser tag at a bowling convention and said they have really converted Show Time Lanes into a Family Event Center (FEC). With the addition of Pirate’s Quest laser tag, bowling, and arcade games there is a variety of things for a family to do!  Over time, Bill’s bowling experience has really made the difference.  “Maintenance on machines is a big deal,” Bill added.

At Showtime Lanes they offer the beautiful wooden lanes.  Newer alleys have synthetic lanes that while they do not require the same amount of maintenance, they lack the beauty of the original wood.  “Wood lanes will last 50-60 years,” Bill said.

Last year during COVID-19 when they were shut down, the Pickford family chose this time to do a bit of renovation.  They added in new tables and added flat screen TV monitors. 

Visitors to Showtime Lanes can come and bowl, or even be part of league bowling.  “We have leagues about three times a week,” Bill said. 

They offer both kids and adult bowling. While Bill said people think that they need to be highly skilled to be in a league, it isn’t true. Scores are based on handicaps so everyone can be part of a league no matter their skill level.  Bowling leagues usually lasts from late August or early September to April. “It is a 30-week commitment,” Bill said. 

Check out Showtime for birthday parties. Parties include bowling, laser tag and food!

There are around 20 full and parttime employees at Showtime waiting to serve you!  Bill and his wife live in the Virden Community and work there as well.  Committed to small town life, they help the community thrive!  Check out the website at www.showtimelanes.com for more information.