Two familiar names in Waverly are coming together to bring new life to a longtime community staple, pairing the lanes of Waverly Bowl Inn with the barbecue flavors of Hockey’s Smokehouse.
The partnership between Waverly Bowl Inn owner Doug Steinhoff and Brian Hockey of Hockey’s Smokehouse officially began Sept. 1, combining the bowling alley’s entertainment with a renewed food service aimed at giving residents another reason to stop in, whether they come to bowl or simply grab a meal.
For Steinhoff, the goal is bigger than keeping the business running. Since moving to Waverly in 2020, he has grown attached to the bowling alley and the role it can play in the community.
“I just think Waverly is a community that needs a bowling alley,” Steinhoff said.
Steinhoff said he wanted to preserve the facility after learning that potential buyers had considered other uses for the property. He sees the alley as a place where families can gather, children can find activities away from screens and friends can spend time together.
Keeping the alley viable, however, meant bringing food back into the picture.
“This place needs food to survive long term,” Steinhoff said.
That need opened the door for Hockey, whose barbecue business has built a following through its food trailer and downtown storefront. The two had crossed paths through a bowling league, and conversations about the alley’s future eventually turned into a partnership.
Under the arrangement, Steinhoff continues to own and operate Waverly Bowl Inn while Hockey takes over the kitchen through Hockey’s Smokehouse. The two plan to share responsibility for the bar and work together on the food service.
The new menu brings together familiar bowling-alley fare and Hockey’s smoked meats. Customers can still find pizza alongside traditional bar food, while Hockey’s barbecue offerings expand the choices available to diners. The partners also are exploring new menu ideas, including specialty pizzas featuring barbecue ingredients.
Hockey said the opportunity offers a way to grow his business while helping restore the alley as a place where people come for more than one reason.
“I’ve always said that I didn’t want a brick-and-mortar overhead,” Hockey said, explaining that operating from his trailer had allowed him to keep things manageable. But the prospect of bringing food back to Waverly Bowl Inn and making it more appealing to the public changed his thinking.
The indoor location also offers an advantage as colder weather approaches and the food-truck season winds down.
The partners are starting with lunch service on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with plans to expand hours as business grows. Both are working behind the counter and in the kitchen for now, keeping costs manageable while they build momentum.
Their emphasis is on consistency, accessible prices and giving customers a reason to return.
The partnership is also looking beyond the menu. Steinhoff has begun establishing bowling leagues on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights, along with a children’s league on a weekend day. The alley’s league bowlers have already shown their support, helping with small tasks and sharing historical photographs documenting the facility’s past.
For longtime residents, the bowling alley represents more than a place to knock down pins. Sean Westendorf, a doctor at Waverly Health Center and a league bowler, remembers taking a bus directly from school to the alley while growing up in Waverly.
“It’s been a big part of the community as long as I can remember, and I was glad when Doug took over,” Westendorf said. “And with the addition of Hockey’s, it’s really good for the community.”
That support reflects the connection many residents have to the business, which Steinhoff hopes to build on as he works to restore its place in the community.
The partners also plan to host a Halloween event at the alley, featuring costume prizes, candy and carnival-style games, Oct. 31.
For both men, the long-term vision is to create something that lasts. Steinhoff said he hopes the businesses can eventually become a family legacy, with their children taking on larger roles in the years ahead.
Hockey, whose wife and daughter already help with the food trailer, shares that goal of building a business that can grow alongside the community.
Neither partner is treating the arrangement as a short-term experiment. They hope the combination of bowling, barbecue and community events will become the new normal at Bowling Inn.
Hockey said the next step is getting residents through the door and giving them a reason to come back.
“We just really want the public to come back and give it another shot,” he said.
Steinhoff echoed that invitation, encouraging residents to share feedback and ideas as the business develops. The partners are open to suggestions about what the community would like to see offered.
Their message is straightforward: Waverly Bowl Inn is staying, Hockey’s Smokehouse is bringing its food into the mix and together they are making the alley a place Waverly residents can enjoy for years to come.