New owner of Lewiston Event Center eager to succeed, grow business

Carella looks to update game simulator room, enhance pizza delivery, perhaps add skating or pickleball

By Joshua Maloni

GM/Managing Editor

Lewiston’s bowling alley is poised for another evolution.

Last Friday, the Lewiston Event Center announced a change in leadership.

“With both heavy hearts and warm hearts, we want to share some exciting news with our amazing community,” outgoing management posted. “After 12 incredible years, the Simon and Hibbard families have made the decision to sell the Lewiston Event Center. While it is bittersweet to close one chapter, we couldn't be more excited for the next one.

“We have complete confidence in Mike Carella and Family and are truly excited to watch them continue to grow this incredible business and strengthen the community that has made it so special.”

Carella operated the Hyde Park Ice Pavilion in Niagara Falls for more than a decade.

“We built it up to what it was before we left, and I’m proud of it. We did a good job there,” he said on Tuesday.

Through the rink, Carella gained a following of people and a network of workers. He said LEC owners Emery Simon and Harold Hibbard were “looking for someone to take this over and keep it going as a bowling alley – and not just demolish it and make it apartments or something like that.”

Carella said what appealed to him about the LEC is that, “It kind of reminds me of the hockey rink: Bar, restaurant, and we did a lot of pizza and wings up there. That kind of was the beginning of it. I know the atmosphere. And then when they contacted me, I came in here; I was in here a couple months, just hanging out. And it's like, ‘Give it a shot.’

“I'm from Lewiston. I'm a Lew-Port grad. It helps if you're a local person when you buy a building like this, because you'll have more support.”

Plus, Carella knows “what people in this area want and like.”

He said his plan is to methodically learn the ropes, get to know the patrons, and then work on improvements.

File photos

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Speaking of LEC improvements …

Carella said his initial plans include updating the simulator room technology, moving the equipment into a larger back room, and then utilizing the existing room for dining and a stage for live music.

“Just kind of make it more family-centered,” he said.

Presently, there are bowling lanes on each side of the LEC.

The right side of the center, “that's always going to stay bowling,” Carella said. “But if we're not using this (other) side enough, this could be a skating rink. This could be indoor pickleball.

Emphasis on “could be.”

“We're not going to change that right away, though, because we're not sure,” Carella said. “You got to get your feet wet before you start doing massive changes – but it has so much potential.”

Over the years, Lewiston leaders have discussed adding a permanent ice rink to the village.

“I know rinks,” Carella said.

“We talked about that, as well. On the top side of the building, you could put a nice, little outdoor pad right there, if you wanted, or on the other side down there.”

“I don't know if these ceilings are tall enough for pickleball or not. That's one thing I'd have to kind of figure out.

“It's just ideas.

“I could put a hockey-shooting booth in here because I know a bunch of hockey players. When you come here, next to the simulators, you could have a shooting booth so kids could shoot pucks (think: a batting cage for hockey). You have a little something that shows how fast you shoot the puck behind you, like a radar gun. Kids like to see how fast they can shoot. Keeps them active.”

In the middle section – the bar – “We're definitely going to tweak the menu. Pizza, wings, salad, subs – bowling alley-type food,” Carella said.

He was once a delivery person for several local pizzerias.

“I know pizza. And for me, I think people need another option,” particularly when it comes to wait times, he said.

“I really hope that we can get people to order here for delivery of food. We're going to have online ordering – all that stuff – so, instead of waiting two hours for a pizza, you can get in a half-hour. I think there's a niche in Lewiston for that.

“I believe in pizza! Everyone loves pizza.”

Carella added, “My real goal, eventually, is, underneath the alley, you build out a little kitchen with a pickup window, and you can have pickup orders” where people wouldn’t have to get out of their vehicle.

The new owner intends to keep most of the LEC staff, and add in some of his rink employees, too.

“We're going to be open every day,” he said, noting a need for more employees.

As far as opening for the upcoming season, “The week after Peach Fest is the goal, but we're waiting on a liquor license,” Carella said. “It's in the works. I couldn't get a liquor license until I bought the place, and negotiations took a little bit longer.”

Once the LEC gets rolling, “We're going to add more leagues,” Carella said. “We're going to do Saturday morning bowling for kids. They used to have that here. I'm in the works of trying to figure out exactly when to start that and what the price is. I just want to make it affordable so kids can come back in here and bowl because, when I was little, this was jammed on Saturday.”

Since news broke of Carella’s involvement with the LEC, he said, “People are excited and happy, because a lot of people heard it was going to close for a while, so people were on the fence; and then once they found out that someone local's taking it over and wants to keep it a bowling alley – is going to just build on what Emery and Harold made – so far it's so good.”

“They want me to succeed,” he said of Simon and Hibbard. “That's the key. They say that every time. ‘We want you to succeed. We want you to succeed.’ So, they are helping me in any way they can.”

LEC has come a long way

Simon and Hibbard purchased the former Frontier Lanes in 2012. In 2021, Simon announced an intent to sell the property at 845 Cayuga St.

“It's time for younger blood,” Simon said Friday. “You know, we're trying to slow down – and we're excited that he's going to take it to the next level.”

“I think Harold and I have given him a good head start,” Simon said. “We're still going to be helping him, and we're going to keep the same staff. … He’s going to keep it the same – he’s just going to make it better.”

“It's a good thing,” Simon said of the transition. “I'm getting to the point where I want to retire. I'm trying to relocate to Florida. I'm trying to enjoy life a little bit more. I feel good that we've got a good start on that business. We've prospered there. We've grown the business. It's come a long ways from where it was. … We hope that Mike continues on in that journey.”

Over the course of almost 15 years, Simon and Hibbard made extensive changes to the LEC property, starting with new LED lighting and a security camera system, and following with new roofing, ceilings, carpet, plumbing and HVAC. They also put in a larger bar and a virtual game room, enhanced the food offerings, revamped the bowling lanes – and welcomed Lewiston-Porter student athletes back to use the facility.

“We've put a lot of money into it, and a lot of sweat and tears into it,” Simon said in 2021.

“We believed that the community needs a community event center,” he added.

“From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for allowing our families to be a part of so many of your memories,” the former LEC management shared. “We are forever grateful and will always cherish the friendships and community we've built together.

“Here's to the next chapter!”