Bowlero brings new bowling, 'retro' design to Naperville

Remember the old Brunswick Zone XL in Naperville? Well, the new bowling alley that's taken its place is nothing like it.

Bowlero Naperville describes itself as a "millennial-friendly, hipster-inspired bowling brand," and before its grand opening Saturday, the new business completely revamped the space at 1515 Aurora Ave.

There are TV screens at the end of each lane, the laser tag course has an urban skyline theme, the arcade features new games, a private party room has been redesigned as a throwback to the Prohibition era and everything looks fresh - yet vintage - at the same time.

"Our overall space has a very retro, unique design," said Julia Skobeleva, regional sales and marketing manager.

Bowlers can check out the new alley with a free game from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday during Bowlero's grand opening of its first location in Illinois. Attendees also will get free shoe rental, a free game of laser tag, a $5 arcade card and giveaways, and the Chicago Blackhawks will bring a hockey presence with street teams, Ice Crew cheerleaders and former player Tony Esposito.

"It marks the beginning of a new era for bowling," Skobeleva said about the opening event. "That's what we're trying to do for residents in Naperville."

Bowlero expects to host family game nights, birthday parties, corporate gatherings and team-building events in its 40 lanes as well as a new sports bar and lounge, Skobeleva said.

Guests can bowl a line for between $4 and $6, rent shoes for $4, play bumper cars or laser tag for between $4 and $15 and grab a drink at the bar for roughly $4 to $12.

Anyone looking to make a meal at Bowlero might want to bring a friend, as many items on the party-friendly menu are mammoth-sized. Or behemoth-sized. Like the "Behemoth Burger," a 5-pound, 14-inch colossus "made for 10 people to share - at least," Skobeleva said. There's also a party pretzel, a 2-foot-long hot dog, a "Pizza Cake" of four or five pizzas stacked atop one another and pizza cupcakes. These mega menu options can cost up to $50, but more personal-sized eats are in the range of $11 to $30, Skobeleva said.

Bowlero is part of Bowlmor AMF, which operates more than 310 bowling alleys in the United States, Mexico and Canada.