Ken's Bowl Out, Marijuana Grow Facility In

Rumors surrounding the sale of Ken's Bowl to a neighboring recreational and medical marijuana company have been circulating for a few months now, but according to The Berkshire Eagle, it's official.

Berkshire Roots, located next to Ken's Bowl on Dalton Ave in Pittsfield, is seeking approval to convert the bowling alley in a marijuana cultivating and processing facility.

The proposal to build a two-story structure at the location of Ken's Bowl, will go before the Community Development Board for review this Tuesday, with final local authority pending from the Zoning Board of Appeals. The plans call for Ken's Bowl to be demolished and a cultivation facility to be built in its place, according to city Permitting Coordinator Nate Joyner.

The proposed new building will join the Berkshire Roots retail facility and a three-story structure currently under construction, also located nearby on Dalton Ave, which will primarily serve as a cultivation facility as well.

As far as the sale of Ken's Bowl goes, The Eagle spoke with owner Jerry Gillette about a month ago and he said his business was closed due to the pandemic. He said he had hoped to reopen, but would only do so only if he were permitted to reopen at full capacity due to finances and logistics.

"Everything's up in the air," Gillette said at the time, during an interview in which he was highly critical of what he described as the negative consequences of the state's public health restrictions on the health of his business. "I was having a great, great year, then they closed me down March 16."

via The Berkshire Eagle