Growing up, my mother was super good at candlepin bowling and what a smooth delivery she had. She's 68 now and doesn't have a 103 average anymore, but whatever.

We would watch candlepin bowling every Saturday morning and I grew to love the sport. Candlepin (little ball), I realized, was not the big attraction I thought it was. Ten-pin (big ball) was more of the country's speed when it comes to bowling.

When I first moved to Pittsfield in the fall of 2010, Ken's Bowl was still open and super popular. Well, unfortunately, Ken's was forced to closed when COVID hit and then never reopened.

Ken's owner Jerry Gillette eventually sold to Berkshire Roots, the adjacent cannabis retailer, and the beloved bowling alley and bar was torn down in August of 2021. Fans of Ken's were certainly bummed to say the least.

Greylock Bowl and Golf in North Adams offers ten-pin bowling (reopening Aug. 5), as well as, Cove Bowling Lanes in Great Barrington, and candlepin is offered in Pittsfield (Imperial) and North Adams (Valley Park Bowl).

BUT, TEN-PIN IS COMING BACK TO PITTSFIELD!

K&M Bowling has announced via their Facebook page the following:

Ten-pin bowling is coming back to Pittsfield!! K&M Bowling and Family Fun Center will open early 2023! We will have leagues, open bowling, cosmic bowling, as well as options for birthday parties! We will also offer opportunities for business packages!