AMF Bowling

AMF Bowling is a long‑running ten‑pin bowling brand operated by Bowlero Corp., which is the largest owner and operator of bowling centers in the world. As of March 2024, Bowlero controls more than 350 centers across North America under the Bowlero, AMF, and Bowlmor Lanes banners, and AMF locations remain a core part of that systemwide footprint. AMF centers typically offer league play, open bowling, birthday parties, and group events, supported by food, beverage, and arcade or amusement areas. Within the broader Bowlero platform, AMF is generally the more traditional, league‑oriented format, updated to align with contemporary expectations for social, event‑driven entertainment.

The AMF story dates back to the early 20th century. The brand’s roots lie in American Machine & Foundry, which moved into bowling equipment in the 1940s and introduced the automatic pinsetter in 1952. That technology helped drive a major post‑war wave of bowling center development in the United States and positioned AMF as a key player in the modern bowling industry. Over the following decades, AMF evolved from an equipment supplier into the world’s largest operator of bowling centers, with a sizable domestic and international presence, before industry‑wide declines in league participation and aging facilities began to weigh on performance.

After years of pressure, AMF Bowling Worldwide entered Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings in 2001 and again in 2012. The turning point came in 2013, when New York‑based Bowlmor Lanes acquired substantially all of AMF’s U.S. centers out of bankruptcy, merged the operations, and ultimately created what is now Bowlero Corp. That transaction is a key milestone for the current AMF platform. It brought together a large portfolio of traditional AMF centers with Bowlmor’s more upscale, event‑focused approach, and it put the AMF estate under a single, well‑capitalized owner with a clear entertainment strategy.

Over roughly the last five years, Bowlero has been actively reshaping how AMF fits within its network. Many legacy AMF locations have been remodeled, either upgraded within the AMF brand or fully converted to the Bowlero concept, with modern scoring, lighting, seating, and expanded bars and kitchens. Others continue to trade under the AMF name, often as reliable league houses that now benefit from updated food and beverage programs and improved guest amenities. At the same time, Bowlero has been acquiring independent bowling centers and smaller chains, integrating them into its system and, in some cases, using AMF as the operating flag for more traditional formats.

As of March 2024, Bowlero’s more than 350 centers across the United States, Canada, and Mexico provide a meaningful national platform for AMF‑branded venues, particularly in suburban and secondary markets. Real estate profiles commonly include multi‑lane footprints in established retail corridors, with visibility, access, and on‑site parking that support frequent visits and group outings. The company has highlighted an ongoing pipeline of conversions and tuck‑in acquisitions, emphasizing infill suburban locations, select urban cores with nightlife and office populations, high‑growth Sunbelt metros, and college and family‑oriented regional trade areas.

In practical terms, this growth posture signals that Bowlero, through AMF and its sister brands, is likely to remain an active user of second‑generation big‑box and freestanding space, as well as well‑parked pads where a bowling‑anchored entertainment use can run long operating hours and generate consistent weekly traffic. Backed by a scaled, publicly traded parent on the NYSE, AMF can function as a durable anchor or replacement tenant for sizable boxes, supporting co‑tenants that benefit from steady evening and weekend visits across league, family, and corporate demand.