- Photo taken during the 1966-1967 academic year in the Linfield Bowling Alley shows (left to right) Dave Dodge, John Lee, Ann Brandvig, Jack Ostlund (jersey #37) and Arlene Chapman. It appears on a Christian Student Union/CSU page in the 1967 Oak Leaves. Photo caption: “Dramatic portrayal of a ‘Ten Pin Parable’ added a new dimension to the Vespers program.
Photo showing student John Puryear (back to camera) bowling in the Linfield Bowling Alley appears on a page in Northwest Magazine of the Portland Sunday Oregonian on April 28, 1968.
Home on the
Lanes: Short-term rental in Halfway includes a four-lane bowling alley
By Lisa Britton,
Baker City, Oregon, Herald, Sept. 16, 2022
HALFWAY
(Baker County, Oregon) — Jessica Binford knows every inch of this bowling
alley.
“I’ve
painted the entire inside and outside,” she said.
That’s
7,000 square feet.
But
it doesn’t quite resemble the bowling alley where she spent time as a child
growing up in Halfway.
You
can sleep here, for instance.
Binford
and her husband, Tim, have remodeled a portion of the building into a
short-term rental through Airbnb. They call it “Home on the Lanes.”
The
property is at 300 E. Record St., near the Halfway Fairgrounds.
The
bowling alley was built in 1961. Tim’s grandparents, John and Mari Jo Binford,
bought it in 1999.
“They
lived here for years,” Jessica said. “When they weren’t in Boise, they lived in
the bowling alley.”
John
renovated the bar area into a living space, and closed off access to the
bowling alley portion of the building.
Echoes
remain of its former life — there’s still a urinal in what was once the men’s
bathroom.
John
and Mari Jo did operate the bowling alley for several years, along with a cafe.
“They
tried to bring it back to life,” Jessica said.
But
it was tough to keep regular hours, she said, and the building was used for
various activities, such as a gym and youth ministry meetings.
Tim
and Jessica became the owners in 2018.
Soon
someone asked if they could rent the bowling alley for a birthday party.
“Then
it was every other weekend,” Jessica said. “It’s not fancy, but people get the
whole space for themselves.”
The
bowling alley can be rented for $25 per hour for 15 guests or less, or $35 an
hour for groups larger than 15.
The
alley has four lanes, bowling balls, shoes, and tables where players keep score
by hand.
“It’s
vintage and fun,” she said.
The
lanes are original wood, but Jessica said they are saving up money to get those
replaced — most likely with a synthetic floor that is quieter.
Bowlers
have access to the kitchen to prepare food — a pizza, for instance — for their
group.
She
said the lanes are busiest in the winter months.
“The
coolest part has been the response from the community,” she said.
She
and her husband have a history here, too.
“We
have pictures of Tim and I here at parties,” she said.
They
both grew up in Halfway and attended Eastern Oregon University. They moved back
to the area about five years ago.
For
information about renting the bowling alley, go to Binford Bowling Lanes on
Facebook, email jessica
binford@gmail.com,
or call/text 541-540-5377.
The Airbnb
The
vast space of the Airbnb can sleep eight — two queen beds and two twins in the
main living space, and one king in the master bedroom.
The
original bar remains, with the addition of a stove and refrigerator.
There’s
even still an ice machine.
It
officially opened for rent about three months ago.
As
a bonus, those who rent the space can bowl for free, as long as the bowling
alley is not already reserved.
For
information about the rental, go to airbnb.com and search for Home on the Lanes.
The Building
In
addition to the rental and bowling alley, the Binfords have created four office
spaces. Adding walls, Jessica said, helped with heating the enormous space.
And
more changes may be in the works.
“I
still have lots of dreams for this place,” she said. “It’s just such a cool
building.”
She
has a few old photos of the building, but would like to have more on display.
She
posted a request on Facebook looking for photographs but didn’t get any
responses.
“I’d
love old prints of the building,” she said.
Photo cutline: This 4-lane bowling alley
in Halfway, Ore., was built in 1961.
