Milford bowling alley to close over legal issues

MILFORD – The bowling alley on Elm Street known for its retro charm will close for the second time in recent memory.

Janine Gawryl, an attorney representing the management of Tony’s Lanes, which was known for years as Bowlmor, confirmed the closure in a five-sentence e-mail sent to The Cabinet on Wednesday. The managers are Stanley and Kathy Pawelczyk.

“Legal issues have arisen regarding the ownership, management, and direction of the bowling alley,” Gawryl wrote. “Until those issues are resolved, the bowling alley will close.”

Gawryl apologized for not being able to provide more information immediately, but wrote that she hoped to have more later in the week.

The candlepin lanes opened in 1961, using some equipment from a second-floor alley that had previously operated near the Oval, and ran for 35 years as Bowlmor Lanes. The 12-lane bowling alley featured 1960s-style decor including birch veneer and Jetsons-style counter cuts.

It closed in 2006 after the owners died and remained shut until Nashua businessman and bowling fan Anthony Matarazzo Sr., reopened it in 2007 as Tony’s Lanes.

“The area needs a bowling alley,” he told The Telegraph at the time.

Matarazzo, 88, of Nashua, died in September. The lanes have been open intermittently since.

Matarazzo’s son, Anthony P. Matarazzo, declined to comment on the latest closure. The Pawelczyks also declined to comment.