Bowling ingrained in city culture

This story was featured in the December 2022 edition of Sandusky Living magazine. If you're interested in purchasing a copy, call the Register at 419-502-2130 while supplies last. SANDUSKY — For many, a local bowling center is a place to engage in friendly competition and enjoy some food and cold beverages. One could say it's an American tradition. And that tradition has been upheld by three generations of owners at Star Lanes, located on Cleveland Road (U.S. 6). One Christmas night in 1963, John and Rita Tintinalli, along with Walter and Dorothy Miller, decided they would like to open a bowling alley. They decided it would be called Star Lanes. Since opening Star Lanes, it has been passed down three generations. The current owners are Sandusky natives and brothers Jeff and John Lizzi. "John and Rita Tintinalli were my dad's parents, and then Walter and Dorothy Miller were my mom's parents," said Jeff Lizzi, co-owner of Star Lanes. "My grandfather John used to run Bonnie Lanes, another bowling center that closed down, and he wanted to build his own, so on that Christmas night, they just started talking and decided they would be partners." "My grandfather had three boys; my dad, Bruno, my uncle, Larry, and (uncle) Jerry were all bowlers. My uncle Jerry won a few titles over the years, including the Peterson Classic for (about) $35,000 in 1970, and I eventually decided I wanted to do it professionally," Jeff Lizzi said. Jeff Lizzi has had a long successful career with many titles and national TV appearances, like on ESPN. His most notable moment came when he won the Brunswick Memorial Open in Chicago, where he defeated Amleto Monacelli in the championship match, 247-192, in the 1992 PBA championship tour. After returning from the tour, he decided it was time to return home, and after receiving a call from his brother, he knew it was time for them to buy the family business. "I knew I was ready to do it, so we bought it from our dad, and in 2013 we purchased the bowling center Harbor Lanes in Port Clinton," Jeff Lizzi said. The brothers then began their journey of not only keeping the family business alive but adding a few new fun amenities to help transform the bowling alley into something everyone can enjoy. Those additions include glow bowling, laser tag, arcade games and various delicious food and beverages. With those new additions came a name change for the business — now known as Twin Star Entertainment, which came about in 2021. "We decided to change the name to Twin Star Entertainment Center because my brother and I are twins, and we kept the word 'Star' in there to keep a piece of the original name," he said. The Lizzis renovated a section of the Port Clinton location to add laser tag, an arcade, an axe-throwing area and birthday party rooms. They also have plans to remodel the Sandusky location in the near future. "It's a way for us to ensure that people will see it as an entertainment center and not just a typical bowling alley," Jeff Lizzi said. Team is family If you want to bowl in a more organized setting, there are children's and adult leagues that play at Star Lanes. Deema Torres, a regular at the Sandusky location and a sponsor for her husband's company, CT Electrical Services, provides uniforms for all teams in her league. Deema started bowling at age 10 after babysitting for a neighbor. "Instead of my neighbors paying me, they would take me bowling with them, and my love for bowling grew over time," Torres said. She decided to join her first bowling league and has remained there for the last fifteen years. She considers her teammates family. "As soon as you walk into this bowling alley, all you can see and hear is smiles and laughter," Torres said. "We then enjoy some excellent food and maybe a few rounds of drinks and overall have a good time. "It's hard to beat this place, everyone here is very supportive, and I don't feel pressure to be perfect. It is simply about having a good time," she added. Playing in a league is a relatively inexpensive and accessible way to have fun, and Torres believes anyone interested should consider joining. "It's pretty easy to do," she said. "All you have to do is contact the bowling alley and ask about the leagues, and if you find one you like, sign up. If you'd like to join our league, tell them (you want to join) CT Electrical Services."