Goofy Golf gets new owners

PERKINS TWP. — Nearly 40 years ago, when spouses Roger and Diane "Di" Andrews established an outdoor amusement center, they infused familiar Disney elements all over their Sandusky-area site. For instance, there's a massive castle, complete with cascading waterfalls, towering over a miniature golf course. When lit up, in all of its neon glory, the marquee topping a royal palace-like structure resembles architecture suitable for Mickey Mouse's home. Truly, Goofy Golf represents the Andrews' very own magical kingdom — and they took even greater pride in watching others enjoy on-site amenities from there dating back to 1986. "He's just a Disney fanatic and had a dream, and he went for it," said Goofy Golf's business manager Lynn Devereaux, referring to Roger, her brother-in-law, and sister, Di. Goofy Golf drew inspiration from the Andrews' home, which looks like a castle. Built in 1978, it's on Marshall Avenue near Perkins High School. "He would buy little buildings, and everything he got would somehow work into his overall plan," Devereaux said about Roger's ambitions for Goofy Golf. "For everything, he had a vision, and it's all so amazing. It's a great place here." Familiarity in a family business During the next three-plus decades, Roger and Di built up Goofy Golf, which today features two 18-hole miniature golf courses, three go-kart tracks and an arcade. It's a popular spot for locals and tourists alike. Many meet there for birthday parties, date nights and impromptu gatherings among friends. But, because of their age, the spouses decided to recently sell Goofy Golf. The property never publicly went up for sale. Roger and Di approached the Criscione family — owners of the nearby Ghostly Manor Thrill Center — to possibly purchase their business, which the Crisciones ended up doing. Finalized in the summer, the Crisciones now own Goofy Golf. Financial details were not disclosed. A partnership between Ghostly Manor, formerly known as Skate World, and Goofy Golf stretches back to about 20 years ago when each would help promote the other's business. In a sign of goodwill, each would encourage customers to visit the neighboring business. Familiarity paired with promises made by the Crisciones to maintain Goofy Golf's essence helped convince the Andrews to sell, Devereaux said. "There are similarities in our businesses. We are both about entertainment and making sure people have fun," said Bill Criscione, who now, with his wife, Jayme, are Goofy Golf's new owners. They entrusted their son, Billy, to work as Goofy Golf's general manager, a position he also serves in with Ghostly Manor. "We are a family-owned business, and they are a family-owned business, so there is trust there that we will do the right thing," Bill said. Changes abound? Certain aspects won't change with Goofy Golf. "The name is staying the same. And the building and the atmosphere will be the same as well," Billy said. "We also retained a lot of the previous staff. A handful will also be working at Ghostly Manor." This would include Devereaux, who's staying on during this transition. Goofy Golf, however, needs a facelift in various regards, Billy said, specifically referencing its: • Miniature golf courses: "They are staying, but we are going to update it by adding new greens and working to make the waterfall and other effects more modern as well. We recently painted the whole castle." • Go-kart tracks: "We have no plans to change the tracks, but we will look to purchase new go-karts over the next five years. We are learning the business and mechanics of how they work and utilizing our staff to give us advice on future purchases." • Arcade: "We recently went from coin-operated machines to card readers. We also have a lot of new games in here." • Bumper boat area: "We don't think we will bring back bumper boats. But we are exploring options for future uses in this space." • Insulation: "The building is not heated. We are adding heat to the building and insulating it, which hasn't been done before, so that we can do birthday parties in here when it's cold outside." The Crisciones also want to extend Goofy Golf's operating season, typically spanning from late May to early September. "Eventually, we want to run it as a year-round business but, this year, we want to keep it open until at least the end of October," Billy said. The Crisciones also believe they can balance both businesses while seeing each grow and prosper. Ghostly Manor, an indoor facility, stays busy during wintertime. Conversely, Goofy Golf, primarily an outdoor venue, receives people mostly during summertime. "We are bullish on this area," Bill said. "Sandusky has become a year-round venue for entertainment. People are here to have fun, and we want to provide them with more of it."