Owners Renovated Hendersonville Bowling Alley
The purchase and facility upgrade of Tarheel Lanes highlights local capital investment in long-standing recreational venues.
Updated on Oct. 13, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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Paige and Les Boyd have acquired and completed extensive renovations on the 45-year-old Tarheel Lanes in Hendersonville. The facility, which reopened its kitchen and upgraded its gaming infrastructure, continues to serve as a hub for local recreational leagues.
Why it matters
The acquisition and modernization of the historic facility illustrate how new owners can sustain operational continuity for aging entertainment venues. By refreshing key hardware and services, the owners aim to preserve the site's role in the local bowling community.
The 32-lane facility, which opened in 1981, has been updated with new arcade machines and scoring systems to support its nine active bowling leagues. The inventory refresh included 400 new pairs of shoes and 190 new bowling balls.
The players
Paige and Les Boyd
The current owners of Tarheel Lanes who purchased and renovated the facility.
Nick Peterson
The former owner of the facility who passed away in 2024.
Ellis Desimon
The manager of Tarheel Lanes who serves as the primary media contact for the business.
The details
The owners managed the facility upgrade by closing one half of the building at a time to minimize operational downtime. Staff successfully installed new touchscreen scoring stations and a modern air conditioning system throughout the structure. Two mechanics remain on staff to maintain the pin-setting machines, ensuring the technical infrastructure supports ongoing league play.
Timeline
1981: Tarheel Lanes originally opened for business.
2024: Nick Peterson died.
October 8, 2026: Manager Ellis Desimon discussed the alley with media.
Market Landscape
The acquisition of the 45-year-old facility by the Boyds marks the first major ownership transition for Tarheel Lanes following the death of Nick Peterson. This project follows a broader local trend of legacy business owners seeking to preserve aging venues through modern capital improvements.
Operators of aging facilities should evaluate the trade-offs between phased, multi-stage renovations and full-service shutdowns to maintain revenue during construction. Monitoring the inventory lifecycles of high-traffic assets like rental equipment can prevent sudden capital expenditures.
The takeaway
The successful refresh of this facility demonstrates that targeted upgrades to core machinery and consumer-facing tech can revitalize legacy businesses. Owners should track the service requirements of their most essential mechanical equipment to avoid unplanned downtime.
Further reading
For more on local commercial property changes, visit the Openings & Closings section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Blueridgenow.
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