Letter to the Editor: Striking a fair balance

To the Editor:

I am disappointed Conor O'Callaghan's experience was less than ideal ("Striking out," The Daily Pennsylvanian, 2/11/05). Our guests are our top priority and we hope that each one of them has an unforgettable experience.

However, Strikes Bowling Lounge is not just your ordinary bowling "alley," and I believe that O'Callaghan made some unfair comparisons. Unlike how he described Phoenix's Via Linda Lanes, Strikes is an upscale nightclub and bar. We offer great service, 104 large drinks and a huge appetizer, salad, burger and entree menu. Our food and drink portions are plentiful and our servers are extremely attentive. I am proud to say that a vast majority of our customers, including other Daily Pennsylvanian writers and Philadelphia Weekly writers, have enjoyed their time at Strikes.

With that said, we constantly strive to improve and we appreciate O'Callaghan's suggestions. As a result of student sentiment regarding our misunderstood cover coupon or prepaid minimum (it is not a cover charge -- the entire charge is 100 percent redeemable towards bowling, billiards, shoes, drinks and food once you enter), we have lowered this coupon to $5 on weekends and $3 during the week. Further, we are now offering very enticing drink specials including "Pins and Pints" Wednesdays, where we offer $1 pints all day, and "Long Island" Saturday nights, where our guests can enjoy any one of nine different types of Long Island Iced Teas for only $3.

I spent four years at the University of Pennsylvania. I understand some students' limited resources. However, Scott Caplan and I built Strikes Bowling Lounge because we feel Penn needs a nightclub/lounge that caters to Penn students' sophisticated tastes and a bowling lounge that gives people a place to socialize and hang out in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere. We designed an extremely cutting-edge facility that has state-of-the-art bowling, lighting and sound equipment.

It may be pricier than what you are used to, but you will also get much more for your money. Please come forward with more suggestions. Our goal is to provide the ultimate experience for all of our guests, and we need your input for our continued improvements and success.

Matthew Canno

The author is co-owner of Strikes Bowling Lounge

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