Candlepin has come home.
American Flatbread Worcester
Candlepin bowling, a New England favorite, was invented in Worcester. Sadly, all local alleys have since shuttered. So when American Flatbread came to us with a new space in the heart of downtown and the dream to bring candlepin back, we laced up our slidey shoes and jumped at the chance.
The biggest challenge was stitching two floors, a wood-fired pizza restaurant, and a 10-lane candlepin alley into one cohesive place. With the pizza restaurant on the first floor and bowling down below, we imagined a thread running through both levels — a retro checkerboard pattern woven into flooring, wall tile, and acoustic panels. On the first floor, we kept the pizza oven as the undisputed focal point, with seating radiating around it and a generous open zone so guests can get as close to the action as they want. We designed the host stand to do double duty as a bowling shoe display — bringing a bit of the downstairs up, and sending you downstairs curious. Head below and you'll find 10 salvaged candlepin lanes, flanked by flexible seating and a full bar. Two floors, one very good night out.
WORCESTER, MA
17,025 SF
Services
Architecture
Interiors
Collaborators
Churchill James
JJ Welch
BLW
Design Fabricators
Flaunt
