FIRST LOOK INSIDE: Peek into Albany’s newest family-run entertainment complex Wild West Bowling before opening

As the official opening of Albany’s newest and “most unique” entertainment venue looms and the “labour of love” approaches completion, the family behind the venture are breathing a collective sigh of relief. Wild West Bowling is the Kennedy family’s eighth venture in 17 years — a $1.7 million Western-themed entertainment complex equipped with 14-lanes, vintage arcade games, mechanical bucking bull, restaurant, bar and simulators that can be programmed to tour Albany’s coastal roads. Alongside rodeos, music festivals, an electronics store and amusement hire business, the family ran the combined bowling alley, go-kart track and drive-in cinema on Stead Road for 12 years, closing in October 2023 to start a “clean slate” at the new Chester Pass Road address. “In the old bowling alley, I’d see a couple come in on a date night all dressed up, and they were slopping through the mud and in the pot holes to get to the ramp to walk in, and then they’re sitting on these old, cold, dingy seats,” director and family patriarch Tom Kennedy said. “I’d say to them, ‘you guys are a bit dressed up for this place’. “Or a birthday party, the parents would say, ‘alright kids, lets go to McDonalds for lunch,’ and I’d laugh and say ‘what’s wrong with our crap hole?’ “With (Wild West Bowling) we wanted to make it a really nice place where you can get dressed up and actually come in and feel like it’s a night out.” Tom was joined by his wife Sharon and children Sammy and Mike for the renovation of the former furniture store — an operation that blew out from its original six-month time frame to an 18-month endeavour. Operations manager and “wrangler of the family circus” Sammy said the process to get there has been fraught at times — the venture almost sent them bankrupt at least four times — but the dream to provide an entertainment oasis never wavered thanks to the help of the community. “There’s been a lot of trials and tribulations throughout the time, but what has happened over the years is we’ve found that there’s just no entertainment space in Albany and we just had to fix that,” she said. “Families really struggle to go take their kids out, unless it’s, you know, the Albany show or something like that, so we were trying to bring back the vibrancy to that entertainment life. “There’s been some scary times and it’s just been a miracle what we’ve done, it’s surreal to see it now. “But if we didn’t have the community support — the sponsor businesses that chipped in with labour or supplies or a bit of cash, or just the people messaging us with support — we wouldn’t be where we are today.” As well as 87-year-old landlord Brian Hammer, who comes in everyday to help, and the volunteer labour from tradesmen Hans Myburgh and David Cooke, 66 local businesses contributed to the fit-out with all invited for a first look sponsors night on Friday. Though suggestions such as 60s diners or Dukes of Hazzard were thrown around as themes, Tom said the family eventually landed on the Silverado-motif, inspired by pet bull Bruce Brahaman, for whom the bar is named, and their history in rodeo events. “It’s timeless, and having, unfortunately, more passion than judgment, has just sort of allowed us, in a way to create something that is beyond what a corporate would probably look at doing,” he said. “It’s pretty unique.” Future upgrades include renovating the mezzanine to allow bigger private functions, adding a stage for a band and “maybe” starting up boot-scootin’ nights. The venue, which has already locked in about 75 Christmas parties, will announce the date of the grand opening on its Facebook page.