Holiday Lanes

A trip to this bowling alley in Herber City, Utah is like a step back in time to the 1960s and the silver screen era of Hollywood. Holiday Lanes, being in close proximity to Park City, home of the Sundance Film Festival, has been frequented by celebrities like Robert Redford and Tom Brokaw.

Holiday Lanes has been owned and operated by the same family since 1964. In addition to being a family-friendly bowling center, it has also been the set of numerous Hollywood movies including “A Home of Our Own” and “Truth or Consequences N.M.”

The bowling alley was built in 1962 and purchased two years later by John William “Bill” Jordan. A few years after running the location, Jordan began venturing to Arizona each fall, leaving his daughter Phyllis Christensen in charge. She and her husband Garold, who also worked as a farmer, eventually took over the business full time.

While the hardwood floors were replaced and “telescores” made scoring simpler, much of the alley has remained in its original form. The original ball returns and pin machines are still in use today, and Phyllis’ classic malt is still made with the same hand-mixing machines used in the 1960s.

With four children, 14 grandchildren, more than 40 great grandchildren, and four great-great grandchildren, the bowling alley has enabled Christensen to work beside many of her family members. It also ensures that Holiday Lanes will remain in the family’s hands for generations.