Students travel through the Shepherd Union Building throughout the day for various reasons. They often encounter a cacophony of crashing pins, clanking balls and blasting music as they approach a somewhat hidden campus gem — Wildcat Lanes.
Wildcat Lanes and Waldo’s Corner Pocket, the adjoining snack bar, offer a variety of playful options for students and faculty. The facility offers recreational games that include bowling and billiards, and a rest area invites weary students to unwind from the stresses of college life.
The center is open Monday through Thursday at 12:30 p.m. and offers an early-bird Friday opening at 10 a.m. along with a Saturday matinee at noon. Closing time is 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and 9 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.
The game center recently introduced new weekday promotions, which allow students to enjoy activities at a discounted price. Each promotion has a theme that invites groups of students to participate throughout the week.
Employees say that their most popular promotion has been the Two-Dollar Tuesday offer. Each participant can bowl for just $2 per game, and shoe rentals always cost $2.
“It’s bowling for very nearly half-price for non-students and a pretty good discount for students. People tend to like that one,” employee Kyle Richetti said.
Regularly-priced games range from $2.25 to just under $4. Weber State students and community members are eligible for the Tuesday promotion.
“I think everybody loves Two-Dollar Tuesday. I feel like that’s our most popular day of the week and it’s just super fun,” manager Marissa Questereit said.
Another notable promotion is Wildcat Wednesday, where students who wear Weber State gear can bowl for $2 with shoe rental reduced to $1. Questereit and the rest of the staff see an increase on Wednesday bowlers, as students tend to come in on Wednesday.
On the first Wednesday of every month, in conjunction with Wildcat Wednesday, Waldo’s Corner Pocket also offers Jam Night, where students can participate in an open mic night with varying themes each month.
The week for the Wildcat Lanes culminates with Date Night Friday, where couples can receive buy one get one free offers on bowling and billiard games. Questereit said that on Fridays they see more couples bowl.
Family Night Monday provides families with a free bowling game for kids 12 and under, and on Throwback Thursday the center plays old-school music and play classic movies in the center.
More monthly promotions are in the works to bring people into the center. The center plans to conduct a Clubs and Organizations bowling tournament in March. Club members can bowl at a discounted rate and compete for funding for their respective clubs.
In April, another tournament will be held for students enrolled in Weber State’s bowling classes where the winning class will be rewarded with a pizza party. The university provides a special benefit to enrolled bowling class students.
“The classes give out cards for bowl one, get one free. People use that a lot,” said Jaden Grosso, a WSU freshman working at the alley.
The university is developing plans to improve the center. Grosso detailed some future renovations.
“I know that we’re getting game stations where the snack bar used to be, we’re getting PlayStations and a little gaming corner,” Grosso said.
With promotions and renovations on the horizon, Wildcat Lanes and Waldo’s Corner Pocket look to continue their reign as the premier activity center in the Shepherd Union.
