A household name in local bowling, Rich Nesbit passes baton after 47-year career at lanes

Rich Nesbit had a routine he followed thousands of times.

As the owner of his family’s namesake Nesbit’s Lanes in Plum, he would arrive at the facility, make sure all the machines were on, get the snack bar started, check to see if all the bathrooms were clean and do a walk-through behind the pin machines to make sure everything appeared in proper working order.

“It was second nature to me,” said Nesbit, who carried on the tradition at the lanes begun by his father and his uncles more than 70 years ago.

“This is where my heart and soul has been. I’ve loved bowling my whole life, and I’ve loved the people in bowling.”

Nesbit officially retired from his ownership of the lanes last month. Anthony Tierno, who worked at the lanes with Nesbit for more than two decades, purchased the facility and will continue day-to-day operations as the new owner.

Nesbit said he’s as excited for the future of the lanes as he has been grateful for the past.

“I will help out periodically if I am needed, but I will not be involved in the day-to-day operation or the day-to-day decision making,” he said.

Nesbit said the decision to retire was not easy.

“My mind and heart kept telling me I could do this, but my body would tell me I couldn’t,” he said. “I would be working 50 to 60 hours a week. It wasn’t the hardest physical work, but I would occasionally climb around the machines and work on fixing whatever problem arose. I would start to really feel that in my legs. My mind kept thinking I was 25, and my body kept telling me I was 70. It was time.

“Anthony started out here when he was still in school. He came on full time after college. He knows the ins and out of this building and its operation. It was such a great comfort for me and my family to know it was sold to him rather than to someone from the outside who doesn’t know the people or the community and doesn’t know the history. He’s like family to me. He has the aspirations to keep this going strong well into the future.”

Tierno said Nesbit has been a valued mentor and like a father figure to him over the years.

“Rich would always talk about making sure the place would be kept going on his own terms after he got full control, and that is the same for me now taking over,” Tierno said. “Rich and his family developed a great tradition of making it a family friendly place. I want keep it running well as a place where many people can come and have a good time.”

Nesbit said he has understood the modernization changes that have arrived to bowling houses all over, including his own.

“I am not fully gone, yet,” he said. “My wife said I am here too much. It is hard to pull away. But I am getting there. Summers are slower, so it’s not as busy. I come in and practice twice a week. I want to give Anthony and others the proper space for them to do what they need to do.”

Nesbit said he owes so much to his wife, Bonnie, for her years of sacrifices as he pursued his work at the lanes. The couple celebrated 43 years of marriage Thursday.

“Without her love and patience, it would’ve been a whole different picture,” he said. “We met here (at Nesbit’s). She understood my love for what I did here. This (retirement) still in the early stages, but we’ve talked about some of the things we want to do together now that we’re both retired.”

Nesbit’s Lanes began in 1946 as the family opened eight lanes of duckpin bowling. In 1959, eight lanes were added, and it was converted from duckpin to tenpin. The pin-setters came in 1962, and the rest is history.

With family ownership still at the heart of the lanes, Nesbit started his 47 years at the helm in 1977 after graduating from Plum (1972) and Grove City College (1976).

Nesbit said he was filled with pride when someone would start bowling at a young age, eager to learn and improve, and grow to become a top consistent scorer.

“My aunt used to run the junior program before she passed away, and my mother and father were advocates of junior bowling,” he said. “They had a passion for youth bowling. That passion carried through the years, and it’s always been so important to me.”

Nesbit said the lanes wouldn’t still be here 78 years later providing league opportunities, tournaments, a home for several high school teams, open bowling and a setting for parties and other gatherings if it wasn’t for all of the workers, volunteers, coaches and others who have dedicated so much of their time and energy.

“My family couldn’t have ever done it alone, and I am so grateful,” he said. “There are too many to name them all.”

That support, he said, was never more evident than during the covid pandemic.

“I would come to work every day and do my job, but I hadn’t fully realized the impact (the lanes) had on people’s lives,” Nesbit said. “The family ties from generation to generation, it was a little overwhelming to hear all of the stories.”

As much as Nesbit has received from Plum and surrounding communities over the years, he said he’s made sure that giving back has always been a hallmark of the lanes from the leagues, youth leagues, scholarships, instructional bowling, fundraisers and supporting worthy and meaningful community causes.

“I’ve found that it’s been a special mutual relationship,” he said. “We’ve always wanted to be a vehicle for all the goodwill in the communities. It’s been a joy for me to invest in the best of people.”