HAMTRAMCK, Mich. (WXYZ) — For many businesses and entertainment spots, the rebound from the pandemic is just picking up. At the Fowling Warehouse in Hamtramck, the fun isn't simply coming back, it's growing.
Fowling is a combination of football and bowling, and Owner Chris Hutt said there are also aspects of maybe some horsehoes and cornhole.
The noise of the football hitting pins dulled during the pandemic, but business for the 8-year-old warehouse is picking back up and growing across the country.
"We opened in 2020 in Atlanta and Indianapolis, right in the middle of the pandemic. Fantastic. And we just opened a couple of weeks ago in Ypsilanti, if the Arbor, we call it, and it's right on Washtenaw and we're really excited. Our seventh location is opening in August in Dallas, which we're really excited about that one," Hutt said.
The original location in Hamtramck opened in December 2014
"You can throw the ball any way you want. Overhand, underhand, rugby, soccer, cricket, make up your own throw. It can bounce, it can roll, just don’t kick the ball," Hutt told our Brian Abel.
Fowling's version of a hole-in-one is called a bonk. If you hit the middle pin only, it's game over and a celebration ensues, with a horn blaring through the warehouse.
The next Fowling Warehouse pays homage to the game's roots. It started as an Indy 500 tailgate game, and now you can take it home for your backyard party with a portable kit.
The Play Fowling kit is available at stores across the country and on Amazon. It's $249.99 and includes two boards, one football, one air pump and 20 weighted composite pins.
All Fowling Warehouses also have a big summer special. You can get unlimited walk-in open play from Memorial Day through Labor Day for $50.
