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Magic Lanes has disappeared, but the magic is still there, in nearby Roxbury Lanes. Doug Harrell, owner of both Roxbury Lanes, with Roxy's Casino and Magic Lanes was forced by a decline in business at Magic Lanes to close the business on Aug. 1. Longtime bowler customer, and former employee Victoria Rae, organized a farewell party for Magic Lanes Saturday night, AUG. 27, at Roxbury Lanes.

You can read our Aug. 3 story about Magic Lanes closing here:

Magic Lanes was at the corner of Southwest 106th St. and 15th Av. SW. Roxbury Lanes is at 2823 Southwest Roxbury St. between 27th Ave SW & S 28th Ave SW.

"I grew up at Magic Lanes," said Rae, who grew up in White Center and now lives in Graham. She bowls a 178 average. "The Harrell family has been a family to me. I grew up at the bowling alley and I brought my kids to the Magic Lanes every Saturday."

"We bought Magic Lanes in 1982, and Roxbury in 2004," said Harrell. "I had a cousin who was a pro bowler, Jeff Mattingly, out on the tour and his family owned a bowling center. My parents, Jim and Doris, were partners there. My dad retired from Boeing and he said, 'Let's do this' and we did. They're not active in the business any more and are in their 80's. I live in Burien, a 2 mile commute.

"It's the economy," he added. "Bowling's been tough for a few years. If they weren't so close together I might not have closed it. If I saw any light at the end of the tunnel that the economy would improve I wouldn't do this but I didn't see that at all. Our hope is that most of our league people transfers down here (...) As the weather deteriorates our business picks up. Hopefully we can then bring a few more (former Magic Lanes employees) back here."

Frank Moore of Burien was the junior bowling coach for Magic/Roxbury. He started bowling at age 26 and has been at it 38 years. He has had several 300 games.

"We moved our youth down here on Saturday mornings," said Moore, who was born in North Carolina and raised in Missoula, Montana. "Our youngest is three, and oldest is 19. I tell the three year-olds, 'Just throw the ball and have fun'. I've had so many kids go through this program. I coached kids of kids of kids. We've raised $60,000 in scholarships to kids over the years."

"I threaten to bowl but they won't let me," said Doug's father, Jim, who had a stroke a few years back. "I retired from boeing and bought it for something to play with," Jim said of Magic Lanes. "We miss not being there. It's a lot of good memories, a lot of fun."

"After 29 years it's a loss," said Doris. "That's what our lives circled around for a long time."