Landmark Lanes is one of the oldest and longest-running bowling lanes in the country, serving the Milwaukee community since 1927.
Timeline 1927- present
1927 THE ORIENTAL THEATER AND BENSINGER'S RECREATION ARE BUILT ON THE SITE OF THE FORMER FARWELL STATION, A HORSE, MULE AND STREETCAR BARN.
1929 GREAT DEPRESSION BEGINS. SURPRISINGLY, IT DEALS FATAL BLOWS TO NEITHER THE THEATER OR BENSINGER'S. IT WAS THOUGHT EVEN IN THE WORST OF TIMES, PEOPLE STILL NEED.
1933 PROHIBITION ENDS. AMERICANS CAN LEGALLY ENJOY ALCOHOL AGAIN. CLUB SILVER OPENS INSIDE BENSINGER'S.
1943 ML ANNENBERG, ORIGINAL OWNER OF BENSINGER'S RECREATION, DIES FOLLOWING A LONG ILLNESS. OWNERSHIP TRANSFERS TO TRIANGLE PUBLICATIONS, OWNED BY ANNENBERG'S SON.
1946 ORTO THEATER GROUP BUYS THE ORIENTAL THEATER AND BENSINGER'S RECREATION.
EARLY 1950s ORTO THEATER GROUP SELLS THE ORIENTAL THEATER AND BENSINGER'S TO UNITED ARTISTS. IT IS NOT KNOWN WHETHER UA HAD ANY OTHER BOWLING CENTERS IN THEIR PORTFOLIO. UA LEASES BENSINGER'S TO AN INDEPENDENT OPERATOR WHO RENAMES IT THE ORIENTAL LANES.
1957 THE ORIENTAL LANES INSTALLS AUTOMATIC PINSETTERS, SPEEDING UP THE GAME BUT PUTTING NUMEROUS PIN BOYS OUT OF WORK.
1971 WISCONSIN LOWERS THE DRINKING AT TO 18, SPURRING AN OVERNIGHT INCREASE IN BUSINESS.
1972 THE ORIENTAL LANES & THEATER ARE PURCHASED BY THE PRITCHETT BROTHERS, WHO RENAME THE BOWLING CENTER ORIENTAL LANDMARK LANES. THE BROTHERS REMOVE THE FIVE REMAINING MANUAL LANES IN THE BACK ROOM AND REMODEL THE AREA INTO A SECOND BAR.
1973 PRITCHETT'S JAZZ OASIS OPENS, FEATURING JAZZ GUITARIST GEORGE PRITCHETT. OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS THE ROOM FEATURES LOCAL AND NATIONAL JAZZ PERFORMERS.
1970s AND EARLY 1980s THE OIL EMBARGO AND IRANIAN HOSTAGE CRISIS CAUSE A DECLINE IN LEAGUE BOWLING. THE ORIENTAL LANDMARK LANES' GOLDEN ERA IS OVER.
1978 THE LANES HOST THE FIRST HOLIDAY INVITATIONAL TOURNAMENT, MILWAUKEE 'S PREMIERE GAY AND LESBIAN BOWLING TOURNAMENT. IT IS SUCH A SUCCESS THAT IT IS FORCED TO MOVE TO A LARGER FACILITY AFTER SEVERAL YEARS. THE CHOICE OF THE ORIENTAL LANDMARK LANES FOR THIS EVENT IS EMBLEMATIC OF THE LANES' EMERGING REPUTATION AS A COMFORTABLE PLACE WHERE ALL MILWAUKEEANS — BLUE COLLAR BOWLERS, COLLEGE STUDENTS, MUSICIANS, ECCENTRICS, GAYS AND LESBIANS, COUPLES — FEEL WELCOME AND ACCEPTED.
1980 THE FORMER JAZZ OASIS REOPENS AS A SECOND BAR AND DART ROOM. OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS, THE BACK ROOM HOSTS NUMEROUS DART LEAGUES AND BECOMES A FAVORITE DESTINATION FOR NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL PROFESSIONAL DARTERS.
1980s THE BOWLING CENTER LOCKER ROOM IS REMODELED INTO THE SIDE BAR. THE NEW ROOM, AVAILABLE FOR PARTY AND GROUP RENTALS, BOASTS THE EAST SIDE 'S ONLY BUMPER POOL TABLE.
1986 WISCONSIN INCREASES THE DRINKING AGE TO 21, CAUSING A DECREASE IN LIQUOR AND BEER SALES BUT A LARGE INCREASE IN CUSTOMER MATURITY.
1987 THE GAME ROOM IS EXPANDED AND BECOMES POPULAR WITH GAMERS AND PINBALL WIZARDS OF ALL AGES.
1980s AND 1990s THE GOLDEN ERA OF BAR BUSINESS AT THE ORIENTAL LANDMARK LANES. BAR SPECIALS, BOWLING, A LARGE ARCADE, NUMEROUS POOL TABLES AND DART LANES DRAW PEOPLE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND MILWAUKEE AT LARGE.
2002 THE PRITCHETT BROTHERS SELL THE THEATER AND LANES TO NEW LAND ENTERPRISES. SLAVA TUZHILKOV ASSUMES A MAJORITY OWNERSHIP POSITION. WITH A VIGOROUS YOUNG OWNER, THE LANDMARK LANES BEGINS A PERIOD OF CLEANING AND REMODELING THAT IS STILL ONGOING.
2017 90 YEARS AND STILL THE PLACE TO BE, ESPECIALLY ON TUESDAY NIGHTS!
