Chris Franko
Ribbon-cutting photo (l-r) Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, Councilmember Inez Dickens, former President Bill Clinton, Harlem Lanes co-owner Sharon Joseph, Congressman Charlie Rangel.
In the last few years,
Harlem has been swirling in bevy of activity. Recognized the world over as a Mecca for black people, this historic community which sits on some of the most coveted real estate in the world, is undergoing a vast metamorphosis.
These days, you can't walk down a Harlem block without seeing something new. A village once famous for being the bosom of black artistry and political activism is now known for its luxury condominiums,
snazzy restaurants and upscale bars. The word gentrification is being tossed around and Harlem is now a place where history and new interests collide.
And it was on these quickly-changing Harlem blocks that thirty-something entrepreneurs Sharon Joseph and Gail Richards came up with a great idea four years ago.
"I think the pros and cons of being in business with family is you have each other's back," says Richards (right). "You have to have mechanisms for when there is conflict to resolve it in ways that don't do irreparable damage to the relationship."
"We were walking down the street and we were talking about some of the developments going on in Harlem and how we both really wanted some other things that were interactive, for ourselves and for our kids," recalls Joseph. "And I said, 'Oh, what about a bowling alley?'"
Voila. The culmination of years of research, hard work and about half a million dollars (raised through loans and home equity) is Harlem Lanes, the country's first black, women-owned Bowling Alley, and the first bowling alley in Harlem in 30 years.
The split level duplex sits one block off of Harlem's main commercial strip (125th Street) and boasts two floors of state-of-the-art bowling and food amenities, complimented by a sports-bar atmosphere complete with plasma screen TVs and a kid-friendly mood for parties on the first floor.
"We spent a lot of time defining and redefining bowling," explains Richards. "Traditionally, people have thought about bowling as kind of mom and pop, Laverne and Shirley-ish. We've brought a whole different sense of style and a charm to it. It's very sexy."
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Both women have
business backgrounds though Joseph earned an MBA from Columbia University and worked on Wall Street while Richards owned a "$10 Store" in Harlem and brokered real estate deals. Joseph readily admits that having technical know-how is not quite the same as being in the trenches.
"I feel like I've gotten a new MBA from the school of hard knocks over the last four years," Joseph says. "When you have to go out there and run your own business, there are some other attributes that you may not necessarily know from working in corporate America."
Saying that the response already has been overwhelming (the alley officially opens April 1, 2006), the family team notes that more than providing entertainment, the two are giving something more to Harlem.
"There are people who have been
in Harlem for years who have paved the way for us," says Joseph. "A lot of people are moving into the community and the demographics are changing, but a lot of young African American professionals are doing just what Gail and I have done -- they're not only moving back to the community and becoming homeowners, they're saying we want to be business owners as well. That's an important demographic change, too."
