Tyler TX Facebook

Follow Donny on Twitter

Username:
Password:
  Remember Me   Forgot password?  Register
0-9  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T  U  V  W  X  Y  Z  

Find or Refer a Contractor in Tyler

Green Acres Bowl in Tyler… Again!

May 10th, 2011

I went for my once a year bowling trip this past weekend, at Green Acres Bowl, and no it has nothing to do with Tyler’s mega church of the same name. (Does that sound like a slight; because it wasn’t intended to as one. It’s just that the church is huge, and it’s easy to assume that any business with “Green Acres” in the name is somehow connected to it. For some reason however, drawing attention to a churches size, large or small, can be a touchy prospect. Too large and people think you’re a social club, too small and you’re a cult). Sorry, again I digress. While reading on the bowling alley I discovered there are about as many opinions on it, as there are of its Baptist namesake.

First off let me say that the staff was really helpful, a bit overly protective I guess, but really very nice, and they generally took care of all our needs. Now I’m not a good bowler… at all. But I had good time nonetheless. My son was back and forth dropping his ball and retrieving another almost before the first one reached the pins. And it was like that all morning. Suffice it to say, he had a terrific time. The business has changed an awful lot over the years. I read some reviews that must have been written about the time former Vice President Gore was first establishing the internet, because the Green Acres bowling alley hasn’t looked like they described it in over twenty years!

On the plus side, the establishment is neat and clean and relatively inexpensive. It’s also a great place to take the fam, particularly when the weathers bad. If there’s a down side, it’s that there’s no bar or place to purchase food or drinks. But the facility’s not equipped for those added services, and I realize that’s exactly what many Tylerites like most about the place anyway. Our city has a strangely paradoxical and frankly, inconsistent view on the use of adult beverages, even if that use is moderate. Instead, maybe pull into Braum’s, for Ice cream and a cherry lime-aid prior to heading over to bowl a few frames. At any rate, if you’ve not been to Green Acres Bowl in a while, I recommend checking it out, particularly as summer starts to heats up. It’s cheap fun in a cool, family friendly, environment.

Blockbuster Breakdown

December 14th, 2009

                   It was just a few years ago, when you waked into a Blockbuster movie rental store, it would be crowded with people looking for that perfect Friday night movie. Now, in the world of Red Box and NetFlix and Wal-Mart’s $5 DVDs, you might find a couple people looking for a good sale on used new release DVDs.

                  I am one of the many people who has abandoned my Blockbuster days, and founded a cheaper easier way to get the movie you want. The RedBox, Blockbuster’s most recent nemesis. What is more convent than to do your grocery shopping and quickly pick up a movie to watch? I know the trick of Red Box, that it’s a dollar a night, adding up to could cost you a lot of money. But honestly who doesn’t go to Wal-Mart about every other day, or if you are as forgetful as I am, everyday?

                  In the hope of survival, a couple years ago Blockbuster announced they are dropping their “late fees”, or more bluntly wording it, candy coating their late fees. It is no longer called “late fees” but now “restocking fees” if you keep the movie to long you will have to pay for the cost of the movie, or if you return it much later you will have to pay a “restocking fee” to pay for it being put back on the shelf. Seriously? Call it what it is. You are paying because you returned the movie rental to late, therefore it’s a late fee. But even with the loud colorful banners, Blockbusters are still running out of business. Stores are closing in Tyler. They are trying to keep up with the growing electronic world, replacing the DVD collection with Blue Ray movies. Also to keep up with the NetFlix population, Blockbuster started a monthly deal that you can either get movies in the mail, by ordering off the website, or to go to the store and return or pick up a movie. I don’t really know hy this hasn’t caught on as fast as NetFlix. I would not be surprised if in a couple years, Blockbuster becomes an internet company.

                 I will admit that I have gone to Blockbuster somewhat recently. They were selling fairly new movies for $2-$6, so keep your eyes opened as you drive by the blue and yellow stores, you might find a good deal.

                I know I am one of the many people that has not thought about renting a movie from Blockbuster but still has a movie in the blue and white box sitting on the self from years ago. So to let the whole of East Texas know, there is still Blockbusters in Tyler and you might find a good deal during their fight to survive.