Brownsburg Bulldogs football team members triumphantly celebrated their Indiana state championship at a local sports venue: the revitalized bowling center.
Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse chief operating officer Ryne Barr and CEO Kevin Walter pose with Steve Hite, energy advisor for Hendricks Power Cooperative. Hendricks Power and its wholesale power provider, Wabash Valley Power Alliance, provided Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse with $27,795 in Power Moves® energy efficiency rebates for upgrades to the facility’s lighting and refrigeration system.
Several athletes and coaches visited Alley’s Alehouse, the restaurant within the new Pinheads bowling center at the site of the former Brownsburg Bowl. Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse received $27,795 in Power Moves® energy efficiency rebates from Hendricks Power, its local electric cooperative, and Wabash Valley Power Alliance, the wholesale power provider for Hendricks Power. The improvements include LED lighting, which is brighter and uses less electricity than other lighting; and energy efficiency upgrades to the Alley’s Alehouse refrigeration system. The upgrades will lower the facility’s long-term energy costs.
“I think everyone had a great time and was able to celebrate safely,” Ryne Barr, chief operating officer for Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse, said of the Brownsburg football team’s celebration. “Brownsburg Athletics has been in for a number of events, as have a lot of other local school districts in the area. We understand that the west side of Indianapolis and Hendricks County are underserved when it comes to family entertainment. Pinheads fills the need for elevated family-friendly entertainment.”
Some of the new bowling lanes at Pinheads in Brownsburg, Ind. The new bowling alley includes a private four-lane bowling suite, meeting and conference spaces for up to 125 people, and a bar that doubles as a speakeasy.
The new Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse reflect CEO Kevin Walter’s long-held vision of a bowling center that appeals to families and bowling hobbyists as well as competitors. The new location includes more than 30 bowling lanes, a private second-floor suite with four lanes, conference meeting space for up to 125 people, and a bar that doubles as a speakeasy. It is the second Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse after the original location in Fishers, Ind.
“We knew we wanted to be in Brownsburg. It’s a great community, and it’s growing,” said Walter, who worked in bowling centers since he was 15 and conceived the concept for Pinheads and Alley’s Alehouse in 2004. “It’s got one of the best school districts in the state of Indiana. This was an obvious location for us to go.”
The renovation was completed in phases so the building could remain open and staff employed during the project. Alley’s Alehouse opened first, followed by the arcade, and bowling lanes opened the day before Thanksgiving 2024. The speakeasy opened in February 2025.
Close-up of the counter of the new speakeasy at Pinheads in Brownsburg. The renovated building includes meeting and conference space for private events, as well as an arcade.
“It’s a completely new life for the facility,” said Hendricks Power Energy Advisor Steve Hite, who collaborated with Walter and Ryne on the project. “It’s pretty exciting to see this space coming to life and having an owner who is willing to make this investment in the community.”
Hendricks Power collaborated with Walter and Ryne on rebate eligibility for various aspects of the renovation. The Power Moves team found refrigeration upgrades that hadn’t initially been considered.
“They were so responsive to how they answered our questions,” Walter said of Hendricks Power and the Power Moves team. “They were all over it. It’s impressive.”
Part of the arcade in Pinheads next to Alley’s Alehouse in Brownsburg, Ind. The entire facility is part of CEO Kevin Walter’s vision to create bowling centers that appeal to families and bowling enthusiasts, in addition to competitive bowlers.
Walter grew interested in the location when the former Brownsburg Bowl owner considered retirement. While walking through the building, Walter noticed the building featured a batting cage business and dance studio on the second floor.
“It opened up new possibilities, and that’s what sealed the deal,” Walter said. “My wife had drawn this floorplan on a tablecloth, and it’s pretty much almost identical to what she drew.”
Pinheads already received more business than Walters forecasted. Pinheads hosted large parties shortly after opening, with more scheduled in the future.
“We are pleased with the public’s response. Ryne and I will work to keep improving the product and go from there,” Walter said. “These businesses are built over years of being woven into the fabric of the community.”