Mahall’s is an institution to eat, drink, dance, perform, get married, bowl, take a trip down memory lane, see live music, catch an improv show, tango, celebrate a birthday, screen a movie, shoot a film, pose for photos, see great art, ring in the new year. The list goes on. Founded in 1924 by John K. Mahall, Mahall’s started out as a dance hall, before adding a confectionery store then a barbershop. It’s latest — and longest running — iteration is as a restaurant and bowling alley. Prior to its first and only change of ownership in 2012, the establishment was passed down through three Mahall generations — with each family at some point living in the apartment above. Mahall’s occupies a unique and distinctive section of Lakewood’s Birdtown neighborhood - initially built to house Union Carbide and Standard Oil (mostly immigrant) workers. There, Mahall’s 20 Lanes appealed to the close-knit community and business thrived for decades. In 2021, there was a major adjustment to be made. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the next challenge was to reopen Mahall’s to the community with the intention of adapting and growing. In the early stages, familiar faces were brought in as partners in ownership. Their goal was to expand the hospitality and events programming along with creating additional awareness of the space on a local and national level.