Our story
Kent Bowl has been part of Kent since 1958 — through a bowling boom, a beloved family's stewardship, and a new chapter today. We're proud to be the opposite of a corporate chain: a real neighborhood bowling center.
Kent Bowl was built in 1958, during the great bowling boom of the 1950s, by a group of seven shareholders — back when livestock still grazed in the pastures nearby. In 1962, a Boeing worker named Jack "Zab" Zaborac came on as a $600-a-month manager. The alley had 24 lanes, three employees and no snack bar.
Zab and his wife Vivian spent decades turning Kent Bowl into a South Sound bowling destination — known for demanding lane conditions, serious competition and tournaments that drew thousands of entries over a single season. They added eight lanes in 1976, bringing the house to the 32 lanes we bowl on today.
Zab passed away in November 2015 at the age of 90, and his son Dennis kept the family business running for nearly another decade. In 2024, Dennis passed the torch to a new local family who are carrying the same community spirit forward — same lanes, same welcome.
A Thanksgiving tradition
After Zab's passing, the family began a Thanksgiving Day tradition in his memory: free bowling for the community — two free games and free shoe rental — a small way of giving back to the town that bowled here for generations.
Rooted in Kent
For more than 50 years, Kent Bowl has run a bowling program for people with disabilities and supported youth through junior leagues and scholarships. In 2005 alone, a Kent Bowl tournament raised $100,000 for local causes — from the Kent Food Bank to the Children's Therapy Center. Giving back isn't a campaign here; it's just who we are.