ABOVE LEFT, Allison Hohenstern of Markesan lets go of her bowling ball as Desiree Roeder, also of Markesan, looks on. Above right, Green Lake Lanes and Pizza General Manager Gordon Smith puts a pizza for hungry customers into a large brick oven. Connor Cummiskey photo
by Connor Cummiskey
Where can someone go in Green Lake for a fun, family night out? Somewhere that offers a variety of activities but still caters to the individual?
Well, one option is Green Lake Lanes and Pizza.
Green Lake Lanes and Pizza is owned by Jeff and Kris Donohue, who also own Legends Lanes in Omro.
While pizza and bowling tend to go hand-in-hand, the pizzas offered at Green Lake Lanes and Pizzas are special.
“Jeff has always had a passion for pizza,” general manager Gordon Smith said about why pizza is so important to the bowling alley. “We thought it would just open up another opportunity for the local people to enjoy some wood-fire pizzas.”
It is not just the owners’ passions that inspire the activities available at Green Lake Lanes and Pizza.
What is offered by the surrounding community of Green Lake plays a primary role in the decision-making process.
“That’s what it comes down to: What does Green Lake need?” Smith said.
Identifying what Green Lake needs is a great way to come up with ideas for activities.
However, Green Lake Lanes and Pizza has a grander vision of its mission.
“The goal is to offer a family friendly environment where groups of people can come and enjoy different aspects of entertainment, food and beverage,” Smith said.
Included in this idea is keeping everything affordable. That way a family can come out and buy pizza and bowling for everyone without draining its bank account.
Another theme that Green Lake Lanes and Pizza tries to promote is sports. A game or a race is always on the TV.
“I think sports [are] a common interest that many people have,” Smith said.
Even if someone is not a sports fan, they are welcomed at Green Lake Lanes and Pizza. Smith will do whatever he can to accommodate them.
“Every guest who walks in here is going to feel welcomed,” Smith said. “… If you want the Lifetime channel, go ahead [ask], I will put it on.”
What Green Lake needs has led to some quite a few decent promotions and activities to do at the lanes.
Among them: ladies night, musicians, leagues (bowling, volleyball, and horseshoe) and throwback Thursdays, which is when tap beer, bowling and select food all cost only $1 a piece.
Green Lakes Lanes and Pizza has also jumped on the bandwagon of Friday fish fries.
“I have been hearing phrases from the customers such as ‘Best fish fry in Green Lake,’” Smith said.
While the fish fry has become popular, the staple of the business remains its pizzas.
One aspect that makes Green Lake Lanes and Pizza unique is it does not do specialty pizzas. Instead, it likes to let people build their own.
“[Some] places will have 10 or 20 different types of specialty pizzas, and that’s great,” Smith said. “… But sometimes I like just going to a place and asking ‘What’s your toppings? I want to build my own,’” Smith said.
Smith has been one of the driving forces behind the wide variety of what Green Lake Lanes and Pizza has to offer. Even though he has only been on board for a short while, he is excited to get things moving.
“I have been working this industry for over 10 years,” Smith said. “… So I use[d] a lot of my experience to hit the ground running right away.”
Smith noted Green Lake Lanes and Pizza is looking to become a regular place for everybody in Green Lake.
“Green Lake Lanes and Pizza, I will say, will become the destination for families and friends visiting or living in the Green Lake area,” Smith said. “That is my ultimate goal.”
The Green Laker 