Post #448125 by TikiShopPua on Sun, Apr 19, 2009 1:06 PM

My hubby was born in Costa Mesa..okay well, Hoag in Newport, in 1957, and has lived here his whole life. He spent YEARS in Kona Lanes, from the age of 7 up to the time it was razed. We have one of the alley pins, and one of the original bricks from the building, which I snagged for him as mementos. One of our friends bought a lane (Lane 17 to be exact) and it is now his prized kitchen countertop. So every now and then, we at least get to "visit" a visage from our past. Our courtship began at Kona, and when we met, he was bowling on two leagues; a FEDCO league (there's another blast from the past that no longer exists!) and a scratch league, every Wednesday (FEDCO was closed on Wednesday, so it was the only night employees could bowl) and Friday night. We "grew up" at Kona Lanes, and decades later, took our kids there.

When the Segerstroms decided to tear it down, we remember and were part of the "Home Ranch" outcry. Unfortunately, it landed on deaf ears. I recall having heard that the Segerstroms were "promising" that as a "good faith" effort at outreach, they would build a community center in another location on one of their soybean fields to replace Kona Lanes and Ice Capades Chalet. This, so that the community wouldn't feel such a loss. Years went by, and land was instead donated to the school district in Santa Ana and a new school was built on it and named Segerstrom High. But nothing for Costa Mesa. So we lose our beloved Kona Lanes with the promise of "something reciprocal" and get nothing in return.

Luckydesigns mentions "They already had knocked down an ice skating rink and a movie theatre in the direct vicinity in order to put up an Ace hardware and a car dealership...." Are you talking about a plan they had that also never came to fruition? Because the Ace hardware (formerly Kerm-Rima Hardware) and car dealership (the one that took over the blue and white "carosel" nursery building? Hollister, I believe) are on the diagonal corner from where Edwards and Ice Capades were located behind Kona. Still, I guess the point is, it's pretty sad that the Segerstroms were so short-sided.

Anyway, glad the Kona sign found a good home. But, like many hometown Costa Mesans, I know my husband wishes it were right back in its original home, shining over its original building, and we were all still bowling there while ordering "Sunrises in a bucket" from the cocktail waitress and getting fried zuccini from the snack bar. Ah, great memories.