One (Last?) Night at Whitestone Lanes

Classic bowling alleys are an endangered species in New York City. You know: the ones with faded pastel color schemes on the walls and beige seating and nachos with round chips and someone yelling over the loudspeaker that your lane is ready.

In mid-June, the Daily News reported that one of these precious third spaces, Whitestone Lanes, would be shutting down in the fall. Apparently the owner had filed paperwork with the City to demolish the bowling alley and replace it with 400 units of housing. "The bowling alley has reached the end of its useful lifespan," the paperwork stated.

So this week, Hell Gate ventured out to northeast Queens, past LaGuardia Airport, past Citi Field, to Whitestone Lanes, to talk to bowlers about how they were taking the news. (Some of employees of Whitestone Lanes don't seem to think the housing plan is a done deal...)

On the second half of the podcast, you'll hear Hell Gate writer/editor Adlan Jackson in conversation with Screen Slate editor-in-chief John Dieringer, about New York City's role in independent cinema over the years, and which trashy B-movies you should be watching this summer.

New episodes of the podcast usually come out on Fridays, but we're taking a break for the summer. We'll be back in the fall!

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