Roebuck Lanes
Roebuck Lanes was a 48-lane bowling center near the Roebuck Plaza Shopping Center.
The center was built in 1961 as the Bowl-O-Bama. The developers were T. J. Adams, J. P. K. Fontaine, J. Carter Hammel, and R. S. Petagna, who invested $750,000 in purchasing the land, contracting with M. K. Construction of Atlanta, Georgia to build the building, and installing equipment. They leased the property to American Bowling Enterprises of Rochester, New York to operate the center.
By 1963 the business was operating as Roebuck Lanes. That year Marvin Ratcliff Jr, Chester Huck, Ray Ledbetter, Ocie Fowler and Joe Bynam applied unsuccessfully for a restaurant liquor license for use at the bar connected to the bowling center.
In 1967 Ida Scott, a Black woman, was denied service at the Roebuck Lanes. She filed a federal lawsuit alleging racial discrimination under the 14th amendment and the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
References
- Beiman, Irving (February 1961) "'Strike' for health in Roebuck" Birmingham News - via Birmingham Rewound
- "Discrimination Suit Names Roebuck Lanes" (March 1967) Birmingham Post-Herald
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