The old bowling alley on Main Street will finally be torn down after years of disuse.
According to Poplar Bluff Building Inspector Tony Chilton, a Dollar General will take its place.
He noted the debris will take some considerable logistics to remove due to a new building being built on the original site. “It’s a big building,” he said, adding the Dollar General will have a smaller footprint than the bowling alley.
However, there is an item of controversy for the new store: It will be unable to sell liquor due to its proximity to a nearby church.
He informed there is an older city ordinance prohibiting the sale of alcohol within a certain distance to a place of worship.
Confusingly, JD’s Quick Stop across the street is unaffected due to being grandfathered in.
Chilton said the bowling alley was originally in the same position but let its license lapse. They were subsequently never able to get it back. He speculated that was the reason they closed down.
“If they didn’t let it slip away, they probably would’ve still been going,” Chilton asserted.
He noted all of the valuable wood for the lanes has already been removed from the building. The debris will need to be hauled away instead of buried to prepare for the new construction. Chilton said there is no projected demolition or completion date.