Mega thanks to reader Ron for spotting this gem — a 1962 home in Rockford, Michigan (near Grand Rapids) that includes a spectacular two-lane bowling alley in the basement. This is beyond amazing! The house is currently for sale, it’s listed at $189,000 by Theresa Robinson of 616 Realty. I talked to Theresa via phone to get permission to show this photo, and she explained that the house has been in the same family since they built it — with great care — in 1962. The original family member loved to entertain … and yes, loved to bowl! He got the bowling alley components from a bowling alley in Lansing, Mich. that was going out of business. Then, he built the house around the bowling alley. Theresa said that the local newspaper wrote a feature story about the house when it was finished.
The house is a wonderful time capsule a number of other ways — it does not appear to have been re-muddled. Original bathrooms, kitchens upstairs and down, great space, great finishes. But the bowling alley: Blow me away!
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William Pahlmann original interiors in a time capsule 1962 house for sale in Montclair, New Jersey — 14 photos 
A countertop made out of a bowling alley 
1962 GE time capsule kitchen – for sale 
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Mom, Dad, I have an important announcement to make: I’m in love! With a house, but still….
Oh, My, Goodness! We are all sitting here in lust! Husband and children alike!!!
That house is wonderful! Not just the bowling alley, although that takes the cake. I also love the sun porch with the flagstones and the two-way fireplace between the living room and dining or breakfast room. And for $210,000? Wow!
$189,000 !
This one’s going to haunt me. I waaaaaaaaaaant it. Or at least to be best friends with someone who owns it.
OMG this is HEAVENLY!!!!!!!!!!!! DROOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What a FIND!!!!!!!!!
Wow. And here we thought our tennis court was kind of cool!
I was on vacation in MI 2 weels ago and had lunch in this town… Beautiful area and really cool house….If I was just 2000 miles closer I’d put a bid on it
I have to add another OMG to this – how freakin fabulous! I’d love to have a bowling alley in the Hacienda basement – but candlepin of course, since I’m from New England
Oh my GOD!!! So cheap!
Plus there is a full wet bar and pool table downstairs!
And a hot tub and pool outside?!?!
What a steal! Someone snatch this up quick. This is pretty much the perfect house.
Un-freakin’-believable! Forget the west coast: I was meant to live in Michigan! Thanks, Ron, Pam and Theresa Robinson, for this total Monday perfection. I just hope this fabulous home finds the perfect retro-renovation-minded owner.
Yes, please come to MI. We need more people here who love this type of mcm homes (as there are a lot of them!).
This is a dream home – perfect if it had the right paint & furniture – it’d be a mcm showcase.
**And yes, prices for homes in MI are this reasonable!
That’s a great house. I have fond memories of living near Grand Rapids as a child. When I see what you get for your money in other places it makes me wonder why I’m paying 3 times as much for a house and property taxes and getting 1/4 as much for it.
My mom still lives near here, I may have to ask her to go by and take a look at it. I, too, am in love with all the cool fireplaces in this house!
I’d love to move back there but the jobs situation is just hard =(
Awesome. How fun is that??
This house is simply amazing! My boyfriend & I go bowling often & always joke that someday when we are “rich” we are going to have a house with its own bowling ally!!! Im going to call him at work to let him know we will be moving to MIchigan! LOL
Holy cow. That’s all I have to say!
Golly, I’d never considered moving to Michigan before, but . . .
I would definitely take up bowling if I had this house. Love the screen porch. Do they still make that corrugated fiberglass?
I can’t believe how cheap this is. You can barely buy a trailer for that here in little ol’ Missoula, MT!
Lynn-O-Matic, we have that same corregated fiberglass on the front of our house, creating a type of overhang. A couple months ago, a big bad windstorm robbed several of the panels and we are having the hardest time finding the original look (with the fibers visible.) “New” corregated panels are grossly plastic, and nothing like our original. I don’t know what we’re going to do. Additionally, the “wavey” wood strips (called a closure strip) that go under the fiberglass sheet is also impossible to find. The new panels “wave” shape are a fraction of an inch larger than the old ones, so the closure strips are also sized differently. We need to find an old stock of the original – the new just won’t look right.
This entire house is incredible! I love that basement kitchen – and I NEEEEEED that cooktop and vent hood that are down there.
Oh, Kersten, what a shame. I’m sorry to hear about your loss!
Do let us know if you ever find a source. In the short term I’d like to add some under our deck to make dry storage for bikes, etc. In the long term I want to add a screen porch over our patio.
This is the closest I’ve found but it *might* work for you?
http://www.ondura.com/reroofing.asp
Several colors to choose from, but I just want clear.
You are a great researcher, Kersten!
I just started poking around — how about this: http://www.thegreathardwarestore.com/26×10-Heavy-Duty-Clear-Fiberglass-Panel-C25SF-230-p/416131.htm
PAM! I’m definitely calling them in the morning! You’re my hero! (Again.) So– what about that incredible coppertone *gas* cooktop in the basement of this amazing house? I’ve been looking for years for one. The doorbell chime in our kitchen is coppertone, so I am convinced that the original appliances were too. And, I’m pretty sure that I see a coppertone fridge in the very back of one basement kitchen photo too. If that counter top is white with gold star shaped flecks, I might just lose my mind.
Thanks, Gals! I was really hoping to find that translucent stuff, but this would for under the deck, at least.
Oh my, be still my beating heart. Hubby and I have a SERIOUS bowling addiction and were just fantasizing the other day about how great it would be to have a bowling alley in the basement. To have one that is so fabulously cool looking too? With a bar? And a pool out back??? (And yes, folks, real estate in the midwest is still affordable. Because you’re on this website, you’re obviously very cool, so I will let you in on the fact that the midwest is this country’s best kept secret. But don’t tell anyone else. We like the quiet here.)
Wow! And it’s right near me!
That is freaking AWESOME!!!! I would lovelovelove to have that in my basement!
Un be lieve able. What a house. And the price…!!!
I think that is Spartany-Roman tile in the bathroom! So refreshing to see that these original bathrooms were left unspoiled by granite…
This is such a wonderful HOME! Can you imagine how this could look decorated? AWESOME!!!!
So, here we have it – an awesome reason to move to Michigan! Love! Swoon! This house entirely rocks! If someone ends up owning this house, does that mean they get to have a “pool boy” to maintain the pool AND a “ball return boy” to maintain the bowling lanes? Whoo Hoo!
What fun! If I could afford a second home, this house would be in the running.
Excuse me while I pick up my jaw from the floor. Michigan is such a beautiful state with so much 20th Century history. It kills me that the state has been hit so hard during the last 30 years. I wish there was some way for all of the manufacturing infrastructure in the state to be put to work to make quality products here in America again. My mother owned an American-made Kenmore washing machine for 30 years. It worked beautifully and only needed a belt replacement now and again. We have burned through three Kenmore washers (made in China) and two refrigerators during the last 5 years (thank goodness for extended warranties).
I’m depressed!! It’s the PERFECT house, perfect price……but I don’t live anywhere near the location
Some buyer is going to be very lucky!!!! Thanks for sharing with us!
Love Love Love this house!!!!
Holy crap! I was looking at the pictures of the main level and thinking, “eh, this is okay”. Then I saw that lower level! Oh man, how awesome is that? A bowling alley AND a rec room! A full bar with a cooktop and a sink and everything! Wish I could find a huge place like that in my own area for such a reasonable price. There are things to like about the main level too, though. The thing is freaking cavernous– you could have several roommates and never even see each other! LOL. Also, look at that gigantic dining room! My “dining room” would barely be able to contain the table they have there. I also find the little microwave nook kind of amusing, haha.
LOVE this house! If I didn’t just buy a new/old house I would go take a look at it.
What a fun house!!! Thank you for sharing it with us, Pam!
Stunned and speechless!! I would so live in that house!! I sat here envisioning all the fun gatherings that could and must have taken place in this beautiful awesome home!! What a find!!! Someone will snatch this right up for sure! With some good retro decorating it will be a showplace for sure!! Wow and double wow!!
I know this isn’t as “wow” as this listing, but a home staging website is wowed that a non-updated ranch sold 30,000 ABOVE asking price: http://uglyhousephotos.com/wordpress/?p=20655
I left a comment — great house! Thanks!