Family First - Willow Bowling

All this month, Family First is featuring family owned businesses. If you know a successful one, you know a small-business that is beating the odds. The ones that make it have two things in common. Lots of hard work and innovation. Dont call it a bowling alley.Those are fighting words to brothers Mike and Pat Rayburn who have fought hard to transcend the old image of the smoke-filled bar with lanes for bowling. The business has changed dramatically since 1955, when their parents opened willow lanes. "Leagues have declined, we go after the entertainment dollars now. Corporations, we do a lot of birthday parties. Bowling has definitely declined." Adapting to the market is a must, especially considering the fact that only two-thirds of small business startups survive the first two years and less than half make it to four years. The failure rate is even higher for family-owned businesses. "Sure there has been a lot of adversity, weve overcome lots of challenges, but I dont think we thought about that through the process. I think with what our parents instilled in us with the hard work ethic and that comes out of both of us -- perseverance, and we wouldnt want to mislead anyone, I think any family business you have your fights." In 2000, with league bowling falling faster than a string of strikes, Mike and Pat added a restaurant and party rooms. C.J.s is named for their parents, Charlie and Jean. "We are really proud of that, because that has really helped grow this business and get us where we are today and Mike and I did that solely ourselves." And they are proud that they have now operated the center longer than their parents did. What about the next generation? Pat says his two daughters will go into business, but not the bowling business. Mikes daughter is a teacher. But her husband works full-time at willow. If thats not family, its the next best thing.