HAMBURG, N.Y. — Saturday there were tears because on Sunday, Braymiller's Lanes will be torn down along with Master's Barbecue Company next door. Inspectors have deemed the buildings unsafe after too much snow caused the roof collapsed late Friday evening.
"I think I've cried on camera a few times today, especially when I start talking about my grandfather and when he started it and everything," said Howard Braymiller III, owner of Braymiller's Lanes.
Braymiller's great grandfather opened the bowling alley in Hamburg in 1942.
"It's millions of dollars in damage," Braymiller said. "I'm going to miss the people the most because every week. Thousands of people come in here to bowl. It's such a fun place. Everyone comes here to have fun."
Braymiller says Gov. Kathy Hochul used to bowl at his family's business when she was a child — one of the reasons she says she will help Braymiller get the bowling alley back open someday.
"We're just inspecting that. I was just there with Mayor Tom Tallman who also bowled there often so it's a loss but we're going to help them rebuild and that's important to us," Hochul said.
The roof collapsing even forced a couple who lives above a salon next door to evacuate.
"It was kind of scary in the moment seeing all those lights and then going in the back and seeing inside the building," said Carly Richardson, who lives next door. "The priority right now is keeping people away (from our apartment) and moving snow and calling the right people to inspect to see what we can do next."
They're now staying with a family member and are worried about two cars they have parked next to the bowling alley.
No one was inside of the bowling alley when the roof collapsed.
Braymiller says the one bright light is all the messages of support he's been getting from the community.
