BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The owners of a popular bowling alley and entertainment center in Northampton County are looking to strike up more fun with a new sports bar.
The Blast Furnace, a full-service sports bar offering freshly prepared food, drinks and live entertainment, is expected to open next summer at 1770 Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem, co-owner Lee Sandt told 69 News.
Steel City Bowl & Brews operates at 1770 Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
The new pub will occupy a soon-to-be-renovated space that previously housed All-American Chiropractic, which recently relocated to 1620 Easton Ave. in Bethlehem.
It will be an extension of Steel City Bowl & Brews, a premier bowling and entertainment center featuring a 24-lane bowling alley, Bowler X Pro Shop, The Perfect Game Pub, live entertainment and more, which Sandt and his wife, Krista Sandt, also own and operate at the same site.
The Sandts purchased the Stefko Boulevard property in March 2022, rebranding the more than 60-year-old bowling alley from Town & Country Lanes to Steel City Bowl & Brews.
Steel City Bowl & Brews operates at 1770 Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
In taking over the facility, the couple also implemented several upgrades to the bowling alley.
Steel City occupies the building’s lower level, and a Rent-A-Center location operates on the upper level near the soon-to-be Blast Furnace pub.
“We’re absolutely excited,” Lee said.
“There isn’t a whole lot of places for live entertainment in the area. So, I think it’ll be great. Having the bowling facility and all of the fun things that we do there downstairs, I’ve always wanted to incorporate more entertainment to make it even more of an entertainment complex. So, [The Blast Furnace] will definitely have a sports bar feel, with lots of TVs.”
Plans for the new venue are still being finalized, but Lee anticipates The Blast Furnace to open in June or July with seating for more than 150 guests at a large, rectangular bar and nearby booths and tables with chairs.
Garage doors will open to the sidewalk adjacent to Stefko Boulevard, allowing for an al fresco feel during nice weather.
There also will be a dedicated stage area, with state-of-the-art lighting and sound systems.
“We’re going to be doing live entertainment on the weekends, for sure,” Lee said. “So, we’re going to have seating that we can move out of the way for a dance area.”
Steel City Bowl & Brews operates at 1770 Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem. Pictured is The Perfect Game Pub.
Ryan Kneller
Steel City Bowl & Brews features an existing, smaller pub, The Perfect Game Pub, which will continue to operate adjacent to the bowling alley’s seating areas following The Blast Furnace’s debut, Lee said.
At least one more pool table will be added to The Perfect Game Pub, and the upper-level Blast Furnace will become the venue’s primary food and dining venue, with a larger menu and seating capacity, Lee said.
The new Blast Furnace sports bar will be more visible to motorists and pedestrians, with exterior signage and windows facing Stefko Boulevard.
The downstairs pub “caters mostly to the bowlers,” while The Blast Furnace will feature an expansive and vibrant sports bar atmosphere, with regular live entertainment and more than a dozen TVs, Sandt said.
Weekly entertainment, including karaoke and trivia, that is currently offered at The Perfect Game Pub will eventually be moved to The Blast Furnace, Lee said.
“[The Perfect Game Pub] has never really garnered a large outside crowd, and I’m not exactly sure why, maybe because it’s downstairs in a bowling alley,” Lee said. “We’ve tried all kinds of things to grow it, but it’s just limited down there. So, we’re going to create a new, larger pub upstairs.”
Steel City Bowl & Brews operates at 1770 Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem. Pictured is The Perfect Game Pub.
Ryan Kneller
The Blast Furnace, tying into the bowling alley’s existing Bethlehem Steel theme, will feature a separate entrance, and there also will be an interior connection to the bowling alley – allowing individuals to travel from The Blast Furnace to the bowling alley without going outside, Lee said.
“We’re also looking to incorporate interior windows – where you could see down to the bowling alley from the upstairs,” Lee added.
The Blast Furnace’s food menu is still in development, but the selections will differ from those currently offered at the lower-level Perfect Game Pub, Lee said.
At The Perfect Game Pub, guests can enjoy a variety of freshly prepared eats, including burgers, steak sandwiches, wraps, hot dogs, chicken strips and shareables such as fresh-cut fries, onion rings, soft pretzel bites, hot cheese balls, traditional wings and deep-fried pickle spears.
Steel City Bowl & Brews, operating daily, is a remodeled facility offering 24 bowling lanes with sofa seating, individual DirectTV (including MLB Package and NFL Sunday Ticket) programming on each pair and mobile phone food order/pay access.
The center also offers an ultimate cosmic bowling experience featuring a 15,100W sound system, 120-inch video screens and LED ColorSplash lighting.
Steel City Bowl & Brews operates at 1770 Stefko Blvd. in Bethlehem.
Ryan Kneller
The expanded Perfect Game Pub features a view of the bowling action, multiple TV screens, billiards, bar games, live entertainment, craft beers and a late-night food menu.
“Whether it’s date night, league night, game night, a bowling birthday party or corporate event we’ve got something for everyone involved,” a message on Steel City’s website reads.
The center has also garnered national attention by hosting the PBA Tour Finals.
For the latest Steel City Bowl & Brews updates, including progress on The Blast Furnace, follow the business’ pages on Facebook and Instagram. Info: thesteelcitybowl.com.