OAKHURST – It hasn’t been long since Sierra Lanes closed and a sizable crew has already been gutting the former bowling alley in preparation for a the Grocery Outlet store that’s scheduled to open later this summer.
A local construction crew was hired to demo the interior, with instructions to salvage the lanes, machines and equipment.
Much of what was once a mainstay of recreation for kids, families and seniors is now either in the trash or stored at a warehouse in Oakhurst, and inside the old place there’s a gaping expanse of space.
A team from Oakhurst general contractors R. Papike Construction is converting what was the bowling alley into what first will be a bare shell of space and concrete.
Improvements will include construction upgrades according to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to make the entrance handicap accessible. Once that’s done, contractors from Grocery Outlet will take over.
Job Foreman Dennis Papike said the crew of about 16 individuals started work on Monday, June 10. The Papike family sticks together: there are six Papikes on the crew.
Foreman Papike says the job is expected to take five to six weeks for clearing out the shell and the ADA work to be complete.
