Sofia Aldinio

Visual Journalist & Multimedia Storyteller
 
NPR - A Maine community comes together to save a candlepin bowling tradition
Media
NPR - A Maine community comes together to save a candlepin bowling tradition
sofia aldinio
Jan 31, 2023
Location: Ellsworth, maine
Autumn Mowery, 20 year-old, owns the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine, a candlepin bowling alley. She is trying hard to keep the place afloat even though candlepin bowling is fading away in a lot of New England.

Mowery is 20 years old and knows how to fix most lane problems on the spot. "I love these lanes. They are definitely a pain in the butt. But they're still running for me — some of them," she says. She lives above the alley and often makes repairs until 1 or 2 am. She's the only employee. The roof leaks. Heating and cooling the huge building is expensive. She even dropped this semester off college to catch up on sleep.

Mowery's determined — against all odds — to keep the candlepin alley going. She says the tradition is disappearing because many owners can't keep up with the maintenance, and it's too expensive to get new candlepin parts. Many alleys are closing or converting to classic 10-pin. Mowery knows how much candlepin means to her community and she wants more towns across the nation to have it too. She has hopes to expand in Maine and then spread the sport outside of New England.

Photograph for NPR
Photo Edit: Virginia Lozano
A Maine community comes together to save a candlepin bowling tradition
Not well-known in many parts of the United States, candlepin bowling is mostly found in New England and nearby parts of Canada. The aging alleys are held together with "duct tape and bubble gum."
Npr.org
1,171

Also by Sofia Aldinio —

Media

The Washington Post - Maine bowling alley reopens amid hope and heartbreak

Sofia Aldinio
News

Science Magazine - New Long Covid trials aim to clear lingering virus—and help patients in dire need

Sofia Aldinio
News

The Washington Post - Grieving and angry, Maine residents demand change after mass killing

Sofia Aldinio
Media

Bloomberg Businessweek - Drugmakers Are Testing Ways to Stop Alzheimer’s Before It Starts

Sofia Aldinio / North Berwick, maine
Media

The Washington Post - In rural America, the crisis of disappearing reproductive care steals lives.

Sofia Aldinio / Bangor, Maine
Media News

NPR: Songs and Pictures For Climate Change: A Playlist for the Planet

Sofia Aldinio
Events News

Photoville Exhibit

Sofia Aldinio / Brooklyn Bridge Park Pier 3
NPR - A Maine community comes together to save a candlepin bowling tradition by Sofia Aldinio
Sign-up for
For more access