After seven years away from the sport, Canton right-hander Tony Johnson decided to take his bowling game to the next level — as a professional.
“I’d always wanted to see what it was like to bowl the regional or national PBA tours,” Johnson said. “So I went out to a few tournaments and realized how much I enjoyed the game and wanted to compete.”
The downside? “It’s an expensive hobby at that level,” Johnson said.
So, to offset his expenses, the owner of Tony’s Auto Repair decided he wanted to learn to drill his own equipment and learn the inner-workings of the game. At the time, it was a personal choice only.
Now, almost 10 years later, the now 55-year-old has a free-standing pro shop at the front of his 2327 Navarre Road SW auto repair shop and now has added another site with the opening of Tony Johnson’s ITZ-ON Pro Shop inside Eastbury Bowling Center.
“One person comes up to me back then and says, ‘I hear you are drilling equipment,’ ” said Johnson, who owns one career PBA title and is a regular on the PBA50 Tour. “So I decided to pas my services on to other people and, 10 years later, this is where I’m at.”
Expansion was not an easy decision to make. Chris Mahaffey had decided to close up his shop at Eastbury after taking over for longtime pro shop operator Pete Lein, and Johnson was approached with an opportunity.
“It was a really hard decision. Between the auto repair and the standalone shop, they occupied a lot of my time,” said Johnson, who is on staff for Motiv/Gemini Bowling. “I would have to give up some of my primary income business time at the repair shop to come over here.
“But everyone who has a standalone pro shop realizes how difficult it it. People have to make the choice to some see me specifically, and have to make time in their schedules to do so. You just don’t have the foot traffic that you would being in a center. It’s where I always wanted to be.”
Johnson feels the new location also will be beneficial in working with young bowlers.
“Because of being a standalone situation, I really didn’t do a lot with young bowlers,” Johnson said. “It’s easier being in the center because the kids are here, the coaches are here and the parents are here. We will have to see how that plays out.”
The new Eastbury location will offer everything bowling-related except for on-site drilling.
“It’s just too early in the game to do that,” Johnson said. “But we will do work on balls, including opening up holes, slug changes, resurfacing, etc. We will do the fittings here.
“It’s one of those risk and reward situations. We have to have enough on hand to catch the bowler’s eye. What we don’t have here, we will get for you.”
Johnson makes so secret of his desire to push the Motiv-Gemini brand.
“But there are people who just don’t want to throw it. Hopefully, I can change their mind, but I’m going to help them with whatever they want to do,” Johnson said.
The fit of the proper bowling ball always is the key, Johnson said.
“We want to make sure you have the proper fit first. Then, we can educate them on skin textures, taping procedures … and get accessories to go with it,” Johnson added. “Fit is everything. I see people come in with poor or wrong fits or just grabbing a ball off the rack.
“That’s my starting point. Then, we can educate them about the game … swing, targeting, preshot routines … things they ordinarily don’t think about or overlook the importance of. Little details can make a big difference.”
Will this slow down his PBA50 tournament participation?
“At this point, it will be the same as it always was. I rarely shoot any of the kids (regular tour) stuff or kids regionals,” Johnson said. “Most of the senior stuff starts after the leagues end so it works in my favor. But I have a couple of prospects who may be able to help out.”
Johnson’s Navarre Road pro shop hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. He will be at Eastbury in the evenings after 5 p.m.
“Hopefully, this all works out for everyone involved … the center and the bowlers,” Johnson added.