WOOSTER — When Frank Testa opened his first pro shop at Park Centre Lanes in July 2022, he had a specific goal in mind.
“The goal for me is to build the brand up to the point where I can turn this into a full-time position,” Testa said at the time. “The first year will be the tell-tale for that. It would be wonderful to start full-time, but there are just too many unknowns at this point.”
The unknowns have been pushed to the back burner in September 2023.
After moving to full-time status at Ten Back Pro Shop’s Park Centre location in January, Testa added a second location at Wabash Lanes in New Philadelphia in May.
Then earlier this month, another opportunity presented itself at Triway Lanes in Wooster.
“This was totally unexpected,” said the 41-year-old Massillon resident. “I just happened to get a random Facebook message from Sean Miller at Triway wanting to know if we were interested in moving in (to the pro shop).
“At first, I thought to myself ‘absolutely not.’ But after talking to my wife (Mandi) and (stepson) Cooper (Smith), I said, OK, if the logistics work out so we can man the shops during the hours they need to be manned, it’s possible.”
After further discussions with Triway, Ten Back Pro Shop had added its third location. And, like the decision to move into Wabash, it comes with a small investment.
“When we sat down and talked about the equipment at the shop, very little needed to be invested from our end,” Testa said of the shop previously operated by Corby Anderson and Vince Yoder. “It was very similar to the deal we had with Wabash.
“They have fairly modern equipment that is similar to what we have here (Park Centre), so moving shop to shop will be pretty easy for me and Cooper. We caught a lucky break with both shops already having that kind of equipment.
“Most of the time, if you start with an empty shop, you can look at anywhere between $20,000 and $25,000 in equipment costs. Our investment here is just in new bowling balls, bags, updating grips and some new interchangeable thumbs for the shops.”
Park Centre’s hours will remain 3 to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday. Triway will be open to start from 2 to 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Wabash is by appointment only on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
“When we first started this, it was just going to be a nice little hobby while continuing to work at Cleveland Clinic,” Testa said. “Once December rolled around last year, a decision had to be made as to whether to stay at the Clinic and work minimal hours here or take this on full-time.
“With the support of the bowlers here and the surrounding area it’s made this a dream come true for me. I can do what I truly love to do as my full-time job.”
Either Testa or Smith will be at Triway or Park Centre each night, with the pair alternating on Mondays and Smith being at Triway Wednesdays and Fridays.
“If they would have told us they wanted us there Monday through Friday, we couldn’t have done it,” Testa said. “The Wooster and New Philadelphia markets are smaller than Canton, but bowlers are still adamant about good service, and that’s what Cooper and I strive for.”
Testa said hours at Triway could change, especially as the season kicks into gear along with high school bowling in November.
“I’d be lying if I said this isn’t a gamble,” Testa said. .”But I’ve always been someone looking forward to new challenges and new experiences. What better way to do it than in the sport I love.”
That doesn’t mean Testa will put his own competitive career on the lanes on hold with the added responsibilities.
“I absolutely want to stay competitive. I try to make the best effort I can to get into the shop early enough that I can take 20 to 30 minutes of my day to put my shoes on and throw a few shots to stay sharp,” Testa said. “Recently, the results have begun to speak for themselves, and that’s something I want to continue to do. But, at the same time, I don’t want to burn myself out.”
For more information on the three shops, contact Testa at his own Facebook page, Ten Back Pro Shop’s Facebook page or call 330-671-9368.
Will this be Testa’s last move?
“Is it out of the realm of possibility? It’s honestly not,” Testa said of adding a fourth location. “But time will tell. It would entail bringing someone in with experience or training someone to be able to handle all aspects of the pro shop.”
But the goal at all three shops remains the same.
“We really don’t have any expectations, especially off how well things went at Park Centre for the first year,” Testa said when the Wabash move was announced. “I just want to make sure that the quality of work that we do there is the same quality that we do (at Park Centre).
“The most important thing is creating a positive environment while they are in the shop and giving them an experience that they will not forget.”