by Dennis Dalman
After 38 years, Great River Bowl & Partners Pub in Sartell has a new owner, the son of the couple who owned the business for so long.
The business is located on 208 Second Street S.
Jason Mathiasen and his wife, Mari, became the owners at the start of January after Jason bought the business from his parents, Lyle and Barb Mathiasen. The business had been founded in 1979.
Jason worked at Great River Bowl all of his life, even as a teenager. Later, he worked there on weekends after becoming an elementary-school teacher for several years. In 2004, he became a full-time employee and has been general manager since 2008. Jason has three sons, who have also helped out at the bowling alley.
“I look forward to continuing to build upon the legacy that my parents built and one day pass this business on to my sons,” Jason stated in a press release.
Lyle Mathiasen purchased the bowling hall in 1984. Lyle’s father, Fred, had managed a bowling alley for decades and then worked for Lyle when Great River Bowl was purchased.
Throughout the years, there were extensive, almost constant changes, remodeling, expansions and innovative programs to make Great River Bowl & Partners Pub a state-of-the-art operation. It now has 32 bowling lanes.
“I have grown up in this business and have worked in every single corner of its operations,” said Jason. “I’ve worked very closely with my father as we evaluated and developed numerous expansions and programs.”