New Water Street bar to offer virtual bowling experience

Bowling and beer were at one time as inseparable in Milwaukee as Siamese twins. Even though Milwaukee's mega-bowling centers have rusted into oblivion and the bowling alley has become the reign of the underground sports aficionados. Milwaukee is one of the few major cities in which the daily newspaper still publishes bowling honor scores in its sports pages. That's a testament, no doubt, to our denizen's ability to hurl 16-pound projectiles 60 feet at unsuspecting pins.

But bowling has gotten into the 21st century through that fun tool known as virtual reality. No longer are pin setters, gutters and all that wood needed for a utopian bowling experience. In about half the length and with the aid of a video screen, bowlers can transform themselves into Earl Anthony in a substantially smaller space.

That's the idea behind what will be the newest addition to the Water Street scene. It's called The Bassment (sic) and, true to its name, it will be in a basement. The Bassment address is 1125 N. Water St., but the building it's in is the Design Center, 1123 N. Water St., also home to the BW3 chicken wing joint.

The basement of the Design Center has some recent notable history behind it. It was home to jazz legend Ron Cuzner's last record shop and for 10 years also housed the offices of Shepherd Express. Flooding was an issue as well. The Small Business Times, which occupies the second floor of the building, got its start in the basement.

Longtime Tom Wackman collaborator Adam Kirchner will own and operate the place. Kirchner was Wackman's contractor as the guru of Milwaukee St. built Eve, Kenadee's, and Tangerine. Kirchner also built Saketumi on Milwaukee Street. And it shouldn't be a surprise that Wackman will be sharing some of his Midas touch consulting here as well.

Extensive remodeling of the basement will be underway shortly and the space, which will feature several virtual bowling machines, will have a capacity of 253.

"It's intended to be a relaxed basement type of atmosphere for the Water Street crowd," says Michael Whitcomb, Kirchner's attorney.

The bowling experience is brought to us by Brunswick. The game is similar to those golf swing analyzers that have sprung up at golf shops for years. Computer sensors read the trajectory and speed of the ball and then transfer the calculation onto a projection screen so the happy bowler can watch the ball do its thing. The lane itself is half the length of a standard alley and the balls are the same weight and size as the original game. There's even a ball return.

Along with bowling, there will be occasional DJs and solo acts performing in the subterranean space. The Bassment will be open four days a week, initially. Renovations are expected to last through the summer, Whitcomb says.