Good news! As of 11/23, Rab’s remains in the YELLOW ZONE as you can see in the map above, but not by much. We will remain open and operating as we have under the latest restrictions with Bowling and Indoor Dining. Please help be the solution and continue to do your part… Be safe and wear your masks. Following the guidelines is what allows us to remain open, and for you to enjoy the sport that you love!
Effective November 13, 2020, (through December 12) as per the Office of the NYS Governor, any State Liquor Authority-licensed establishment, including Bowling Alleys, will be required to close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily.
This new restriction impacts regular business of Rab’s Country Lanes in many different ways.
Times listed only if different than regularly scheduled time.
Saturday November 14
Monday November 16
Tuesday November 17
Wednesday November 18
Thursday November 19
Sunday & Friday Evening Leagues – No Change
Monday November 23
Tuesday November 24
Wednesday November 25
Thursday November 26 – Thanksgiving – No League Bowling
Saturday November 28
Monday November 30
Tuesday December 1
Wednesday December 2
Thursday December 3
Monday December 7
Tuesday December 8
Wednesday December 9
Thursday December 10
Saturday December 12
By Dr. Gracelyn Santos | gsantos@siadvance.com
Click Here for the Full Article on SILIVE.com
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Staten Islander Frank Wilkinson likes to ‘pink’ outside the box. The owner of Rab’s Country Lanes has gone pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. And even though Saturday is the last day of October, he is still raising funds for a cure through the Rab Wilkinson Foundation.
“As you know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and if you know anything about my family, our team here at Rab’s, and me, this means so much to us,” said Wilkinson. Things are a little different around here this year.”
Wilkinson’s popular ‘Our Flockers and Flamingos’ campaign, where friends displayed pink flamingoes on their lawns and ‘tagged’ their friends to do the same — along with donations to cancer research — is on pause this year because of the pandemic.
“We are staying safe and sadly we did not host our annual Bowl-a-Thon, which would have been held this past Sunday, October 25. The Bowl-a-Thon is the pinnacle event of our month long campaign,” he added.
“In the past 18 years, through the Rab Wilkinson Foundation and our Staten Island Bowling Community we have raised over $670,000 to fund local breast health projects including the Breast Health Navigation Program at SIUH. Last year, our staff challenged me.”
Wilkinson’s staff dared him to dye his hair pink last October for the good cause, but the dare came too late.
“They said they would raise money for me to dye my hair pink for the Bowl-a-Thon,” he said. “So, I said of course and committed to it. However, last year was a bit too close to the event for them to raise enough money to get me to do it.
“So, here we are, 2020, and no plans to host our annual event, and the challenge came back up. After a little hesitance, I recommitted to the challenge.”
Two weeks later, Wilkinson and his team have surpassed the $5,000 goal and is on the way to the $10,000 stretch goal, with his hair dyed pink. “I’ve now been joking that in order to see me in the bowling center, you’ll have to make a donation” he added. “A donation bucket will be outside our office.”
Donations are still being accepted, and could be made by visiting Frank at Rab’s or online: https://rabsway.eventgroovefundraising.com/pinkhairfrank
Said Wilkinson, “We live streamed the whole process as Nazareth and I hosted our Weekly Show “Live from Rab’s.” The show can be seen here: https://youtu.be/7p7rE7n964w.
And here’s a time lapse video of the whole hair production, which took almost two hours:
We’re honored to be nominated for the fourth consecutive year for a Best of the Boroughs Recognition by DotNYC! Show your love for us by showing your support with a VOTE for Rab’s, your favorite entertainment destination on #StatenIsland! NYC Best of the Boroughs celebrates the local businesses, organizations and community individuals that make our city, and each borough, a unique place to live!
By Joe D’Amodio | damodio@siadvance.com
Staten Island Advance | Click Here for the Full Story
The doors at Rab’s Country Lanes remind customers to Mask Up also provide the option to open the doors without having to touch the handles.
League bowling returned to Staten Island’s two bowling centers this past week and things looked a little different thanks to the pandemic.
Plastic partitions in between pairs of alleys are in place at Showplace Entertainment Center, while all bowlers must wear face masks in both centers, among other pandemic protocols mandated by the state during these uncertain times.
At Rab’s Country Lanes, proprietor Frank Wilkinson was excited to welcome his league bowlers back after an almost six-month hiatus because of the pandemic.
Here is a question-and-answer session with Wilkinson, son of former late Island bowling great and proprietor Rab Wilkinson.
“Our season officially started this past Tuesday (Sept. 8), so we’re still in the swing of getting the new season up and running. The start of the season is always an exciting time for us, as we get to welcome our bowlers back after not seeing them all summer long, with this season having much more significance, being off after a shortened season on top of the summer. While the season looks and feels very different in the start, it has provided our family and team some normalcy, seeing familiar faces, as well as new faces, back on the lanes with us. Bowlers are overwhelmingly happy to be back to their regular habits, seeing their friends and family while sharing the experience of bowling. The season looks very different, because we are operating at 50% and utilizing every other lane, many of our leagues are bowling in shifts so we can accommodate as many bowlers as possible. Historically, our league business uses most if not all 48 lanes at one time. On the business side, operating at 50% with no indoor dining (for now) is very challenging. We have many league bowlers who did not return, just yet, for understandable reasons.”
There are plenty of hand sanitizers at Rab’s Country Lanes.
“For the most part, yes! Our regular customers certainly understand and appreciate that we need to follow the protocols in order to keep their favorite place to bowl open.”
At this time we have not installed partitions between bowling lanes. We are operating to the guidelines utilizing every other, allowing for space for bowlers to physical distance between lanes. As always, our patrons come first and we want everyone to feel as comfortable and safe as possible being in our environment enjoying the sport we all love. There is 11 1/2 feet between each pair, so this allows our bowlers to utilize as much of the available space. The guidelines do not require partitions. However, the utilization of partitions potentially allows the use of additional lanes.
“There is no restriction on the number of bowlers per lane/pair of lanes.”
Bowling is back at Country Lanes, but this sign covers all the new protocols patrons must follow during the pandemic.
“Yes, just like every other facility in the state, masks/face coverings must be worn at all times.”
By Charlie De Biase Jr. | debiase@siadvance.com
silive.com | Click Here for the Full Story
The Catholic Youth Organization of Staten Island has been chomping at the bit to get back to business and announced it will now be accepting registration for its nine-week fall Bowling League.
CYO and Rab’s Country Lanes, in fact, will host its weekly outing each Monday beginning Oct. 5. The start time is 4 p.m. each week.
Teams of 4-5 bowlers will be permitted to represent their school or parish.
In addition, there will be three different divisions, including Kindergarten/1-2 grades), 3-6 grades and 7-8 grades.
All student-athletes will receive a jersey and recognition.
Entry fee, which includes shoe rental and bowling-ball use, is $130 per child.
To register, please visit www.bowlatrabs.com/cyo/.
Zeppoli fresh from the fryer at Gennaro’s in Rab’s Country Lanes, Dongan Hills
By Pamela Silvestri | silvestri@siadvance.com
Staten Island Advance | Click Here for the Full Story
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — While writing about all the festival cancellations coming up, it’s became evident that one fall scent will be absent from the air — that perfume from fresh, fried zeppole. That unctuous food will be sorely missed at the Richmond County Fair and the Feast of San Gennaro in Little Italy, events I’ve covered for the Advance and attended for many years.
While it’s zippo on the crowds, not so on the zeppole for Staten Island as our pizzerias continue to turn out fabulous versions of the fritters.
Marco and Tina Recchia, Gennaro’s owners at Rab’s Country Lanes, Dongan Hills, and creators of zeppole with a ring in it (Staten Island Advance/Pamela Silvestri)
Just the other day, Tina and Marco Recchia, owners of Gennaro’s Pizzeria at reopened Rab’s Country Lanes, brought a zeppole platter to one of the newly-built picnic tables outside the facility. Tina said their signature touch on the dessert is a distinct ring that forms in the dough, making each sweet zeppola (singular) look more like an onion ring. It’s a cool detail that experienced cooks make happen with a few pro tricks — wet hands and a flick of the wrist positioned just right over the boiling oil.
Staten Island does have a secret to its spectacular zeppole — the dough itself is a yeast-driven flour combination tuned up with a little sugar. Note to the uninitiated to the whole production process: zeppole are not made from pizza dough — garlic knot it is not.
And if not dropped just so into sizzling fat, the creation becomes that other fair food, something resembling more of a funnel cake.
Sal Finocchiaro of Palermo Pizzeria in Richmond Valley has produced a prized zeppole since his inaugural day on the Italian restaurant scene. That grand opening October day last year brought the dawn of a new zeppole to the deep South Shore — a plump thing that resembles a bombolone (doughnut) as it begs to be filled with Nutella and cannoli cream.
“My grandmother gave me the recipe,” said Sal. “It’s regular white flour — and a lot of love!” Sometimes that love comes with cinnamon or the more ubiquitous zap to a zeppola — powered sugar.
Camille Mule Pizzo, tender of Facebook’s Staten Island- and Brooklyn-centric “Quarantine Cuisine,” has seen a few recipe for the zeppole pop up on her pandemic page.
“The zeppole is our doughnut,” said Pizzo. And flavorings depend on what time of the year the dessert is made. In summer, her mother, Antonia Mulé, uses ricotta to fluff the fritter. She adds lemon juice, lots of lemon and orange zest and, sometimes, mini chocolate chips. In the fall or winter, she stuffs the zeppole with apples, cut-up dates, fresh or dried figs, crushed walnuts plus cinnamon. She adds a drop of wine to the batter and tosses the hot, cooked dough in a mixture of all-spice, cinnamon-sugar and nutmeg.
Springtime brings sfinge to Staten Island and Brooklyn bakeries with St. Joseph’s pastries, another version of the zeppole filled with custard or cannoli cream.
And there we go on seeing a zeppole come full circle in our great home town.
FULL CIRCLE AT THE FEAST
So, yes, this autumn I will miss all of zeppole hullaballoo and its deep-fried Oreo cousin plus sizzling sausage ‘n’ “pepp-uz,” particularly at the San Gennaro Feast. One of the highlights over the years attending this massive street festival was riding a float with comedian Vic DiBitetto when he was the grand marshal in 2018. DiBitetto is a former Great Kills and Rossville resident who now lives in New Jersey.
If anything highlighted the importance of following street dining setups, now so commonplace as dining rooms remain closed in New York City, it was at that very crowded street festival — the float, at one point, got caught in a strand of lights on a lemonade stand that stuck out a wee bit too far. Had Vic himself not intervened in extricating the tangled lines from the vehicle it would have taken the whole shebang along with the procession up Mulberry.
Now with anything in this world, there is always a Staten Island connection. My paternal great grandfather, originally from Benevento, Italy, owned the “Silvestri Bakery,” once near Ferrara’s. And so be it with the S.I. links with a restaurant I have enjoyed over the years — Il Cortile at 100 Mulberry owned by the Esposito family from Staten Island. So far, they’ve weathered this pandemic storm and are reopen outdoors — even with a handsome street extension. Although dining rooms New York City shut as of March 16, the business suffered for weeks before then as potential patrons feared getting the coronavirus while traveling through the neighboring Chinatown section.
I have great hope that there will be the scent of zeppole for a 94th celebration in Little Italy — one of these Septembers.
Keep in touch.
Pamela Silvestri is Advance Food Editor. She can be reached at silvestri@siadvance.com.
By Nick Regina | nregina@siadvance.com
and Alexandra Salmieri | asalmieri@siadvance.com
Staten Island Advance | silive.com | Click Here for the Full Story & Live Video
Frank Wilkinson, owner of Rab’s County Lanes in Dongan Hills welcomes customers back to his bowling center on August 17, 2020 in Dongan Hills. (Staten Island Advance/ Alexandra Salmieri)
STATEN ISLAND N.Y. — The clanking of balls, the crashing of pins, and the pattering of shoes on the hardwood lanes.
Bowling was back on Monday afternoon at Rab’s Country Lanes, providing some semblance of normalcy for Staten Island’s resident bowlers who returned to the alley for the first time in nearly five months.
Needless to say, both customers and proprietors alike were as excited as could be expected.
“We’re excited, it’s been a long time coming, but here we are: back to business and bowling,” said Rab’s Country Lanes proprietor Frank Wilkinson. “Today is emotional, we’re just happy to get back to bowling…this proves that we can get back to some sort of normalcy.”
While the re-opening did provide a sense of normalcy, it also displayed some of the city’s mandated protocols, which include operating at a maximum 50% capacity, with every other lane closed to assure social distancing, as well as wearing face coverings.
Indoor dining and drinking are also not allowed, for the time being.
“This is not the end, it’s a step in the right direction and we hope to get back to our regular thing as long as we can do it safely,” added Wilkinson. “It’s up to all of us.”
Wilkinson, like everyone else, first heard the news on Friday that bowling centers would be allowed to operate as soon as Monday — yet Rab’s looked like it hadn’t skipped a beat since it initially shuttered its doors in Mid-March.
“On Friday, [Gov. Cuomo] dropped the bomb that we could reopen, so to flip the switch in 72 hours has been tremendous,” said Wilkinson. “The staff and team, and the preparation and cleaning, they did a tremendous job.
Workers at Rab’s Country Lanes clean the lanes and balls after bowlers are finished, preparing them for the next customers on August 17, 2020 in Dongan Hills. (Staten Island Advance/ Alexandra Salmieri)
Throughout the alley, the dozens of bowlers in attendance did their part to maintain social distancing, while wearing their face coverings.
“[Government] had faith in us, as an industry, to do things the right way,” said Wilkinson. “We’ve had no issues, we’ll continue as a community to keep doing it, everybody respects it…it’s not for ourselves, but for everyone around us.”
ISLAND BOWLERS REACT
Bowlers of all ages and skill levels were out in full force for the re-opening on Monday, including Staten Island Bowling Hall of Famer Nancy Avignon.
“I truly missed the Rab’s community, I love it,” said the 67-year-old North Shore resident who began bowling in the 1960s. “At the crack of dawn I was up getting ready…I really couldn’t wait, it’s been such a long time.
“I missed being on the lanes and the sport immensely,” she added. “I truly couldn’t wait to get here, this is paradise for me.”
Avignon also cited the cleanliness of the venue, as well as the effort of the staff.
“I love the way Rab’s is run, I believe the protocols have the public in mind and they’re doing everything possible,” she said. “They clean the lanes every minute, they’re really keeping up with it and being diligent and we appreciate it.”
Twelve-year-old Jeremy Vasquez, who’s been bowling since he was five, was equally thrilled to fire off some strikes on Monday.
“I’m happy, I’ve been waiting since quarantine,” said the eight-grader from South Beach. “I was here on the last day before they closed and I’m excited to be back.
“When my mom told me, I was so excited,” he added. “I was sad, I wanted to come here everyday…it was like taking part of my life away.”
Veteran bowlers like Rob Butler opted to play in New Jersey until the restrictions were lifted — but it just wasn’t the same.
“This is home for most of us,” said the 40-year-old Great Kills resident. “It’s a beautiful place and I’m happy to be here.
“The community, the conditions, the lanes, it’s all different,” he added. “This is a big deal for us, I’ll be here as many times as possible.”
New Springville resident Matt Koplowitz reiterated the sentiment.
“It felt like something was missing these last few months,” said Koplowitz. “I didn’t want to have a season in New Jersey, but we didn’t know what to expect…I’m glad to be back.”
Koplowitz noted that playing with a mask wasn’t much of an issue either.
“It’s not a problem, just something to get used to as the season goes on,” he explained. “I feel safe, just happy to be back now.”
NOT OUT OF THE WOODS YET
While the return to play is a welcome sign, Wilkinson acknowledges that small businesses, including his own, will need continued support from the government to continue operating effectively.
“It’s been draining on the small business community,” admitted Wilkinson, who suffered many a sleepless night during the quarantine. “This building isn’t designed to operate at 50% capacity, we need the support of government.
“Patience did start to run thin, there was no revenue stream [for five months],” he added. “Employees couldn’t work, it weighs on you.
“It’s relieving to get to this point,” added Wilkinson. “Hard work pays off.”
Nevertheless, he’s excited to see people in the building once again.
“It’s amazing, we’re in the people business and our mission is to provide an environment for people to get away from everyday life,” said Wilkinson. “To see the smiles on people’s faces is what we live for.
“I get more happiness and joy to see people enjoy what they do in this environment that we created,” he added. “It’s exciting.”
By Amanda Farinacci
NY1 News | Click Here for Full Story & Video
A line forms inside Rab’s Country Lanes as anxious bowlers stand in wait for lane assignments in their first trip back to the bowling alley since the pandemic shut its doors back in March.
When they hit the lanes, they spared no time, rolling back to business.
What You Need To Know
Frank Wilkinson owns Rab’s Country Lanes. “This is certainly a sign that people want to get back to everyday life,” he said.
Governor Cuomo gave the green light for bowling alleys in the state to reopen Monday, but bowling looks a bit different than it did just five months ago.
Every other lane is open to allow for social distancing, masks must be worn and reservations are encouraged.
As for bowling shoes and bowling balls — there will be no more touching or trying on if you don’t have a ball or shoes of your own.
“We will outfit you with the equipment at the front counter,” WIlkinson told NY1. “You go to your lanes. When you’re done, leave everything at the lanes; our team will sanitize, clean, bring it up to the front counter. And then that way there’s no extra touch points.”
A couple more changes to the bowling alley: no eating or drinking inside and food must be taken outside.
Rab’s is currently working to build an outdoor dining area.
The New York State Bowling Proprietors Association, a group 300 bowling centers across the state, had been lobbying hard to allow their alleys to reopen, citing the possibilities for social distancing given the size of their facilities, and detailed plans for safety and sanitizing.
They are small changes that bowlers we spoke with seemed to be taking in stride.
Henry Rau is an avid bowler.
“I think it’s about time. It’s well overdue and I think it should have been sooner,” he said.
Enrique Rodriguez came with his friend to bowl.
“They’re spacing everyone out; we’re wearing masks, I think this is going to be fine,” he said.
Rab’s is hoping to open its outdoor space in the coming days.
And the bowling alley is already booked for the next few days.
The center’s robust bowling league will come back to play after Labor Day.
By Kevin Sheehan and Jackie Salo
NY Post | Click Here for the Full Story & Video
Photo Credit: STEFAN JEREMIAH | Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis throws out the first ball during the re-opening celebration.
They were ready to roll.
Big Apple bowling alleys welcomed back some rusty but eager customers Monday, as the state lifted coronavirus restrictions after five months.
“We’ve been itching to come back. Now we can get back to where we left off!” said Kevin Rourke, who was joined by his 16-year-old son, Ryan, at Rab’s Country Lanes in Staten Island.
“We were coming in here all the time and he was getting better and then it shut down.”
About 50 people waited in line to score a socially-distanced lane when doors opened around 1 p.m. for the first time since the state shut down in mid-March.
“It’s good to be back!” said Dylan Ward, a 14-year-old local champion bowler. “It’s probably going to take a while to get back to form.”
Inside, were greeted by a cheeky mannequin sporting a cardboard cutout of Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s face and an employee uniform — along with new rules, such as mask requirements and keeping every other lane open.
Owner Frank Wilkinson said the businesses scrambled to get the lanes ready after Cuomo’s announcement Friday that bowling alleys could reopen.
“Today we are certainly celebrating! Happy bowling day!” he said.
But despite the short notice, there appeared to be no issue getting the word out to customers.
“We have reservations booking up. Tomorrow morning is all booked up already,” he told The Post.