Johnny Rockets closing; Homegrown Bowl remains open

In the wake of restaurant staff announcing the upcoming closure of Johnny Rockets in south Carson City, the operators of the bowling alley in the same commercial complex are emphatically telling customers they are not closing.

Danny Dunbar, owner of Homegrown Bowl, Bar, Grill and Billiard, told the Appeal on Thursday the lease for the space with the building’s new owner ends May 31, 2024, but he plans on staying put.

“I’m absolutely here for the long haul,” he said.

He added, “Business is doing great.”

The Carson Lanes property sold on May 31, 2023, for $5 million. It was purchased by 4600 Snyder LLC whose managing partner, Kipp Gstettenbauer, grew up in Northern Nevada. Remodeled in 2009, the property had been owned and operated by the Burger family, which chose to sell after the death of Eugene Burger in 2021.

Dunbar runs the 28-lane bowling alley and adjoining diner, bar and billiards room with wife Jenn. On the door of the bowling alley Thursday, a sign read, “Homegrown is NOT closing.”

The couple has been bowling at the location since they were children, said Jenn Dunbar. She told Appeal the grill is open seven days a week. She also noted karaoke takes place in the bar the first and third Friday of each month, while country line dancing occurs the second and fourth Friday of each month.

“We have great beer on tap,” she said, emphasizing local brews are available.

Information about the bowling alley can be found at https://www.facebook.com/people/Homegrown-Bowl-Bar-Grill-and-Billiards/100091290304982/.

“They have a lease until this summer. If they want to approach us to extend the lease, they can,” Gstettenbauer said Friday about Homegrown Bowl.

Gstettenbauer said in taking over the property, short-term leases were used with tenants because no leases had been in place. Gstettenbauer wasn’t opposed to extending leases. He said by the summer of 2026, he expects “to make a decision to figure out what we’re going to do with the property as a whole.”

Gstettenbauer discussed a right of way (ROW) agreement for city-owned frontage on the property. He hoped the length of the agreement could be extended. A traffic signal for Appion Way and South Carson Street is in the works as well, he pointed out. He said such development factors can make long-term leases difficult.

Thursday, a sign on the door of Johnny Rockets announced the restaurant’s Dec. 16 closure. Tamara Chavez has managed the burger and milkshake joint since it opened in 2009. She met her husband at one of the booths.

“I don’t think it’s really hit me yet because I’m still working,” she said. “I think the last day, it’s probably going to hit me super hard.”

Chavez said 13 other employees of the restaurant are looking for jobs, though some plan to stay until the doors close.

“We’ve touched a lot of people in this community. People are upset, and I feel compassion toward them. I wish I had a magical wand, and I could fix things. It’s out of my hands,” she said.

Though the current Johnny Rockets franchisee run by the Burger family, Rocket LLC, is closing, Chavez was hopeful somebody could take over the business and perhaps even find a new location.

“If somebody would want to invest, it’s a great investment. We have a large following,” she said.

Chavez said anyone interested would have to go through corporate: https://www.fatbrands.com/brand/johnny-rockets/.

Whatever happens, she wants customers to know they’re going to be missed “tremendously.”

“We’ve had families grow up in here. We’ve seen people come and go and come back. It’s been a good run,” she said.