Story By Rochester First - "A family business in the City of Rochester losing part of their identity. L&M Lanes bowling alley was ordered by the city to remove their signature sign
Time has done little to change L&M Lanes. It still boasts two floors of bowling and pulls folks from all over into the heart of the Merchants-Culver Neighborhood. Owner of L&M Lanes, Gary Stubbings says this sign is timeless.
" That sign itself is a fixture, it's almost like a Gateway to the commercial area of this neighborhood."
Stubbings received a letter in the spring of 2016 that if he does not take down this sign he would be fined $600 every month.
" I do have 1200 dollars worth of fines that need to be paid. Because they started fining monthly for it."
He tells News 8, this battle started with the previous owners. In 2009 when the bowling alley was then Ladd Lanes, the owner applied for two new awnings and after an inspection the City of Rochester found the detatched sign to be in violation of city code. The previous owners appealed and the City denied their request.
"In the spring of 2016, I got a letter that my sign was a code violation and it needed to be removed." Stubbings said.
According to city documents, the location of the sign is too large and is dangerous. However, customers like Greg Maine have a different opinion.
" The fact of the matter with that past windstorm in March, alot of trees came down in this neighborhood. I would be more scared of trees as I walk here than that sign. "
Stubbings tells News 8 after 65 years it's time it comes down a decision he has to live with. "I am not happy about it. I am not happy about it at all. It's almost like a landmark in some way it's been there so long." Stubbings said
Stubbings plans to take the sign down this month."