After 80 years, it’s the end of the road for Hamburg’s Braymiller’s Lanes

HAMBURG, N.Y. (WIVB) — Hamburg’s Braymiller’s Lanes is up for sale after November’s storm brought its roof and walls crashing in. Meanwhile, another Hamburg business is on the rebound after that same storm put its 100th year of operation in danger.

Howard Braymiller, the third-generation owner of Braymiller’s Lanes, is smiling through the pain of losing his family’s 80-year-old bowling alley. November’s heavy and wet snow wrote the bowling alley’s final chapter.

Their roof collapsed and walls caved in under the weight of the snow.

“It’s very hard even to look at it now because it’s been there forever,” Braymiller said.

Braymiller’s Lanes in Hamburg to be demolished after snow caves in roof

Braymiller worked for months creating a plan to rebuild. Ultimately, insurance came up one million dollars short of what he needed, and the now empty lot in the heart of Hamburg’s village is up for sale.

“We came up with new plans for a new building, but we were still like $600,000 short and it just wasn’t really doable to move forward,” added Braymiller. “We didn’t want to get into that kind of debt.”

Hamburg businesses pick up the pieces more than a week after historic snowstorm

Governor Kathy Hochul, a Hamburg native, visited the bowling alley after the collapse.

Braymiller said the governor offered help to rebuild, but never heard from her office again.

News 4 reached out to the governor’s office for comment and hasn’t heard back.

Braymiller’s Lanes before and after demolition

That same November storm collapsed eight of Les Draudt’s greenhouses.

It left the century-old business hanging in the balance.

Draudt’s greenhouses in Hamburg collapse under weight of snow

“This is our hundredth year,” Draudt said. “It wasn’t looking good in November, but yeah, this is a hundred-year-old family farm.”

Fast forward four months, he’s smiling and rebuilding three of those greenhouses by hand.

“It’s a tough thing to deal with. But we’re here and looking forward to the season,” added Draudt.

In the end, Braymiller and Draudt just have two words — thank you.