How This Former Professional Bowler Keeps 810 Billiards & Bowling Running

For Keith Zajac, securing the job of regional machine/lane technician for 810 Billiards & Bowling, six-unit upscale entertainment and games venue, was part of the natural progression of his love for bowling. 

Zajac started bowling at age five, in Buffalo, New York, was working at an alley by age fifteen and then got into league bowling with the ABA and PBA. Now he’s behind the scenes making sure all the mechanics are functional at the brand’s locations. 

“I've been on all sides. Now I enjoy this side,” Zajac said. “I like working on the machines and making sure that when we have people come through, they have the least amount of issues that can possibly go wrong along the way. You want people to come in and have fun and not have to worry about things breaking.”

Zajac is a problem solver and the go-to for all mechanical issues at 810 Billiards & Bowling. He started with the company as a pin chaser in 2017, and worked his way up through perseverance and hard work. In his time with the company, he has seen them grow and evolve to use different and more efficient technologies. He said when he started, they would get service calls all night long. He has cut that number down to one or two calls per night.

Some of the efficiency improvements they’ve made at 810 Billiards & Bowling are switching to LEDs and moving away from energy-hogging fluorescent lights. Their Market Common, Conway and Chandler locations all use string pinsetter machines, which use low power. 

“They shut themselves off after a few idle minutes so motors aren’t constantly running,” Zajac said. “String machines use three separate motors for different functions, which means they run at a more efficient rate.”

Most of his day-to-day consists of seeing what work needs to be done at which centers, tuning up the machines and the occasional major fix. Sometimes, he’ll work a nine-hour day, going through a machine and rebuilding the whole thing. But “my favorite part of the job is tearing into stuff. That's fun,” Zajac said.

“I’m constantly working on the machines, doing preventive maintenance, inspecting parts, lubricating and changing out this and that; whatever it takes to make everything run right,” he said. He also tries to streamline mechanical issues by working with some of the machine’s manufacturers to have them design better products that work in a more efficient way. 

“I work with companies to say, ‘How can we fix this so it doesn't happen again?’” Zajac said. “We bounce ideas off each other all the time on making improvements to try and limit any kind of problems that come up. Because, to an engineer, something may look perfect on paper, but applied Science is a whole different ball game, and it may need tweaks to work well.”

Everything that Zajac has been doing at 810 Billiards & Bowling has been invaluable to the operations of the business. He keeps the facilities running smoothly so guests have a seamless experience, CEO Michael Siniscalchi said.

“The 30-plus years of experience in the bowling industry that Keith brings to bear has been an immeasurable help to our organization. He is an encyclopedia of machine knowledge and technical expertise, and he has been a wonderful mentor to our younger mechanics, freely sharing his time and knowledge to help them grow. We are so grateful to have Keith on the 810 team!” said Siniscalchi.

About 810 Billiards & Bowling: 

810 Billiards & Bowling, a six-unit emerging franchise out of South Carolina, is a classic bowling alley with an upscale twist. In its expansive space, 810 offers its customers multiple bowling lanes, billiard tables, full-service bars, an arcade, classic board games, mini-golf and so much more! The menu boasts soul-satisfying foods serving lunch and dinner. For more information please visit 810bowling.com/franchising.