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Sacco's was founded by Ralph Sacco and Joseph Rubicco in 1939. Prior to
being a bowling and billiards facility, the structure as it stands
today, was an automobile repair shop which was constructed in the
1920's. The building was then renovated by Sacco and Rubicco and
structurally reinforced with an iron beam roof to accommodate a second floor
which has yet to be added. Three generations later, this authentic piece of
history still remains within the Sacco family, and the current owners are
planning to keep it a bowling alley. The history of bowling and the Sacco
family runs deep, far beyond the walls of this hidden gem in Davis Square
Somerville.
Ralph Sacco, the great grandfather to the current business owners,
Joseph and Damon Sacco, was an instrumental force to the development of
candlepin bowling. Besides being a very successful entrepreneur and owning
21 bowling alleys during the 1940's, Ralph Sacco actually helped pioneer the
sport of candlepin bowling. Ralph was a creative innovator, and the focus of
his work began with the design and creation of pins, many of which were in
the form of blueprints used in the development of the modern day candlepin
still used today. His work can readily be seen on display at Sacco's. As the
popularity of candlepin bowling prospered during the 1950's, Ralph and his
original partner Joe Rubicco also successfully created one of the very first
pin setting machines. Their ingenuity was without a doubt, ahead of its
time, and their work and ideas helped to evolve the technology of bowling.
By the late 1960's, almost all bowling centers had installed pin setting
technology, most of which involved inventions and fundamentals created by
Sacco and Rubicco. Their work is on display at the bowling hall of fame
in Bradford Massachusetts.
Most of the Sacco establishments were sold off by the early 1970's.
Ralph's son, Joseph Sacco took over the remaining businesses in the early
1960's and eventually his son Joseph Sacco JR assumed ownership of Sacco's
Bowl-Haven. Joe's sons Joseph and Damon took over the business in 1995.
This was the last of the Sacco establishments, and unfortunately the
popularity of candlepin bowling had plummeted over the passed couple of
decades causing the Sacco family to sell off all but one of their bowling
centers. After taking ownership of the business on Day Street, Joe and Damon
set out on a mission to bring Sacco's back to the way it was when it first
opened. At the time, Davis Square Somerville was undergoing a major change,
and it was a positive one. Small businesses and new residential units were
popping up all over the place. While the influx of new businesses and
residents grew exponentially, both brothers knew this was a perfect time
to try and re-establish the bowling alley. Fortunately after
spending countless hours digging deep through family albums, boxes, garages,
and even museums, Joe and Damon found more than a few artifacts to help
broaden and exemplify the authenticity of the one Sacco's
bowling establishment left standing. Come take a look for yourself. Its a
blast back through time. Hence the Sacco company slogan "The way it was is
the way it is."
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| © Copyright 2001 Sacco's Bowl Haven |
