Autumn Mowery, 20 year-old, owns the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine, a candlepin bowling alley. She is trying hard to keep the place afloat even though candlepin bowling is fading away in a lot of New England.
Mowery is 20 years old and knows how to fix most lane problems on the spot. "I love these lanes. They are definitely a pain in the butt. But they're still running for me — some of them," she says. She lives above the alley and often makes repairs until 1 or 2 am. She's the only employee. The roof leaks. Heating and cooling the huge building is expensive. She even dropped this semester off college to catch up on sleep.
Mowery's determined — against all odds — to keep the candlepin alley going. She says the tradition is disappearing because many owners can't keep up with the maintenance, and it's too expensive to get new candlepin parts. Many alleys are closing or converting to classic 10-pin. Mowery knows how much candlepin means to her community and she wants more towns across the nation to have it too. She has hopes to expand in Maine and then spread the sport outside of New England.
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, is the owner of the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. She took possession of the property one year ago and has been running the place all by herself due to the restrictions of her insurance policy. She needs to first update the machinery behind the bowling lanes in order to be able to hire any employees. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: The candlepin bowling alley is the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, is the owner and only employee of the candlepin bowling alley. She is responsible for all the maintenance on the lanes in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: The candlepin bowling alley is the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: The candlepin bowling alley is the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, is the owner and only employee of the candlepin bowling alley, she is responsible for all the maintenance on the lanes in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, can’t take any walks in, because she is the only employee of the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, can’t take any walks in, because she is the only employee of the candlepin bowling alley. A group of local girls made reservations to celebrate a birthday party in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, prepares the lane for a group of locals who made reservations to play at the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, is the owner of the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. She took possession of the property one year ago and has been running the place all by herself due to the restrictions of her insurance policy. She needs to first update the machinery behind the bowling lanes in order to be able to hire any employees. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: The candlepin bowling alley is the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, is the owner and only employee of the candlepin bowling alley. She is responsible for all the maintenance on the lanes in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: The candlepin bowling alley is the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: The candlepin bowling alley is the only entertainment in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, is the owner and only employee of the candlepin bowling alley, she is responsible for all the maintenance on the lanes in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, can’t take any walks in, because she is the only employee of the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, can’t take any walks in, because she is the only employee of the candlepin bowling alley. A group of local girls made reservations to celebrate a birthday party in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
ELLSWORTH, ME - DECEMBER 2ND: Autumn Mowery, 20, prepares the lane for a group of locals who made reservations to play at the candlepin bowling alley in Ellsworth, Maine on December 2nd, 2022. (Photo by Sofia Aldinio for NPR) Ellsworth United States
Sofia Aldinio Visual Storyteller
Sofia Aldinio is an Argentine-American documentary photographer and multimedia storyteller.