Bowling Centers NAICS 713950

Jun 27, 2025 - Rising Labor Costs, Employment

• Employment and wages for bowling centers were up in April 2025 year over year, increasing 7.1% and 4.4%, respectively, according to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment by bowling centers rose 10.3% in the past three years, higher than the 4.8% growth in overall private employment. According to the Consumer Price Index, prices for recreation services, including leisure and entertainment activities, were up 3.7% in May 2025 year over year. Leading industry indicators showed improvement in February 2025, with consumer spending up 2.7% compared to a year ago, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.
• The art, entertainment, and recreation services industry is one of the 10 industries reporting growth in May’s Services ISM Report on Business. Executives in the art, entertainment, and recreation services industry, which includes bowling centers, reported an increase in business activity, employment, and new orders in May. Other services industries reporting growth during the period included Accommodation & Food Services; Public Administration; Mining; Utilities; Educational Services; Real Estate, Rental & Leasing; Information; Health Care & Social Assistance; and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services. The eight services industries reporting contraction during the period were Other Services; Retail Trade; Management of Companies & Support Services; Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting; Finance & Insurance; Construction; Transportation & Warehousing; and Wholesale Trade. Overall, economic activity in the services sector contracted in May, with the Services PMI registering 49.9%.

• The US bowling centers industry is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.53% between 2025 and 2029, according to a forecast from Inforum and the Interindustry Economic Research Fund, Inc. The expected growth rate is faster than the overall economy's projected growth. Spending by US households and tourists, foreign students, and other visitors largely drives the arts, entertainment, and recreation industries. Expenditure for travel, live entertainment, and other services has continued to rise since the pandemic lows. Consumer confidence is expected to improve in the forecast period, which bodes well for the sector. A factor that may curb consumer spending is substantially higher tariffs on consumer goods, which may be painful for households. On a positive note, lower inflation supports a moderate increase of real disposable income by about 2% in 2025 and 1.9% in 2026. Real income could suffer if average prices rise due to tariff implementation.
• Consumer sentiment, an indicator of discretionary spending, is on the rise as consumer pessimism lifts amid a de-escalation of the trade war, according to two major indicators. The final index of consumer sentiment from the University of Michigan grew 15.9% in June 2025 from the previous month, as the Trump administration put some tariffs on hold against major US trade partners, according to CFO Dive. Year over year, the index of consumer sentiment was down 11.3%. An index measuring consumers’ expectations for the future was up 21.9% from the previous month, but was down 16.1% year over year. According to survey director Joanne Hsu, “Consumers appear to have settled somewhat from the shock of the extremely high tariffs announced in April and the policy volatility seen in the weeks that followed.” Hsu noted that consumers’ views of business conditions, personal finances, buying conditions for big ticket items, labor markets and stock markets all remain below six months ago. The Consumer Confidence Index increased by 12.3 points in May 2025, compared to the previous month. The index improved in May following five consecutive months of declines, according to The Conference Board, which publishes the monthly index.