The 48-year-old left the snowy mountains of Beckley, W.Va., and took over as manager of Royal Z Miamisburg. It all started with a phone conversation with Royal Z owner Lee Zavakos in South Carolina. Fryer was told about the opportunity at the Miamisburg bowling center and decided to make the move. The Zavakos family got two employees for the price of one. Fryer’s wife, Kay, took a job as the kitchen manager at Royal Z Driftwood. Kay has worked in food and beverage service for 25 years.

Fryer has been in the bowling business just as long. While arthritis keeps him from participating any more, he first took to the lanes when he was 10. He worked as a manager in West Virginia and owned his own pro shop in Youngstown. His expertise also extends to the lanes themselves.

`I plan to screen and coat the lanes myself Sunday,’ Fryer said. `Basically, I want to get more consistency for the bowlers. I want to make it so every night that they are out here, they have the same conditions.’

In addition to improving and maintaining the lane conditions, Fryer also wants to work on promoting his new center.

`First, I want to make sure what we already have is run right, and then we’ll start some new things,’ he said.

While Fryer has worked in many different bowling centers in several cities, there are definite similarities he sees across the board.

`They all want to have a good time,’ Fryer said. `A lot has changed though. Basically, 15 years ago, all people had to do in the winter was bowl. Now, there are so many other options but one thing has stayed the same, they want to enjoy themselves.’

But, is Fryer hoping for a warm, sunny, snow-free winter in Dayton?

`Eventually, I’ll get down south,’ he said with a smile.