“We were still working at our jobs when we opened that location in Cumming,” Canouse said. So, without any industry experience, the pair linked up with Brunswick and went through their training program, co-founding the first Stars and Strikes with bowling, an arcade, laser tag arena and sports bar.
They started brainstorming how they could make a better place - one without the stereotypical bowling food and outdated décor. After a night at a local bowling center with their kids, the lightbulb went off. Both had three children each and began to ponder what options are out there for families to do together. “We both thought it was a good idea to see what else was out there,” Canouse said. In 2003, Canouse was an investment banker and Albano was working a corporate job.
In fact, for the past 20 years, their families come together and spend Thanksgiving week at Canouse’s second home. The same week, Chris Albano moved into the neighborhood. The yellow brick road that led Canouse to the family entertainment business started in Alpharetta, Ga., a suburb 25 miles outside of Atlanta that he moved to in 1996.
Perhaps it’s no surprise that the 1939 film is on Canouse’s mind these days considering Elaut’s coin pusher of the same name is a favorite in his arcades. Its managing partner and co-founder Jack Canouse said opening the first location in Cumming, Ga., in July 2005 was like watching The Wizard of Oz - doors swinging open to a new, vibrantly colored world that was a former Walmart facility in his case. Longtime friends and neighbors, they opened the first location in 2005 in Cumming, Ga. Partners & Pals – Jack Canouse (right) and Chris Albano are the co-founders of Stars and Strikes.