Construction Promotion and New Ownership at Olivette Lanes

St. Louis area, September 20, 2025

News Summary

S. M. Wilson & Co. has promoted Emily Klackner to Senior Project Manager after joining the firm as an intern and building a portfolio that includes school district bond work, district master planning, retail remodels and high-profile community projects. Meanwhile, Olivette Lanes at 9520 Olive Blvd is under new ownership for the first time in 17 years. The buyer, a long-time bowling industry professional, financed the purchase through U.S. Bank, retained the existing staff, and plans modest interior upgrades while keeping the center’s familiar exterior and community focus. The center remains reachable at 314-991-0365.

Construction and Community News: Two Local Ownership Moves and a Promotion

S. M. Wilson & Co. has promoted Emily Klackner to Senior Project Manager, and Olivette Lanes is under new ownership for the first time in 17 years. These two updates affect local construction management, school bond and master plan work, and a longtime neighborhood bowling center on Olive Boulevard.

What happened (top facts first)

S. M. Wilson & Co. promoted Emily Klackner to Senior Project Manager. Emily joined S. M. Wilson in 2019 and began her journey with S. M. Wilson as a college intern, then chose to launch her full-time career with S. M. Wilson after graduation. Her project portfolio at S. M. Wilson includes the Jefferson City School District’s 2024 Bond Issue, the Ladue School District’s Master Plan, City Foundry STL, COCA’s expansion, and two Target store remodels. Since 2023, Emily has been an active member of the AGCMO Construction Leadership Council (CLC) and currently serves on the AGCMO Board of Directors as the CLC Representative.

For the first time in 17 years, Olivette Lanes is under new ownership. The center, located at 9520 Olive Blvd on the south side of the road, is now owned and run by a long-time bowling industry professional. The new owner is a 50-year-old resident of St. Charles who will serve as proprietor and general manager. He has worked 26 years in the bowling industry for the Brunswick Corp. of Chicago, managed Lakeside Brunswick Zone in Valley Park, and opened and ran the Brunswick Zone Excel Center in St. Peters.

Details on the S. M. Wilson promotion

Emily’s work since 2019 has covered educational, retail and residential development projects. Notable items in her portfolio include the Jefferson City School District’s 2024 Bond Issue and the Ladue School District’s Master Plan, both of which are part of local school facility planning and upgrades. She has also worked on high-profile community and cultural projects such as City Foundry STL and COCA’s expansion, plus two Target store remodels. Her leadership role in the AGCMO Construction Leadership Council began in 2023 and she now represents that group on the AGCMO Board of Directors.

Details on Olivette Lanes and plans under new ownership

Olivette Lanes originally opened in 1954 and was launched by Hall of Fame bowler Nelson Burton Sr. The center opened as a 24-lane facility and flourished for years. The previous owner had been thinking about retirement for years and operated the center with his wife. The buyer approached the owners after facing a career shift during a rough economy and arranged financing for the purchase through U.S. Bank, saying the center’s steady revenue stream made the purchase possible.

Nearby Strike ‘N Spare lanes in Creve Coeur closed down, leaving Tropicana Lanes in Clayton as the nearest competition. Tropicana Lanes is owned by three people, all in their 80s, and the new owner said the future viability of that business is uncertain. The new proprietor kept the entire Krygiel staff when he bought the center and added a birthday party hostess. He plans some modest upgrades such as new carpeting, some fresh paint, and more modern scoring machines while retaining the center’s exterior purple paint for now. The private meeting room for 35 guests is getting a substantial face-lift, and private groups have already used the newly owned center. Central Christian School in Clayton, the Ladue School system, and MICDS teachers are among groups that have held events there.

The center enforces a no smoking policy, and the facility is noted as smelling clean and looking neat and fresh. The restaurant and bar remain mostly unchanged. A team of 15 employees maintains extensive business hours so bowlers can find a home for their sport in Olivette. The center can be reached by calling 314-991-0365 and has a new website.

Context and next steps

The S. M. Wilson announcement includes a repeated call to Subscribe to our email list to read all news first, which appeared multiple times in the source announcement. The new owner at Olivette Lanes said he plans to build the business and is taking a marketing-savvy, keep-it-simple approach to bring regulars and new visitors back to the lanes.

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Key Features Table

Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic

Additional Resources

• RE Journals: S. M. Wilson names Senior Project Manager
• Wikipedia: Construction management
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Local column
• Google Search: Nelson Burton Sr
• Patch: Olivette Bowling Lanes under new ownership
• Google Scholar: Olivette Lanes
• S. M. Wilson & Co. (company site)
• Encyclopedia Britannica: construction
• Local listing: Olivette Lanes (Google Maps)
• Google News: Olivette Lanes

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