Talking to Ruthie and Michael Weems, you get a sense that their business is more of a passion than a way to make a living.

The couple from Bellevue recently bought and is renovating the Magic Bowl bowling alley in downtown Twin Falls — a historical landmark that was in danger of being shut down less than a year ago.

The Weems, along with their son Mike Jr. Weems, live and breathe bowling. Michael Weems has owned and operated bowling alleys for more than 50 years — including two in Bellevue and Shoshone. His son is a pro bowler, sponsored by Brigham City, Utah-based Storm Products Inc.

But they say their real reason for buying and investing in Magic Bowl, which is located at 340 Second Ave. E. in Twin Falls, was to continue the passion for bowling that the previous owners had instilled in Twin Falls.

“We did it because of the Millers,” Weems said, referring to Jeanne and Paul Miller, the former owners. “We wanted to keep the tradition going and that’s really why we are here.”

The Weems two other bowling alleys have thrived despite the recession, said Weems, who attributes the success to hard work and the nature of the sport.

“It’s something that everyone can enjoy, whether you’re a pro bowler or just going out as a family,”he said.

The Weems purchased Magic Bowl in January for an unspecified price, and immediately started renovating the building, which was built in 1958. The family is adding a fully equipped pro shop with state-of-the-art machines for customizing bowling equipment.

The Weems purchased a $38,000 lane conditioner — a large robotic machine that cleans and conditions bowling lanes to hundreds of different specifications.

“It can really affect your scores, depending on how the lanes are conditioned,” Weems said while checking how the light reflected off the lane.

Ruthie Weems said the snack bar will add greater variety to its menu, including fresh sandwiches and burgers with hand-pressed meat patties. She said a beer and wine selection will also be added to the lineup.

“It’s a lot of work and we are going at it a little at a time, but I think it will really add to the experience,” she said.

Magic Bowl will continue to host leagues and tournaments, and the Weems have added new classes for pro bowlers, novices and all skill levels in between. The most noticeable tournament that will be added to the lineup will be the Women’s State Tournament.

“We have a lot of leagues, so it’s pretty interesting,”Michael Weems said. “If you come in here on some afternoons, you will see people bowling here that are in their 90s.”

Joshua Palmer may be reached at jpalmer@magicvalley.com