Local Roller Rinks (thinking back)

Local Roller Rinks (thinking back)

10/29/2023

by Brian Coll

It was one of those rainy Sunday afternoons in the fall, now it’s a perfect day to watch the Eagles beat the Washington Commanders, but back in the day, it was the Redskins and there was a good chance me and my friends were looking to go to a roller rink

Here’s the great thing about these nostalgia type articles, without being too specific, I might bring something into your mind and it might be slightly different for me. For instance, historically I know about Art’s Skatesland, and even the gun club or rifle range that was there at one point. I can also recall Ridge Runner… but the place that me and my friends hit when one of our parents would give us a ride was the one out in Blue Bell, Young’s, I think it is a library or a post office now.

Here’s the thing, I don’t think any of my crew from back then woke up a Sunday and said let’s go roller skating….. I know one of my better looking buddies got an actual phone call from some girl that her and her friends were going skating if so and so wanted to meet her there with some of his friends. So, 4 or 5 of us would pile into whatever car one of our parents had and would catch the lift. To my friends parents (thank you, you know who you are).

I was never a good skater, my sister would lap me on the ice or on the 4 wheels that we had back in the day, in line just wasn’t a thing for us in the 80’s. I think I had a buddy or two that had some moves on the rink. I was the guy who would go around the wall a few times, at some point give up and find a quarter on the floor and look for a video game or grab a soda and chill.

I don’t think I understood how great we really had it. It did take a village, one parent would drop off, another would come by a couple hours later and pick up. Maybe my dad had on Merrill Reese when it was a Birds game as me and my buddies piled into whatever car we had at the time. Blue Bell felt like an entire world away to me, I seem to remember those car rides home…. there was less of a filter if it was a dad picking us up than a mom. Someone would brag that he got a girls number, all 7 digits! Maybe just maybe that would be the girl calling a buddy the next week asking if he and his friends were going roller skating….

By the way, when I was looking for an image, I saw this and thought I’d share it in case anyone is looking for a shirt.