# Any roller rinks still open in your area? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2015, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692 "2015-02-03T10:29:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Becky2844](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Becky2844](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Becky2844)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/41 "2015-02-04T05:59:14Z")
We drive by one regularly; I assume there are more around here. When the kids were young the one closest to us had an All Night Skate we okayed occasionally, where the kids were locked in at 11pm I think and parents picked them up the next morning at six. (Can you believe that? 😛 And rarely a problem.) Skating used to be a much bigger deal but it’s still available, like bowling alleys. People enjoy activities where skill helps but isn’t necessary for fun. ---
**Author:** ![BrassyPhrase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea666f/32.png) [@BrassyPhrase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrassyPhrase)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/42 "2015-02-04T07:12:30Z")
We were out playing Ingress a while ago and rediscovered this place [http://www.skatechampions.com/](http://www.skatechampions.com/). It’s in Spring, the suburbs north of Houston and I used to go there when I was in high school! Ahhhh, memories I’d totally forgotten about! We often go to the Houston Roller Derby matches each year, so there have to be other rinks in the Houston area. (I LOVE roller derby! If I were fitter and my knees weren’t shot (i.e. if I were not me) I would love to play!) ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/43 "2015-02-04T14:24:06Z")
Brings back memories of [The Hub](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U3jgp6EfeyE) in Norridge Illinois. (Freddy Arnish on the keyboard.) Sigh… ---
**Author:** ![Sir\_T-Cups](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed655f/32.png) [@Sir\_T-Cups](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sir_T-Cups)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/44 "2015-02-04T14:37:25Z")
Had a lot of fun growing up and playing in The Roller Dome in Ft Wayne, IN. Last time I was home it seemed like it was still there, so I think it’s still kickin. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/45 "2015-02-04T16:28:23Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > Yes, we have [The Roller Kingdom](http://rollerkingdom.com/) in Hudson, MA. It has some modern updates like offering roller blades as well as skates but it is remarkably similar to the ones I went to in the early 80’s. I take my kids there fairly often and always have a good time with a blast of nostalgia. > > We have a real drive-in movie theater nearby as well. Well, Austin doesn’t have any drive-ins, and the same factors that killed off drive-ins make things hard for roller rinks: they take up a lot of space by definition, which means property taxes may kill the proprietor. Moreover, if you’re in a booming area (like Austin), the land may get so valuable that the owner just HAS to sell it off. I sure hope our local skate rink stays around- my son loves it, and has gotten fast enough to be very competitive. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/46 "2015-02-04T16:35:37Z")
We have one reasonably nearby, [Ashland Skateland](http://www.ashlandskateland.com/). It says it opened in 1986 but looks older. It’s in pretty good shape though and is still popular. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/47 "2015-02-04T16:44:05Z")
There’s apparently only one in my area: [Horizon Fun](http://www.horizonfunfx.com/) (warning: site contains disco music). ---
**Author:** ![DinoR](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dinor/32/2821_2.png) [@DinoR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DinoR)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/48 "2015-02-04T18:39:25Z")
There’s one about equidistant with the second and third drive-ins near me which isn’t close. If it was closer I might advocate looting and burning. My second or third (and definitively my last) roller skating experience involved a broken wrist. 😉 A close drive in and two more about 30-40 miles away is pretty awesome in this era. I hadn’t actually been to one before moving here. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/49 "2015-02-04T21:37:36Z")
There are quite a few in London, though they’re generally only open at the weekend. Rollerderby is quite popular too and that usually includes a skating session afterwards. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/50 "2015-02-04T22:00:58Z")
There’s one in my town. And on its property there is mini golf, too. ---
**Author:** ![Suse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@Suse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suse)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/51 "2015-02-05T00:39:02Z")
> [@Sir\_T-Cups](#): > > Had a lot of fun growing up and playing in The Roller Dome in Ft Wayne, IN. > > Last time I was home it seemed like it was still there, so I think it’s still kickin. It’s still there, and Bell’s in New Haven is still in business too as far as I know. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 5, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/52 "2015-02-05T01:30:02Z")
There is a roller derby practice rink a few blocks from me. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/53 "2015-02-08T00:22:24Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > What I want to see is a real, old-school, 70’s style, female roller derby but those are really rare. Yet in the last few years I’ve seen several shows where a female character has to go undercover in a roller derby to try and figure out who commited a murder. I know it happened on Psych, Bones, and Hawaii 5-O, maybe more. It’s almost as weird as when you’d have all those volcano movies or asteroid movies or Poseiden Adventure remakes within a close span of time. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/54 "2015-02-08T02:11:45Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > … What I want to see is a real, old-school, 70’s style, female roller derby but those are really rare. Flat-track roller derby is making a comeback amongst the amateurs. Here’s a team near where I used to live: [http://stchuxderbychix.com/](http://stchuxderbychix.com/) You might be able to use this team or league as a springboard to find something similar near you. Thoroughly amateur & thoroughly silly. But fun in a small town homemade entertainment sorta way. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2015, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692/55 "2015-02-08T02:19:34Z")
Yep. The Fun Factory, Cincinnati, O. I always wanted to go there as a kid–I liked fun and found factories interesting. (I still do, on both counts.) I think I only ever went in once, for somebody’s party. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/any-roller-rinks-still-open-in-your-area/711692.md?page=2)