About INTERNATIONAL ROLLER SKATING RINK HISTORY FOUNDATION
This clearly what the name of the website is. Preserving history of roller rinks you grew up in. Many defunct just like department stores (http://www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org) and shopping malls (deadmalls.com) but also active rinks as well. Still memories remains in us. Even the sounds of the music, the roaring of the floor when skating on the rink, the beats of the speakers. Your first meeting your future spouse at the rink, or had fun with your buddies. The birthday parties. Roller disco. Couple skating, and more.
You remembered the days you raced, you remembered the days you roller dancing, you remember the days you had couple skating together. This is your memory lanes of facilities where the rinks were. Empire Skates, Sports-O-Rama, Empire Roller Arena, Skateland, Astro Rollerdrome, and hundreds if not, thousands of rinks cross the world. Nearby and far. You remembered you flirted some pretty girls. You remembered you wooed seeing handsome men skating. Some rinks had dance center including and you remembered you danced the floor--with or without skates. And you remembered you ate hotdogs, hamburgers, drank soda, And at the drive-ins, you remembered your favorite hot car-hop on roller skates! Sorry, the Silvils did not have any roller skates. Not all had skates though... but at roller rinks, they sure did have the skates! Yours or your rental! (Here is a good reason why-- read this article: Restaurants Thru History.)
About International Roller Skating Rink History Foundation.
Mark created this website for you and everyone else who enjoyed roller skating throughout the years of your life and for others who have skated in the past and present which made roller skating popular many times. Mark believes that roller skating is the only sports that saw many cycles of popularity than any other sports in the world.
Mark created this because of his desire to provide history. Mark loves history, of course but when he was home one Christmas (2018), he wanted to see old rinks and he saw this website on roller skating rinks that are lacking many rinks. Quite a bit of rinks and wanted to submit information however, there were no email in that other website. And for some reason on Facebook, he blocked Mark! He did not even add any more information. So, that is how the journey began to provide you information on roller skating rinks you have skated at. And to share information you may have which helps us to preserve history.
This is like Mark's e-collection on different rinks. This concept conceived even goes back further than that competition that has not much information and has no contact us page. Mark enjoyed websites on dead shopping malls. And other entertainment Mark enjoyed. So, this is how International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© began. It will stay on and will perhaps get 10,000 rinks. Right now only a few thousands were added since that Christmas 2018. (As of Mid-September 2022, over 4000 rinks and counting!)
International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© is recognized by the National Museum of Roller Skating.
The mission is to preserve and provide the skaters, owners, managers, a virtual yearbook of different rinks they recalled throughout their lives. To create happiness in memories of rinks and great resources for making new roller rinks based on information from this site.
About the Website Creator and Fellow Roller Skater, Mark Falso
Mark Falso first skated at Empire Skates Roller Skating Rink in DeWitt, New York, a suburb of Syracuse, New York. Mark was 13 years old when he first skated there. They almost did not let Mark in because Mark wanted to see what the craze all about. It was the height of roller skating in the 1970s. Mark first went to Empire Skates on a Friday evening. It was Friday, 10 March 1978 and that evening it was wall-to-wall full of skaters. The staff did not want people who does not skate not to come in because to them, it was considered "loitering" or because of the heavy crowd. They needed to limit to just skaters.
Mark was able to enter to check it out because if the staff was not going to let him in, he would never have gone skating ever. Or at least at Empire. But thanks to the staff at Empire, Empire let Mark in and Mark saw how awesome the crowd was especially the women. Oh, those jeans, Farrah hair-do, button down shirts...beautiful teenage girls Mark saw. But it was more of the something else to do for Mark. Mark wanted to come back the following Friday and tried on the skates. Mark faithfully went every Friday and Saturday nights to skate while his mother worked into the evenings.
When Empire Skates East closed, Mark went skating more often at Sports-O-Rama in Mattydale, NY. But Mark slowed down due to cost of admissions in 1984 and on, and Mark was busy with other things such as church fellowships, singles dances, cruising the Boulevard, etc. Last time Mark Skated at Empire was in May 1983, one month before that rink closed. Empire Skates West in 1996 and Sports-O-Rama 2004-ish.
Mark also worked at Sports-O-Rama under the Colvin management.
The list below are the rinks Mark went. The links are Dead Rinks. The asterisks are rinks alive. Interskate 88 and Black Mamba Skate Park both are still active, evaluated, and listed Alive. Next to the names are year of first went to that rink. Some have final year of Mark's skating at that rink. Also listed where Mark met the females who later became his girlfriends.
Mark eventually went to 19 rinks in his lifetime. The girlfriends I met at the rink are mentioned below. The rinks are:
Empire Skates East (March 1978 to May 1983, rink closed in June 1983) (Toni).
Rome Roller-A-Away* (April 1978).
Boonville (NY) Red Carpet Roller Arena; (January 1979).
Sports-O-Rama Roller Rink (December 1979 - late 2006, rink closed in 2008) (Brenda T., Becky, Mindy W.)
Empire Skates West (1980 to 1983) (And Rebooted version 1990 to 1998?).
Maxi's Roller Rink (January 1982).
Cass Park Roller Arena* (May 1982) (Ithaca).
Reva Rollerdome, Auburn, NY (November 1987).
United Skates of America in Rochester, NY (August 1988 to April 1989, rink closed shortly after)
Skate-N-Place Westvale (NY) (1990)
Guptill's* in Lathem, NY (1991) (World's largest)*
Floss's in Memphis, NY; (1991).
Skate Estate* in Vestal, NY (1991).
Skate-N-Place Nedrow, NY (1993?)
Sunrise Rollerland in Sacramento, CA (November 1993);
United Skates of America Miami, FL (June 2001).
Bilou Fulton, NY (2014, 2016, and April 2019).
Interskate 88* Oneonta, NY (June 2021).
Black Mamba Skate Park* Eastwood (Syracuse), NY (21 November 2021).
Sports and Skate Station* Lexington, SC (20 Oct 2022 - Present)
I want to say thanks to all the owners and managers for having awesome rinks where I was able to skate throughout the years since 1978!
Mark is looking forward to skate in other rinks when he is able to do so when in traveling.
*indicates that rinks are still operational.
Mark is pretty hidden in this photo. Only you will see is his back. Mark recalled this picture was taken. Mark noticed the powerful camera flash likely coming from behind. Proven right when you see this picture. Mark is right in the farthest back from the photo. Notice dark jeans (remember those dark jeans with gold threads trims?) Anyway, Mark in dark jeans, teal and white shirt with curly hair. Yes, DARK hair. Mark turned gray from age 18 on but this was in year 1981 as Mark recalled (Age 16-17). Can you find Mark? Look between the girl in white shirt and white pants and tall girl in gold shirt right by the post.
Photo Courtesy of Mark Falso. Taken in 1981, Empire Skates East, DeWitt, NY.
Photo Courtesy of Mark Falso. Taken in 1981, Empire Skates East, DeWitt, NY.
You can see Mark when he was 17 years old in this photograph shown, hey ladies, do you remember how he looked at the rinks back then? You sure missed this handsome guy and your chance! Haha. Yes, Mark is short too if you noticed. At merely 5' 2.5" (158 cm).
Mark is available to visit your rink as if you desire to invite him to speak, evaluate your rink, both Dead or Alive. Or anything to do with your local rink. Maybe do a commercial for your rink, or anything including interior design, or even design new rinks, graphic design, or do murals, please by all means contact Mark Falso for further details at International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© Thank you.
The fee is 1,500 USD including travel expenses. (Newly reduced cost).
Mark is available to visit your rink as if you desire to invite him to speak, evaluate your rink, both Dead or Alive. Or anything to do with your local rink. Maybe do a commercial for your rink, or anything including interior design, or even design new rinks, graphic design, or do murals, please by all means contact Mark Falso for further details at International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© Thank you.
The fee is 1,500 USD including travel expenses. (Newly reduced cost).
Mark remembered skating at many rinks that are listed above and skated many more at a couple of rinks that are gone especially the three-- the two Empire Skates and Sports-O-Rama Roller Rinks.
Mark first visited Empire on a real packed wall to wall, literally touching shoulders with skaters in March 1978 but sadly only 7 skaters including floor guard in March 1983, the final skating at that rink. Real sad. First time to skate was in same month, a week later at Empire Skates. First time to ask a female to skate was in April 1978. Yes, got a rejection. But went on to the next one and on and skated some.
Mark remembered some of the ladies' names and they were even Mark's girlfriends too. Mark remembered Gina, the other Gina, Kim F., Brenda E., Toni L., Leslie E., Mindy W., Geer, Brenda T., Becky H., the third Gina, and many more that Mark did not get their names because the music was loud or their voices were soft. We couple skated. Nothing lasted for me with them though.. I lost Gina's phone number in the wash thanks to my mom! Grr. That Gina moved to Florida with her family. Brenda T. went back home in Indiana.. Disappeared.
Mark must have met at least half dozen women each session Mark went. Still skating no matter what and moved on to enjoy and pretend nothing happened. Enjoyed the movement of skating.
There was one I met I will.. can not describe. I had to work as admissions, floor guard, and snack bar staff during the same time when the manager forgot to show up at Sports-O-Rama where I was working as Maintenance. Was going to have fun skating but no one was there to open during Christian Night Skate that December 1990 so I did it. I was introduced to her. After the rink closed, some of us including her went to Denny's in Lakeside and I will never forget the last time I saw her. As I walk down and turned to see her walking and see if she turns, she did turn and we looked. I should have walked up to her and kiss her. I tried to find her and I knew what church she was going to. But someone said she left and she has problems with her boyfriend who is in some legal trouble. I believe her name is Michelle or something like that. Or Melissa. Dark hair, shoulder length.. After visiting her church near that Denny's, I could not find her and forgot her and moved on.
Only at the rinks I met Toni (May 1980), Brenda T.(January 1985), Becky H. (September 1987), and Mindy W. (November 1990). They became my girlfriends. I have always wanted a girlfriend to meet at the rink AND to marry but oh well. Not everyone gets that dream. Bachelors on skates, there are still plenty of fishes in the sea elsewhere. Sorry, they are not biting at your favorite rink. God knows where and has different plans for you. But please do have fun skating guys!
By the way, if you ladies I knew wanted to say hi.. you can find my email and say your full name so I will know its you plus a photograph of you from that time in the 1980s. And one from early 1990s.
Mark first visited Empire on a real packed wall to wall, literally touching shoulders with skaters in March 1978 but sadly only 7 skaters including floor guard in March 1983, the final skating at that rink. Real sad. First time to skate was in same month, a week later at Empire Skates. First time to ask a female to skate was in April 1978. Yes, got a rejection. But went on to the next one and on and skated some.
Mark remembered some of the ladies' names and they were even Mark's girlfriends too. Mark remembered Gina, the other Gina, Kim F., Brenda E., Toni L., Leslie E., Mindy W., Geer, Brenda T., Becky H., the third Gina, and many more that Mark did not get their names because the music was loud or their voices were soft. We couple skated. Nothing lasted for me with them though.. I lost Gina's phone number in the wash thanks to my mom! Grr. That Gina moved to Florida with her family. Brenda T. went back home in Indiana.. Disappeared.
Mark must have met at least half dozen women each session Mark went. Still skating no matter what and moved on to enjoy and pretend nothing happened. Enjoyed the movement of skating.
There was one I met I will.. can not describe. I had to work as admissions, floor guard, and snack bar staff during the same time when the manager forgot to show up at Sports-O-Rama where I was working as Maintenance. Was going to have fun skating but no one was there to open during Christian Night Skate that December 1990 so I did it. I was introduced to her. After the rink closed, some of us including her went to Denny's in Lakeside and I will never forget the last time I saw her. As I walk down and turned to see her walking and see if she turns, she did turn and we looked. I should have walked up to her and kiss her. I tried to find her and I knew what church she was going to. But someone said she left and she has problems with her boyfriend who is in some legal trouble. I believe her name is Michelle or something like that. Or Melissa. Dark hair, shoulder length.. After visiting her church near that Denny's, I could not find her and forgot her and moved on.
Only at the rinks I met Toni (May 1980), Brenda T.(January 1985), Becky H. (September 1987), and Mindy W. (November 1990). They became my girlfriends. I have always wanted a girlfriend to meet at the rink AND to marry but oh well. Not everyone gets that dream. Bachelors on skates, there are still plenty of fishes in the sea elsewhere. Sorry, they are not biting at your favorite rink. God knows where and has different plans for you. But please do have fun skating guys!
By the way, if you ladies I knew wanted to say hi.. you can find my email and say your full name so I will know its you plus a photograph of you from that time in the 1980s. And one from early 1990s.
Email us your info on defunct rinks
To add your rink, please add here and we will put it up for you and be proud you went to that rink or rinks.
Email me at International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation©
Email me at International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation©