Courtesy of All American Roller Rink fan page on Facebook.
All American Roller Rink, 611 West Highway 436, Altamonte Springs, FL
This very patriotic themed rink was in Altamonte Spring was opened in January 1981 with much fanfare. It had a large article in the newspapers, The Orlando Sentinel on February 1, 1981. It was opened during the last weekend of January 1981. Likely Friday January 30, 1981. It did not say the date.
The rink was in a nice area. It had Gable roof building with an awing up front door. The door was more toward the back as the real frontage was the side facing the road according to an old photograph from 1980s. That would be pre-Google Map days.
The parking lot was in the back.
The rink was a standard rink, almost. At 85 X 185. It had Maple wood floor.
The interior had real nice art work with American Flag on the wall and the ceiling looked so clean and new. Pictures must have been taken when it was just new in early 80s. Although the rink lasted 5 years. Way short like many other disco rinks as some calls it because they opened up because of the disco craze.
The exterior according to The Orlando Sentinel on Feb. 1, 1981 said it looked like huge lime green quonset hut. That is a domed building that has no vertical walls. It was curved from the ground up and down. Was it? The photograph on Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past showed an aerial photo of the rink in modern built. Was the reporter asleep on his job forgot what he was supposed to talk about? It was an aluminum warehouse gable roofed style building! The 1980s photo with the sunshining in that direction makes it terrible photo. I could not seen it has that style. I settle for the standard walled gabled roof building, period.
It was opened by Charles Woodsby but sold it to John Thrash sometimes in 1982 or 1983 because John wanted the rink to stay open later than 11 PM. he wanted 11:30 but the town commission said no because of neighbors said no. They said it was too loud. I have heard of this common out there.
The rink had a double life as it was in survival mode that it needed to add a teen night club. A non-alcoholic night club for teenagers that was opened on August 10, 1995 as J.J. Silvers, a nightclub name in same occupation as the rink, All American Roller Rink. So, having two functions at same time might be a "shooting-in-the-foot" business plan to hurt the rink as teens found they like the dances. It was short lived after all along with the rink. Was it some legal trouble? This sound familiar to a teen night club in Dewitt, NY that brought 52 or 56 police and sheriff's deputy cars to the scene because fight broke out in the club over a girl. That incident really nailed that club out of business. Several different bars and strip clubs tried in the former teen club in Dewitt and they too went out of business. Now a commercial retail store. This was according to an article in The Orlando Sentinel, August 13, 1985.
Was this part of reason why it went out of business because of the noise and people complaining? Why it closed down for good? They closed for good in 1986.
The fate of the building continued when they had two fires. First in February 1988 and then in November 1988. Both fires were small and contained with the worth of 500 dollars damages inside. They blamed on vandalism that a window was broken in and was started in a certain spot on the wood floor. Either for a bonfire or was to start an arson? It was suspicious you might say.
It was open and shut business.
Rink Size: 180 X 85 Floor: Wood Floor Layout:
Building Size:
Operated: January 30, 1981 to 1986.
Wanted: Photos of exterior and interior... without the teens! Exactly when they closed?
Sources: FRRP, The Orlando Sentinel: Sunday Feb. 1, 1981; The Little Sentinel: Thursday May 19, 1983; The Orlando Sentinel: Tuesday August 18, 1987, Friday Feb. 6, 1988, and Monday Nov. 7, 1988.
This very patriotic themed rink was in Altamonte Spring was opened in January 1981 with much fanfare. It had a large article in the newspapers, The Orlando Sentinel on February 1, 1981. It was opened during the last weekend of January 1981. Likely Friday January 30, 1981. It did not say the date.
The rink was in a nice area. It had Gable roof building with an awing up front door. The door was more toward the back as the real frontage was the side facing the road according to an old photograph from 1980s. That would be pre-Google Map days.
The parking lot was in the back.
The rink was a standard rink, almost. At 85 X 185. It had Maple wood floor.
The interior had real nice art work with American Flag on the wall and the ceiling looked so clean and new. Pictures must have been taken when it was just new in early 80s. Although the rink lasted 5 years. Way short like many other disco rinks as some calls it because they opened up because of the disco craze.
The exterior according to The Orlando Sentinel on Feb. 1, 1981 said it looked like huge lime green quonset hut. That is a domed building that has no vertical walls. It was curved from the ground up and down. Was it? The photograph on Forgotten Roller Rinks of the Past showed an aerial photo of the rink in modern built. Was the reporter asleep on his job forgot what he was supposed to talk about? It was an aluminum warehouse gable roofed style building! The 1980s photo with the sunshining in that direction makes it terrible photo. I could not seen it has that style. I settle for the standard walled gabled roof building, period.
It was opened by Charles Woodsby but sold it to John Thrash sometimes in 1982 or 1983 because John wanted the rink to stay open later than 11 PM. he wanted 11:30 but the town commission said no because of neighbors said no. They said it was too loud. I have heard of this common out there.
The rink had a double life as it was in survival mode that it needed to add a teen night club. A non-alcoholic night club for teenagers that was opened on August 10, 1995 as J.J. Silvers, a nightclub name in same occupation as the rink, All American Roller Rink. So, having two functions at same time might be a "shooting-in-the-foot" business plan to hurt the rink as teens found they like the dances. It was short lived after all along with the rink. Was it some legal trouble? This sound familiar to a teen night club in Dewitt, NY that brought 52 or 56 police and sheriff's deputy cars to the scene because fight broke out in the club over a girl. That incident really nailed that club out of business. Several different bars and strip clubs tried in the former teen club in Dewitt and they too went out of business. Now a commercial retail store. This was according to an article in The Orlando Sentinel, August 13, 1985.
Was this part of reason why it went out of business because of the noise and people complaining? Why it closed down for good? They closed for good in 1986.
The fate of the building continued when they had two fires. First in February 1988 and then in November 1988. Both fires were small and contained with the worth of 500 dollars damages inside. They blamed on vandalism that a window was broken in and was started in a certain spot on the wood floor. Either for a bonfire or was to start an arson? It was suspicious you might say.
It was open and shut business.
Rink Size: 180 X 85 Floor: Wood Floor Layout:
Building Size:
Operated: January 30, 1981 to 1986.
Wanted: Photos of exterior and interior... without the teens! Exactly when they closed?
Sources: FRRP, The Orlando Sentinel: Sunday Feb. 1, 1981; The Little Sentinel: Thursday May 19, 1983; The Orlando Sentinel: Tuesday August 18, 1987, Friday Feb. 6, 1988, and Monday Nov. 7, 1988.