Courtesy of P.G. Family photo collection.
Top and above photos courtesy of Loopnet.
Big Wheel Skate Center 4110 State Highway 42 North, Sheboygan, WI. it is now an indoor futbol (international football) facility. Source: Google and KCU FIT Futbol Facility.
Big Wheel Skate Center 4110 State Highway 42 North, Sheboygan, WI
Big Wheel Entertainment Center 4110 State Highway 42 North, Sheboygan, WI
Big Wheel Entertainment Center 4110 State Highway 42 North, Sheboygan, WI
This roller rink went out of business way back in 2012 according to Loopnet and the property is still for sale. It has been around for 7 years empty in that building. The upkeep exterior in Google Map showed it is still in good shape. The website according to Skate Great Lakes website, it is not a roller rink website, same name but it is now another business using the name. It is a design firm.
Anyway, the exterior of this rink appeared as Yellow Warehouse like with mutli-level roof line. The shape was rather unusual too. It is a flat roof but part of the building has a saltbox slant roof on front and frontside of the building. It has beautiful mounts front and side of the building. It makes the building look lower and wider.
Interesting that it has ATM outside up front separate from the parking lot although you have to drive in the same way you are going to the skating rink.
On Facebook, the name was changed to Big Wheels Entertainment Center but on Google Map, it says a Futbol center. Futbol is Spanish word for International football (you call that Soccer in the US). It was perhaps name was changed. Building sold in 2012 or was trying to sell the building, not the business since Manta said the rink began in 1991. Loopnet has an update in May 2019. Zillow said it was sold in 14 March 2006.
The rink nor the futbol business does not have any website. I think they converted from roller to futbol. The interior though showed white walls. Likely after the conversion from roller to indoor futbol and the floor has Deep Blue Futbol layout field in likely concrete but I am not sure.
There are no interior photos of the former rink. The Yelp reported that the Big Wheels Entertainment Center has closed as well. Must be very recent because of the date on Loopnet.
UPDATES! -- 12 February 2020.
Still up for sale as of February 12, 2020.
UPDATES! -- 18 November 2021.
I received an email from the original owners of the Big Wheels Skate Center. This is what Carol Ladwig has to say -- (note, the email I copied and pasted was edited for grammar, break down into paragraphs).
My husband Ronald Ladwig and I (Carol Ladwig) are the original owners of the Big Wheel Skate Center. We had it built and opened the rink in November 1974. We sold Big Wheel Entertainment Center in January 1991.
We owned and operated Crystal Beach Roller Rink in Beaver Dam from June 1 1960 to around 1975.
(Note, the rest is about Big Wheel, not Crystal Beach RR). I believe that is what Carol was talking about).
The past 9 years we owned it, we also had weddings and [a] large company [Christ]mas Party’s with Bemis having over 900 people. We had several over 500 people.
The original floor was concrete with a special Epoxy made especially for skate centers.
North High students were able to take skating during there gym class. Many Girl Scouts earned there skating badge.
We had a speed team for girls and boys that traveled the state to compete. There were several classes that had been offered over the years.
Ronald Ladwig had been a competition skater for several years during his teen age years competing in Free Style, Dance and Figures ( just like on Ice) and competed in State and Regional meets.
We had sessions for Tiny Tots age 10 and under and parents, Saturday and Sunday afternoon Matinee’s Evenings, Family sessions, Housewives Sessions. Carload special in the summer. We also had a Hockey Team that competed at other rinks in the state.
We offered a bus service on Saturdays from cities to the Big Wheel from Chilton, New Holstein and Kiel one Saturday a month. Plymouth and Elkhart one Sat, Cedar Grove and Oostburg one Sat. And Port Washing the other Saturday. It was a great family business that our three children grew up in and worked at. Kathy, Steve and Lisa Ladwig.
Our skaters became our friends over the years.
We ran a very strict rink that parents approved of. Our skaters knew if the wanted to skate at Big Wheel they had to behave and they did.
We owned and operated Crystal Beach Roller Rink in Beaver Dam [WI] from June 1 1960 to around 1975.
I am sure I am leaving some things out at this time. Maybe I will be back again some time with pictures and more information. Miss all of you skaters and our special employees over the years. You all made the Big Wheel what it was! Remember “ Blessed Are Those Who Go In Circles As They Will Become Big Wheels”
Hugs to all!
Carol and Ron Ladwig and Family.
Wow, thank you so much Carol and your family for your email! You did not state exactly where but I take it is this very rink you are talking about.
Interior:
The rink interior was a Concrete floor with made-for-rinks Epoxy coating. It was very simple design interior although I do not have photographs. I believe it very simple design.
Exterior:
The exterior looked very much like a warehouse with several level of roofline. All Flatted Roof. And in Sand color.
The building was built exactly parallel to East-West line of construction although the street they are on is angled. It is angled about 45 degrees from zero degrees (if you know drafting and mapping, zero is East. therefore it is at 45 degrees). That is what it was for this rink building design to be.
Years later, a credit union added their ATM in front of the building with a C shaped drive through with parking lot behind the ATM.
This rink building stands out entirely different than any other standard manufactured Steel-Walled warehouse style buildings you find from the likes of Morton and other manufacturers.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Epoxy Coated, Concrete. Original unknown, but now as Futbol, Dark Blue.
Floor Layout: Originally Concrete - standard. but later (more recent), indoors Futbol field (Roller Court style).
Building Size: 17,010 SF Built: 1974 (other source said 1991 but likel error). Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Flat, multi level.
Acres: 2.0000 AC.
Operated: Overall: 1974 to 2006(?)
Big Wheel Skate Center: 1974 to 1980s
Big Wheel Entertainment Center: 1980s to 2006(?)
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: Information regarding actual open, closure, reason for going out of business. Photos of interior as skating rink before other sports were used.
Sources: Manta
Facebook - Big Wheels Entertainment Center.
Loopnet - Real Estate Records PDF version.
Zillow - Real Estate Records.
Realtor - Real Estate Records.
Loopnet 2 - Real Estate Records (different version) PDF version.
Date of Issue: 2019. Updated: 12 February 2020. Updated: 18 November 2021.
For Office Only: 4
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3, 16.
Anyway, the exterior of this rink appeared as Yellow Warehouse like with mutli-level roof line. The shape was rather unusual too. It is a flat roof but part of the building has a saltbox slant roof on front and frontside of the building. It has beautiful mounts front and side of the building. It makes the building look lower and wider.
Interesting that it has ATM outside up front separate from the parking lot although you have to drive in the same way you are going to the skating rink.
On Facebook, the name was changed to Big Wheels Entertainment Center but on Google Map, it says a Futbol center. Futbol is Spanish word for International football (you call that Soccer in the US). It was perhaps name was changed. Building sold in 2012 or was trying to sell the building, not the business since Manta said the rink began in 1991. Loopnet has an update in May 2019. Zillow said it was sold in 14 March 2006.
The rink nor the futbol business does not have any website. I think they converted from roller to futbol. The interior though showed white walls. Likely after the conversion from roller to indoor futbol and the floor has Deep Blue Futbol layout field in likely concrete but I am not sure.
There are no interior photos of the former rink. The Yelp reported that the Big Wheels Entertainment Center has closed as well. Must be very recent because of the date on Loopnet.
UPDATES! -- 12 February 2020.
Still up for sale as of February 12, 2020.
UPDATES! -- 18 November 2021.
I received an email from the original owners of the Big Wheels Skate Center. This is what Carol Ladwig has to say -- (note, the email I copied and pasted was edited for grammar, break down into paragraphs).
My husband Ronald Ladwig and I (Carol Ladwig) are the original owners of the Big Wheel Skate Center. We had it built and opened the rink in November 1974. We sold Big Wheel Entertainment Center in January 1991.
We owned and operated Crystal Beach Roller Rink in Beaver Dam from June 1 1960 to around 1975.
(Note, the rest is about Big Wheel, not Crystal Beach RR). I believe that is what Carol was talking about).
The past 9 years we owned it, we also had weddings and [a] large company [Christ]mas Party’s with Bemis having over 900 people. We had several over 500 people.
The original floor was concrete with a special Epoxy made especially for skate centers.
North High students were able to take skating during there gym class. Many Girl Scouts earned there skating badge.
We had a speed team for girls and boys that traveled the state to compete. There were several classes that had been offered over the years.
Ronald Ladwig had been a competition skater for several years during his teen age years competing in Free Style, Dance and Figures ( just like on Ice) and competed in State and Regional meets.
We had sessions for Tiny Tots age 10 and under and parents, Saturday and Sunday afternoon Matinee’s Evenings, Family sessions, Housewives Sessions. Carload special in the summer. We also had a Hockey Team that competed at other rinks in the state.
We offered a bus service on Saturdays from cities to the Big Wheel from Chilton, New Holstein and Kiel one Saturday a month. Plymouth and Elkhart one Sat, Cedar Grove and Oostburg one Sat. And Port Washing the other Saturday. It was a great family business that our three children grew up in and worked at. Kathy, Steve and Lisa Ladwig.
Our skaters became our friends over the years.
We ran a very strict rink that parents approved of. Our skaters knew if the wanted to skate at Big Wheel they had to behave and they did.
We owned and operated Crystal Beach Roller Rink in Beaver Dam [WI] from June 1 1960 to around 1975.
I am sure I am leaving some things out at this time. Maybe I will be back again some time with pictures and more information. Miss all of you skaters and our special employees over the years. You all made the Big Wheel what it was! Remember “ Blessed Are Those Who Go In Circles As They Will Become Big Wheels”
Hugs to all!
Carol and Ron Ladwig and Family.
Wow, thank you so much Carol and your family for your email! You did not state exactly where but I take it is this very rink you are talking about.
Interior:
The rink interior was a Concrete floor with made-for-rinks Epoxy coating. It was very simple design interior although I do not have photographs. I believe it very simple design.
Exterior:
The exterior looked very much like a warehouse with several level of roofline. All Flatted Roof. And in Sand color.
The building was built exactly parallel to East-West line of construction although the street they are on is angled. It is angled about 45 degrees from zero degrees (if you know drafting and mapping, zero is East. therefore it is at 45 degrees). That is what it was for this rink building design to be.
Years later, a credit union added their ATM in front of the building with a C shaped drive through with parking lot behind the ATM.
This rink building stands out entirely different than any other standard manufactured Steel-Walled warehouse style buildings you find from the likes of Morton and other manufacturers.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Epoxy Coated, Concrete. Original unknown, but now as Futbol, Dark Blue.
Floor Layout: Originally Concrete - standard. but later (more recent), indoors Futbol field (Roller Court style).
Building Size: 17,010 SF Built: 1974 (other source said 1991 but likel error). Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Flat, multi level.
Acres: 2.0000 AC.
Operated: Overall: 1974 to 2006(?)
Big Wheel Skate Center: 1974 to 1980s
Big Wheel Entertainment Center: 1980s to 2006(?)
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: Information regarding actual open, closure, reason for going out of business. Photos of interior as skating rink before other sports were used.
Sources: Manta
Facebook - Big Wheels Entertainment Center.
Loopnet - Real Estate Records PDF version.
Zillow - Real Estate Records.
Realtor - Real Estate Records.
Loopnet 2 - Real Estate Records (different version) PDF version.
Date of Issue: 2019. Updated: 12 February 2020. Updated: 18 November 2021.
For Office Only: 4
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3, 16.