Rollerworks Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. The exterior of Rollerworks. Unfortunately, there were no other exterior photo. Yes, this was taken in winter! Brr! Well, that is Buffalo, NY which still stands with most snowfall in a season. This must be taken after that record season of 1977-78 with more than 199 inches of snow. Source: Eastern Hills Skating Rink website (defunct).
Rollerworks Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. The Rollerworks skate car taken back in 1980s as you can tell in this photo. Got a lot of spots and stuff on it. Careful with it! Source: Rollerworks Skating Rink Reconnection Page-Eastern Hills, Williamsville NY Facebook group.
Rollerworks Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. As you can see the Danish "UFO" light pendents which was popular in 1950s to 1960s but to my amazement that they had those in 1979 which was the ending of MCM style which ended in 1969. The murals on other hand was very 1980s in 1979. A head of time actually because it represented the Memphis Graphic Art trend that was popular in 1980s. That form of art graphic was not until 1981! Then this is a discovery that this was ahead of time and might have to change the name from Memphis to Buffalo! Source: Rollerworks Skating Rink Reconnection Page-Eastern Hills, Williamsville NY Facebook group. Digitally remastered by Dead-Rinks (erased their faces to protect identities of the individual shown here). I assure you she was beautiful and I am sure she still is.
Rollerworks Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. The 80s look with the Memphis Graphic style, plaid style carpet of the 1970s, and the 1980s Tuxedo look like this female had. Noticed the Starburst style Danish "UFO" lights pendents lined up. it is hard to see her face, gentlemen. Sure she was beautiful at the time and I am sure she still is today. Source: Rollerworks Skating Rink Reconnection Page-Eastern Hills, Williamsville NY Facebook group.
Eastern Hills Skating Rink Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. This was Eastern Hills Skating Rink after the remodel was done with the carpetiles on the floor after they got rid of the ugly carpet but they kept the same popular Yellow rounded picnic tables with benches. And other furniture they had since late 1980s. This was taken in 2000s. Source: Roller Magic website (rink page defunct).
Eastern Hills Skating Rink Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. This was Eastern Hills Skating Rink after the remodel was done with the carpetiles on the floor after they got rid of the ugly carpet but they kept the same popular Yellow rounded picnic tables with benches. And other furniture they had since late 1980s. This was taken in 2000s. Noticed the UFO-like light pendents? Yes, fewer of them and closer together. Source: Roller Magic website (rink page defunct).
Eastern Hills Skating Rink Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. This was Eastern Hills Skating Rink after the remodel was done with the carpetiles on the floor after they got rid of the ugly carpet but they kept the same popular Yellow rounded picnic tables with benches. And other furniture they had since late 1980s. This was taken in 2000s. The eating area. A commenter on Facebook said the appearance of everything was exactly like it since late 1980s. Source: Roller Magic website (rink page defunct).
Eastern Hills Skating Rink Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. This was Eastern Hills Skating Rink after the remodel was done with the carpetiles on the floor after they got rid of the ugly carpet but they kept the same popular Yellow rounded picnic tables with benches. And other furniture they had since late 1980s. This was taken in 2000s. Source: Roller Magic website (rink page defunct).
Eastern Hills Skating Rink Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. This was Eastern Hills Skating Rink look. Fewer "UFO" light pendents. Seem to be brighter than the original look. Pretty much they painted it all Snow-White. Source: Roller Magic website (rink page defunct).
Eastern Hills Skating Rink Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY. This was Eastern Hills Skating Rink look. Seem to be brighter than the original look. Pretty much they painted it all Snow-White and Royal Blue trims. Both were the popular style of mid-2010s although this rink closed in 2009. They always seem to be ahead of time at this rink! Source: Roller Magic website (rink page defunct).
Rollerworks Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Road, Williamsville, NY
Eastern Hills Skating Center Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Rd, Williamsville, NY
Eastern Hills Skating Center Eastern Hills Mall, 4675 Transit Rd, Williamsville, NY
This rink was owned by Roller Magic, a chain of 4 rinks at the time. It is a sister rink near Depew Skating Center in Depew, NY. Both were under same ownership/management company that owns other rinks. two other rinks in New Jersey and the other being in Connecticut.
Rollerworks was another rink before Eastern Hills Skating Center.
The exterior looks like a plain warehouse building on the property of the shopping mall tucked in the back of the mall but it was a roller rink. The interior, like Depew Skating Center, it was subpar as well but much better than Depew version. Plain looking white walls, with blue trims. Apparently that is what Roller Magic had in mind for each rink including the other surviving rinks in other states.
The tables and chairs were just like what it was with Depew but a little better. The notable yellow round tables with rounded benches, but also yellow rounded benches, and they had orange rectangular tables with attached booths. Same carpet as the other rink in Depew. It appeared to be more room in this facility than the Depew version.
it was short lived though. For both rinks life time -- first Rollerworks opened in 1979 only to be closed in 1984 followed by Eastern Hills in the same year. Years later in 2009 Eastern Hills rink closed for good. The date showed that it was opened just 4 years after Depew Skating Center which is perhaps why they had the rink appeared better looking than the Depew.
Great Recession and perhaps they opened too close to the Depew rink which was right down the road on the other side of the Thruway (Interstate 90) which was a competition killer. Skating rink business is quite different than say, a donut and coffee shop would do or fast food chain would do. It is not the same. After it closed in 2009, it became the New York State Thruway offices for that region. And the mall is still the mall.
As I noticed both Depew and Eastern Hills rinks, they were overly done with rules posted. Huge yellow sign demanding not to leave coats, shoes, and (even skates) in snack bar area and use the lockers. I noticed two signs for that at this rink and many small hard to read or find signs at all entrances/exits of the rink not to wear hats and watch your step. As a fan of 20th Century including Skating rinks, diners, Drive-ins (movie and eatery), fast food chains, etc. When you have too much rules, that hurts the business as evidences shown with too much rules at drive-in restaurants kicking out teens for loitering and forcing parents to seek elsewhere to eat and this is why we hardly have Drive-in Restaurants much anymore as well as Drive-in Theaters. Shopping Malls are facing the same fate with teenagers are being kicked out for good. That hurts and drive-ins are experiencing same problems as shopping malls, stores and department stores and skating rinks: losing businesses and forced to close. It is a tough call.
UPDATE! --
I received an email from a skater who skated at Rollerworks back in 1979 to 1981, pretty much almost the entire time Rollerworks was in operations. They were in operations in 1979 to their closure in 1984.
He gave me the link to Facebook page however, I can see it as offline. The group must have been dormant for so many years. Last post I see was 2014.
Rollerworks --
Interior--
The interior had that really attractive item to me. It was a Starburst lights that it was not the common thing that rink operators ordered. This one was in same format. Same Star beaming each direction. Like a wheel. But they were all Danish style "UFO" light pendants and a huge one that covered pretty much the entire ceiling above the roller rink. End to end each direction. I was notified by someone with the dates of opening of this rink today on 24 September 2021. And gave the link so I could see the photos.
Exterior--
It was a simple Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse-like building with Gable Roof. Colors are unknown but its last operations, it was Teal-ish color with Brown color on the exterior walls. it sat behind this shopping mall.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Tan colored Polyurethane coated Concrete Floor Layout: N/A
Eastern Hills --
Interior--
The interior was very basic design. It had that Light Gray with Royal Blue trims. But it also had mutli-colored but close to the Grays and the Blues of the Carpetiles. It had Tan colored Polyurethane coated Concrete
Exterior--
It was a simple Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse-like building with Gable Roof. Colors are unknown but its last operations, it was Teal-ish color with Brown color on the exterior walls. it sat behind this shopping mall.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Tan colored Polyurethane coated Concrete Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse-like building
Roof: Gable
Acres: N/A
Operations: 1979 to 2009
Eastern Hills Skating Center: 1979 to 1984.
Roller Works: 1984 TO 2009.
Reason for Closure:
Eastern Hills Skating Center: N/A .
Roller Works: N/A.
Wanted: Exact dates, why both closed? What material is that on the floor. Anything, please email me at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources and Photos credits:
Roller Magic, Inc./Eastern Hills Skating Center website (still running but rink page is closed).
Facebook group - Rollerworks Skating Rink Reconnection Page-Eastern Hills, Williamsville NY
Date of Issue: January 2019. Updated: 20 February 2021. Updated: 24 September 2021.
For Office Only: 10.
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
Rollerworks was another rink before Eastern Hills Skating Center.
The exterior looks like a plain warehouse building on the property of the shopping mall tucked in the back of the mall but it was a roller rink. The interior, like Depew Skating Center, it was subpar as well but much better than Depew version. Plain looking white walls, with blue trims. Apparently that is what Roller Magic had in mind for each rink including the other surviving rinks in other states.
The tables and chairs were just like what it was with Depew but a little better. The notable yellow round tables with rounded benches, but also yellow rounded benches, and they had orange rectangular tables with attached booths. Same carpet as the other rink in Depew. It appeared to be more room in this facility than the Depew version.
it was short lived though. For both rinks life time -- first Rollerworks opened in 1979 only to be closed in 1984 followed by Eastern Hills in the same year. Years later in 2009 Eastern Hills rink closed for good. The date showed that it was opened just 4 years after Depew Skating Center which is perhaps why they had the rink appeared better looking than the Depew.
Great Recession and perhaps they opened too close to the Depew rink which was right down the road on the other side of the Thruway (Interstate 90) which was a competition killer. Skating rink business is quite different than say, a donut and coffee shop would do or fast food chain would do. It is not the same. After it closed in 2009, it became the New York State Thruway offices for that region. And the mall is still the mall.
As I noticed both Depew and Eastern Hills rinks, they were overly done with rules posted. Huge yellow sign demanding not to leave coats, shoes, and (even skates) in snack bar area and use the lockers. I noticed two signs for that at this rink and many small hard to read or find signs at all entrances/exits of the rink not to wear hats and watch your step. As a fan of 20th Century including Skating rinks, diners, Drive-ins (movie and eatery), fast food chains, etc. When you have too much rules, that hurts the business as evidences shown with too much rules at drive-in restaurants kicking out teens for loitering and forcing parents to seek elsewhere to eat and this is why we hardly have Drive-in Restaurants much anymore as well as Drive-in Theaters. Shopping Malls are facing the same fate with teenagers are being kicked out for good. That hurts and drive-ins are experiencing same problems as shopping malls, stores and department stores and skating rinks: losing businesses and forced to close. It is a tough call.
UPDATE! --
I received an email from a skater who skated at Rollerworks back in 1979 to 1981, pretty much almost the entire time Rollerworks was in operations. They were in operations in 1979 to their closure in 1984.
He gave me the link to Facebook page however, I can see it as offline. The group must have been dormant for so many years. Last post I see was 2014.
Rollerworks --
Interior--
The interior had that really attractive item to me. It was a Starburst lights that it was not the common thing that rink operators ordered. This one was in same format. Same Star beaming each direction. Like a wheel. But they were all Danish style "UFO" light pendants and a huge one that covered pretty much the entire ceiling above the roller rink. End to end each direction. I was notified by someone with the dates of opening of this rink today on 24 September 2021. And gave the link so I could see the photos.
Exterior--
It was a simple Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse-like building with Gable Roof. Colors are unknown but its last operations, it was Teal-ish color with Brown color on the exterior walls. it sat behind this shopping mall.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Tan colored Polyurethane coated Concrete Floor Layout: N/A
Eastern Hills --
Interior--
The interior was very basic design. It had that Light Gray with Royal Blue trims. But it also had mutli-colored but close to the Grays and the Blues of the Carpetiles. It had Tan colored Polyurethane coated Concrete
Exterior--
It was a simple Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse-like building with Gable Roof. Colors are unknown but its last operations, it was Teal-ish color with Brown color on the exterior walls. it sat behind this shopping mall.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Tan colored Polyurethane coated Concrete Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse-like building
Roof: Gable
Acres: N/A
Operations: 1979 to 2009
Eastern Hills Skating Center: 1979 to 1984.
Roller Works: 1984 TO 2009.
Reason for Closure:
Eastern Hills Skating Center: N/A .
Roller Works: N/A.
Wanted: Exact dates, why both closed? What material is that on the floor. Anything, please email me at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources and Photos credits:
Roller Magic, Inc./Eastern Hills Skating Center website (still running but rink page is closed).
Facebook group - Rollerworks Skating Rink Reconnection Page-Eastern Hills, Williamsville NY
Date of Issue: January 2019. Updated: 20 February 2021. Updated: 24 September 2021.
For Office Only: 10.
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.