Photos courtesy of Google Map. Empire Skates and Baldwinsville Bumblebee rinks were where Real Deals store is located. The appearance really changed quite a bit. The plaza owner straightened the front for entire plaza. The old version was back maybe just few feet.
Empire Skates West, River Mall Plaza, Downer Street, Baldwinsville, NY
Baldwinsville Bumblebee Roller Rink, River Mall Plaza, Downer St., Baldwinsville, NY
Empire Skates West, River Mall Plaza, Downer Street, Baldwinsville, NY (Rebooted)
Baldwinsville Bumblebee Roller Rink, River Mall Plaza, Downer St., Baldwinsville, NY
Empire Skates West, River Mall Plaza, Downer Street, Baldwinsville, NY (Rebooted)
Empire Skates West, like the Empire Skate East, it was a franchise but entirely different look. It even had wooden floor. It had a sort of like a cat's nine lives. Originally Empire Skates West but when they ceased, the rank was revitalized as Baldwinsville Bumblebee Roller Rink but short lived then Empire Skates West returned just as "Empire Skates" from 1987 to its demise in late 1990s.
The original rink had orange theme opposed to the relaxing colors of blues and greens at Empire Skates East. Empire West which ceased in 1984-ish and they had no stripes like Empire Skates East had. It was rather smaller rink by the look of it. You walk in and pay admission which is spot-on from the exterior doors. Then walk to your right, then turn left, then you will see snack bar straight ahead and the office is on the left where the DJ is also located. The skate rental is on the right next to the snack bar. The rink is located next to the snack bar just like the Empire Skates East. Same layout. Then they also had a dance floor in the back while restrooms are located in front of the dance floor on the side of the floorplan. Also against the wall were lockers and arcade games.
This rink was rather brighter even when turn light down and disco lights on. This may be one of the brightest rink I ever been to. Smaller but brighter makes it feel very airy and open at this rink.
Tom was the owner of rink and was friends with him. I was supposed to do some wall painting with new mural on it but Tom had no money and canceled it. He was losing money already by 1995.
It was fairly packed as almost wall to wall in 1980 but very slightly off by end of 1982 when I last spend time there because I was focusing on both Empire Skates East and Sports-O-Rama Roller Rink to skate.
The revitalized rink did not do much fare as well. It retained smaller crowd and more troubled. Children as young as 9 years old were sexually active and Tom and his wife had to crack down children doing wrong things every week on the dance floor. They were degrading themselves so the owners had to haul the children to the office and call the children's parents to come to pick them up. Likely this situation of the behavior of the children, this caused the rink to close as they were losing customers because they were kicked out for good.
This echos to the 1950s and 1960s when teens were causing trouble at the Drive-ins-- both movies and eateries and those two popular activities ended when theaters had to switch to indoors and drive-ins switched to fast food walk up/drive-thru services. Rinks faced the same from 1990s on.
Years of opens and closes are needed and photographs as well.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Maple Floor Layout: Fan
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A
Type of Building: Commercial plaza with columns however no columns on rink
Roof: Flat
Acres: N/A
Operated:
Empire Skates West: 1970s to 1986
Baldwinsville Bumblebee Roller Rink: 1986 to 1989
Empire Skates West (Rebooted): 1989 to 2000 (?)
Reason for Closure:
Empire Skates West: N/A
Baldwinsville Bumblebee Roller Rink: N/A
Empire Skates West (Rebooted): Losing money.
Wanted: Information regarding photos of the rink--all three. Dates exact open and closed and why.
Sources: Own memory.
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
The original rink had orange theme opposed to the relaxing colors of blues and greens at Empire Skates East. Empire West which ceased in 1984-ish and they had no stripes like Empire Skates East had. It was rather smaller rink by the look of it. You walk in and pay admission which is spot-on from the exterior doors. Then walk to your right, then turn left, then you will see snack bar straight ahead and the office is on the left where the DJ is also located. The skate rental is on the right next to the snack bar. The rink is located next to the snack bar just like the Empire Skates East. Same layout. Then they also had a dance floor in the back while restrooms are located in front of the dance floor on the side of the floorplan. Also against the wall were lockers and arcade games.
This rink was rather brighter even when turn light down and disco lights on. This may be one of the brightest rink I ever been to. Smaller but brighter makes it feel very airy and open at this rink.
Tom was the owner of rink and was friends with him. I was supposed to do some wall painting with new mural on it but Tom had no money and canceled it. He was losing money already by 1995.
It was fairly packed as almost wall to wall in 1980 but very slightly off by end of 1982 when I last spend time there because I was focusing on both Empire Skates East and Sports-O-Rama Roller Rink to skate.
The revitalized rink did not do much fare as well. It retained smaller crowd and more troubled. Children as young as 9 years old were sexually active and Tom and his wife had to crack down children doing wrong things every week on the dance floor. They were degrading themselves so the owners had to haul the children to the office and call the children's parents to come to pick them up. Likely this situation of the behavior of the children, this caused the rink to close as they were losing customers because they were kicked out for good.
This echos to the 1950s and 1960s when teens were causing trouble at the Drive-ins-- both movies and eateries and those two popular activities ended when theaters had to switch to indoors and drive-ins switched to fast food walk up/drive-thru services. Rinks faced the same from 1990s on.
Years of opens and closes are needed and photographs as well.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Maple Floor Layout: Fan
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A
Type of Building: Commercial plaza with columns however no columns on rink
Roof: Flat
Acres: N/A
Operated:
Empire Skates West: 1970s to 1986
Baldwinsville Bumblebee Roller Rink: 1986 to 1989
Empire Skates West (Rebooted): 1989 to 2000 (?)
Reason for Closure:
Empire Skates West: N/A
Baldwinsville Bumblebee Roller Rink: N/A
Empire Skates West (Rebooted): Losing money.
Wanted: Information regarding photos of the rink--all three. Dates exact open and closed and why.
Sources: Own memory.
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.