Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Gem Roller Rink.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Taken the day before grand opening February 1972. Eating area. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Taken the day before grand opening February 1972. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Taken the day before grand opening February 1972. Finishing touches. Washing the floor by hand! My those seating are so close together! Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Finishing up before grand opening the next day in February 1972. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Ready to open, family? That must be the thoughts on their minds when they are to open for first time in February 1972. Hard to tell with the floor. It is Plywood Boards with Polyurethane coat on it. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Now floor is White. Must be during 1970s. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Ah, the good old 1980s. It was getting colorful now. Walls featuring Dark Brown, School Bus Yellow, and Orange. Popular colors of the early 1980s. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. This was taken in around 1985. Ah, there are the Blue floors and rails. Not the Brothers. Haha. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. I remember the 1980s Gems Fonts style back then on other items or brands back then. This was one of them. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Wow, beautiful mural! Giving that glimmering shining gemstone look. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. The newest mural. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Gem Roller Rink.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Google.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. Source: Facebook.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI. News segment on the rink. Source: WFRV Local 5/YouTube.
Gem Roller Rink 1360 S. Oneida St., Menasha, WI
Gem Roller Rink 1360 South Oneida Street, Menasha, Wisconsin was a very popular roller rink that was opened in 1972 by Susan Roen's grandparents who opened the rink.
Three generations owned and operated this beautiful rink.
Most recently owned by Susan Roen, and Nicholas Becker, but it was first operated by Susan's grandparents and her parents. Robert and Mary Austin owned and operated the Gem Roller Rink until 1988 when Dean and Barbara Becker purchased the rink. Barbara was the daughter of the Austins, the original operators.
First the Austins opened in February 1972 and sold it to the Beckers-- Dean and Barbara in 1988 but they passed away till very recently and it gave more burden to the two children who are also operating Skaters Edge which is still operational in Appleton, WI.
The Interior.
The original appearance in 1972 was quite very much like you seen in the movies. You see, the 1970s were all about whiteness. Floor, walls, ceilings, etc. I have seen movies with this often during the 1970s. TV shows too. Especially when it was futuristic at the time. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Star Wars, Space 1999, A Woody Allen movie Sleeper, and Sci-Fi horror, Andromeda Strain. This represents cleanness during the era as environment concerns of the 1970s. Even a house that Mr. Bond was in Never Say Never Again.
The floor in the 1970s and 80s was Plywood sealed with Polyurethane coat.
In later years, they had returned to traditional skating floor that are Maple wood. Last lay down the newest floor was in 1996.
What surprised me is what Susan told me this in Facebook Messenger this-- (with edited)
...Plywood with a polyurethane coating. And depending on grandma's mood that year would depend on the color.. lol.. In July of 1995, our parents put in the maple floor.
The Exterior.
Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel - Walled Warehouse - like Building with Gabled roof. It has exposed trusses on the exterior side walls. When they first opened, they had a huge sign letterings, GEM ROLLER RINK on the exterior front wall and the color of the wall was kind of Amber like color.
But they had renovation I do not know when. They had in tones of blues. Two tones and has 2 diamond shaped gemstones on the wall.
Big parking lot.
Originally, it was all farm lands cross the street and surrounding area in the early 1970s before the town grew into residential, commercial, etc. by the rink.
The Stats:
Original (opening day) Rink Size: N/A. Floor: White Paint, Polyurethane coated Plywood Board
Floor Layout: Plywood Board.
1980s Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Blue Paint, Polyurethane coated Concrete.
Floor Layout: Plywood Board.
July 1995 Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted, Urethane coated Maple.
Floor Layout: Fan.
1996 to closure Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted, Urethane coated Maple.
Floor Layout: Fan.
Building Size: N/A. Built: February 1972. Renovations: Several times, last time 1996. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel - Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gabled.
Acres: N/A.
Architect: N/A.
Contractor: N/A.
Interior Designer: N/A.
Organ: N/A.
10 Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Duck Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Candlestick Bowling Lanes: None.
Pocket Billiard Tables: N/A.
Amusement Rides: None.
Driving Range Slots: None.
Miniature Golf Course: None.
Arcade: (Most recent: 7)
Skee-Ball: None.
Fascination: None.
Restaurant: Concession stand.
Cocktail lounge: None.
Laser Tag: None.
Bounce Houses: None.
Bumper Cars: None.
Go-Kart: None.
Motel: None.
Swimming Pool: None.
Jungle Gym Playground: None.
Skate Park: None.
Operated: (Overall)-- February 1972 to Saturday, 15 October 2022 at 12 Midnight (technically that is Sunday, 16 October 2022).
Reason for Closure: Parents deaths and children wants to focus on their other rink.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also, photos/articles. Also send me any updates such as reopening, sold, name changes, or whatsoever occurred with this rink or any rinks. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation©. Before you email, please state this rink name AND THE CITY AND STATE (or COUNTRY) so I can know where or what rink you are talking about. Thank you. We welcome both active and defunct rinks.
Sources:
Facebook - Gem Roller Rink.
Obituary - Mary Austin.
Obituary - Barbara J. Becker.
Obituary - Dean Becker.
Facebook message - Susan Roen (06 October 2022).
Skaters Edge - Still operational rink.
Date of issue: 06 October 2022.
For office use only: 24/1.
Worth to visit:
None.
DISCLAIMER:
International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© (formerly known as Dead-Rinks) and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. We do not endorse such illegal activities including breaking and entry of former rinks, malls, abandoned buildings, etc. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Dead Rinks is now International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© because many former names have become new names at the same rinks that are still active and due to much confusion, We have decided that International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© fits better for all rinks including defunct, closed, inactive, rebooted, and rinks that are still active today. For short on this site, it is International Roller Skating Rinks History© Bear with us as we change the entire site page by page each day. Thank you for understanding.
Second of all: The contents including words and photos above on this page and/or on any pages are purely educational entertainment purposes only. I provide what information from other websites, skaters, and operators and it may end up with different results between two (or more) sources. It is not our responsible for errors we caused. All sources are shown on each page. All opinions and statements of mine are also stated and are for purely educational entertainment only.
Rinks that are closed are considered dead. Rinks that are/were sold and with new management names new name(s), the former are considered dead. Previous operating rink that closed but came back years later, are considered dead because the reopening is considered rebooted, nothing to do with the former. Since we are rebooted to allow alive rinks, active rinks, we welcome those active rinks as well. It will be described.
As for “For Office Only” is for my reasoning and private legal reason for that.
Any music associated with any YouTube or any other videos provided on International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© are not the property of International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group and/or International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© therefore we do not own the rights to the music.
All photos you submitted or we retrieved become property of International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© and are watermarked but they are credited to you (or where the source is from). Thank you for understanding. To understand more about this, please go to this page: Disclaimer.
© Copyrighted by International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation©, an International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 to 16. Deut. 32:7.
Three generations owned and operated this beautiful rink.
Most recently owned by Susan Roen, and Nicholas Becker, but it was first operated by Susan's grandparents and her parents. Robert and Mary Austin owned and operated the Gem Roller Rink until 1988 when Dean and Barbara Becker purchased the rink. Barbara was the daughter of the Austins, the original operators.
First the Austins opened in February 1972 and sold it to the Beckers-- Dean and Barbara in 1988 but they passed away till very recently and it gave more burden to the two children who are also operating Skaters Edge which is still operational in Appleton, WI.
The Interior.
The original appearance in 1972 was quite very much like you seen in the movies. You see, the 1970s were all about whiteness. Floor, walls, ceilings, etc. I have seen movies with this often during the 1970s. TV shows too. Especially when it was futuristic at the time. Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Star Wars, Space 1999, A Woody Allen movie Sleeper, and Sci-Fi horror, Andromeda Strain. This represents cleanness during the era as environment concerns of the 1970s. Even a house that Mr. Bond was in Never Say Never Again.
The floor in the 1970s and 80s was Plywood sealed with Polyurethane coat.
In later years, they had returned to traditional skating floor that are Maple wood. Last lay down the newest floor was in 1996.
What surprised me is what Susan told me this in Facebook Messenger this-- (with edited)
...Plywood with a polyurethane coating. And depending on grandma's mood that year would depend on the color.. lol.. In July of 1995, our parents put in the maple floor.
The Exterior.
Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel - Walled Warehouse - like Building with Gabled roof. It has exposed trusses on the exterior side walls. When they first opened, they had a huge sign letterings, GEM ROLLER RINK on the exterior front wall and the color of the wall was kind of Amber like color.
But they had renovation I do not know when. They had in tones of blues. Two tones and has 2 diamond shaped gemstones on the wall.
Big parking lot.
Originally, it was all farm lands cross the street and surrounding area in the early 1970s before the town grew into residential, commercial, etc. by the rink.
The Stats:
Original (opening day) Rink Size: N/A. Floor: White Paint, Polyurethane coated Plywood Board
Floor Layout: Plywood Board.
1980s Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Blue Paint, Polyurethane coated Concrete.
Floor Layout: Plywood Board.
July 1995 Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted, Urethane coated Maple.
Floor Layout: Fan.
1996 to closure Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Non-painted, Urethane coated Maple.
Floor Layout: Fan.
Building Size: N/A. Built: February 1972. Renovations: Several times, last time 1996. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Steel - Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Gabled.
Acres: N/A.
Architect: N/A.
Contractor: N/A.
Interior Designer: N/A.
Organ: N/A.
10 Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Duck Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Candlestick Bowling Lanes: None.
Pocket Billiard Tables: N/A.
Amusement Rides: None.
Driving Range Slots: None.
Miniature Golf Course: None.
Arcade: (Most recent: 7)
Skee-Ball: None.
Fascination: None.
Restaurant: Concession stand.
Cocktail lounge: None.
Laser Tag: None.
Bounce Houses: None.
Bumper Cars: None.
Go-Kart: None.
Motel: None.
Swimming Pool: None.
Jungle Gym Playground: None.
Skate Park: None.
Operated: (Overall)-- February 1972 to Saturday, 15 October 2022 at 12 Midnight (technically that is Sunday, 16 October 2022).
Reason for Closure: Parents deaths and children wants to focus on their other rink.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also, photos/articles. Also send me any updates such as reopening, sold, name changes, or whatsoever occurred with this rink or any rinks. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation©. Before you email, please state this rink name AND THE CITY AND STATE (or COUNTRY) so I can know where or what rink you are talking about. Thank you. We welcome both active and defunct rinks.
Sources:
Facebook - Gem Roller Rink.
Obituary - Mary Austin.
Obituary - Barbara J. Becker.
Obituary - Dean Becker.
Facebook message - Susan Roen (06 October 2022).
Skaters Edge - Still operational rink.
Date of issue: 06 October 2022.
For office use only: 24/1.
Worth to visit:
None.
DISCLAIMER:
International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© (formerly known as Dead-Rinks) and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. We do not endorse such illegal activities including breaking and entry of former rinks, malls, abandoned buildings, etc. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Dead Rinks is now International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© because many former names have become new names at the same rinks that are still active and due to much confusion, We have decided that International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© fits better for all rinks including defunct, closed, inactive, rebooted, and rinks that are still active today. For short on this site, it is International Roller Skating Rinks History© Bear with us as we change the entire site page by page each day. Thank you for understanding.
Second of all: The contents including words and photos above on this page and/or on any pages are purely educational entertainment purposes only. I provide what information from other websites, skaters, and operators and it may end up with different results between two (or more) sources. It is not our responsible for errors we caused. All sources are shown on each page. All opinions and statements of mine are also stated and are for purely educational entertainment only.
Rinks that are closed are considered dead. Rinks that are/were sold and with new management names new name(s), the former are considered dead. Previous operating rink that closed but came back years later, are considered dead because the reopening is considered rebooted, nothing to do with the former. Since we are rebooted to allow alive rinks, active rinks, we welcome those active rinks as well. It will be described.
As for “For Office Only” is for my reasoning and private legal reason for that.
Any music associated with any YouTube or any other videos provided on International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© are not the property of International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group and/or International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© therefore we do not own the rights to the music.
All photos you submitted or we retrieved become property of International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation© and are watermarked but they are credited to you (or where the source is from). Thank you for understanding. To understand more about this, please go to this page: Disclaimer.
© Copyrighted by International Roller Skating Rinks History Foundation©, an International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 to 16. Deut. 32:7.