All top 5 courtesy of Hi-Hat Skating Club Facebook group. With exception of the top photo, the rest were of Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way rink. On bottom photo above, on bottom right corner, it was Maurice Rochette, the final owner of the rink.
Photo courtesy of Hi-Hat Skating Club Facebook group. I am way too late to say Happy Anniversary, Hi-Hat! Oh well.
Courtesy of the Lowell Sun – May 3, 1951. Finally the rink was about to open!
Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way 614 Princeton Blvd, Lowell, MA
This well known establishment, Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way on 614 Princeton Boulevard in Lowell, MA was quite popular and beloved by many fans as I can see on their Facebook page. This rink was very popular that it has its own historical articles on websites and even two Facebook groups.
It sure does appear they could have continue as a rink but problems got in the way. First, a background about the rink itself. If you want to read the entire article, read it at Forgotten New England about Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way. The reason I said is because I will speak of it the short version.
Hi-Hat began during the Prohibition Era (1920 to 1933) so roughly it began during that period. Roller skating did not start till later. And it was controversial for many things for this place.
They would open every November just before Thanksgiving and close in April, maybe May for skaters.
But let's stick to the beginning. At the ending of the Prohibition and the already started Great Depression of 1930s. Hi-Hat was opened for business as a restaurant which was rarely to be seen new business to start during that awful Depression. Likely started in 1931 by Wilfred Goodnow since advertising started to show in newspapers that year. The ads appeared in the Lowell Sun for the Hi-Hat Food Shoppe. Often Hi-Hat Food Shoppe which sounded more like a fast casual restaurant but opened late till 1 AM. it was not until mid 1930s Liquors started to appear at the restaurant.
Then in the late 1930s, there were quite a bit of robberies hit Hi-Hat which brought to the front pages of The Lowell Sun Newspaper. Most of the break-ins were trying to steal money but instead, they stole a lot of alcoholic beverages because they are worth a lot on black market to make up the cash grabs robbers they really wanted. 1937 was the first break in. By Christmas Eve 1937, already its third break in, third in three months. That was their biggest break in and stealing 7 Dollars in cash and $100 in liquor, plus $50 worth of cigarettes. Remember cost of living expenses for those were high.
This means 126.50 USD worth in cash in 2021, 1,807.15 USD for the drinks and 903.57 USD for the cigarettes. Again, those are the valuables in 2021. Now that is a lot of money. Perhaps those seven robbers were doing this for black market. Remember, back then, the Great Depression that no one has money and they need something to forget so an ideal is smoking and drinking for a while. The seven robbers were arrested and served a year in prison.
In November 26, 1940, the Hi-Hat expanded, adding the Melody Room, and introducing live big band music by Ray Harrington and the Hi Hatters Orchestra. Even though the Hi-Hat already been a destination for as a venue for a decade, the addition of the Melody Room expanded the Hi-Hat’s reputation in local dancing circles and be on the map of the city’s night clubs. The expansion helped Hi-Hat gain notice to the public. This helped Hi-Hat to be very successful even through Wartime and the rest of 1940s.
Bill Goodnow, the owner, told the community that he wanted to retire, and he put the Hi-Hat on the market. Bill turned down an offer in 1950, because something the buyer would change it completely.
But Bill and the Hi-Hat just got slammed with a lawsuit in 1950. Walter J. Perras filed suit against Hi-Hat, who alleged that the Hi-Hat was responsible for rough treatment he had received from the local police after the Hi-Hat had called them to help with clearing the bar one night at closing time in January 1946. There was a man from New Jersey in Perras’ group said, after that night at the bar: “In New Jersey, our bars close at three in the morning.”
When the bartender shout back an explanation reminding the men that they stood in Massachusetts where bars closed at 1 AM, the men finished their drinks, got up to get their coats, and then looked back to see the bartender instructing Lowell police to “see them off the premises”. He pointed at the men to make sure there was no confusion over who he meant. They also overheard him telling police that the men were not drunk, but were “feeling their liquor”. Then the Lowell Police approached the men, told them to leave, and while one of the men bent over to put on his boots, a plain-clothes officer struck him multiple times, with blows to the head and body. The man recovered, and felt that the force used to extricate him from the Hi-Hat was excessive, and that the Hi-Hat was responsible, since they had called the police in, in the first place. The courts didn’t see it the same way, though, and the Hi-Hat was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing in the suit.
That, in my opinion, the court and police were bought by Hi-Hat. Like I said, opinion. Terrible! That man should have appealed and go up higher in court so that it makes it harder for Hi-Hat to buy out judges and juries. This was clearly corruption with that bar. Sound familiar. Many bars and night clubs do that way. Always some trouble. Maybe this is the real reason why Bill Goodnow wanted out.
In 1950, the Whitneys assumed operations after purchasing the Hi-Hat and then presenting their plans to the Lowell Licensing Commission, amidst quite a bit of controversy with the lawsuit (see last 3 paragraphs). The Whitneys including Maurice, William, and Ester (later known as "Ma" Whitney), then petitioned the city for permission to build an other addition to the Melody Room, so that they could conduct both skating and dancing lessons there. Those two-the Lowell Licensing Commission and the city were against the plan that they were concerned with the noise from skating and the music would create. Finally, the Whitneys got their way, and built their rink. The Hi-Hat Restaurant re-opened after renovations in May 14 1951, as the Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way. Esther was the most visible owner of the three, and become known throughout Lowell as "Ma" Whitney. The fifties wouldn’t have been the fifties at the Hi Hat Rollaway without her.
She loved skating and would skate often on the floor and even be floor guard blowing whistle. If you heard that, you would know its her and you may have done something wrong. She would give that stare at you. But everyone loved her and called her, "Ma."
Ma did well in maintaining a rink where parents could view their teenagers as safe. Ma herself was the mother of a champion girl skater, and held the Hi-Hat to the strictest and careful supervision at all times. Ma Whitney often wore her white polka dots on navy blue midi dress, encouraging female skaters (after the Hokey-Pokey) to do “Lady’s Choice” and drag guys out onto the floor. (one sentence by a skater who skated at Hi-Hat).
IN 1960s, ownership of the Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way had passed onto Maurice Rochette, or Mo as he is fondly remembered by the Hi-Hat skating community. Maurice was Hard of Hearing. He owned several restaurants and well-known for cooking excellent food. Awesome, I am Deaf and I am in awe to see a Hard of Hearing did well with restaurants and owned this rink for the final 30 years. He operated it till its closure in 1990. Many skaters from Hi-Hat fondly recalled him. This is why there is a bobble head wood statue of "Mo."
Maurice also had an ice cream stand for a time at the Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way.
Once again controversy among at Hi-Hat. This time as Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way. You see, up until the summer of 1964, the Hi- Hat hosted not just roller skating, but also record hops, or dances. Late August 1964. the Lowell License Commission suspended the dancing license of the Hi-Hat, for one week after a group of 500 teenagers ‘jeered and threw stones’ at Lowell Police as the record hop let out one night. There were damage to a police cruiser and five were arrests for disorderly conduct. But, this occurrence was enough to convict the Hi-Hat’s neighbors to collect some 170 signatures on a petition demanding an end to the record hops.
After it was closed, it was demolished and became condos/apartments. I wonder why Maurice did not sell to somebody would keep it as a rink.
They had organ music after the big band scene faded out likely after Bill Goodnow sold Hi-Hat.
The appearance for this rink was really awesome.
The Interior.
Before it was a rink, it was a restaurant in the Cape-Cod style building but when they proposed in 1950 to have a new rink and larger ballroom sort of to replace the small tight Melody Room. In comparison between those two, Melody dance floor would equal to a standard bedroom size. Maybe slight smaller than that. And that was common back then with many dance halls and ballrooms to be small and end up enlarge it about the same as a NHL size rink.. well, almost. Today, some rinks are much larger--same size or even larger than a NHL rink size.
But this was more simple yet, class with 1940s look which detour from classic 1920s and 30s glandular appearance with Art Deco or any style that fancy any owners around the world back then. It was simple. It had a stage, with a lot of doors on that same side with the stage. Perhaps it was to the outdoors because of the doors you could not see in the photo. The photographer who took that picture stood from the restaurant side and opened the door and took that picture of the rink/ballroom.
The simple design won a lot of dancers and skaters alike to make them feel like home and have comfort with their physical needs -- dancing or skating.
Looks this way when you walk in, the Melody Room appeared to be on the left side because of the comparsion to the roofline and the ceiling of that room plus windows. Now, this means the rink was on the right side in bigger building with Arch-Curved roof. The rest were Gable and vallar plus extensions.
The Exterior.
Two styles are shown at that place. More simple Cape Cod-ish building where the restaurant and the Meldoy Room was. The connection also was in that style too when connecting to the Ballroom-Skating Rink part. That part being Arched-Curved and taller than the original remaining place.
Since both interior and exterior photos were black-and-white, I have no idea what were the colors like back then. Anyone?
The Stats:
Rink Size: 170' x 70'. Floor: Maple. Floor Layout: Fan.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: 1990. Now Condos/Apartments.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Cinderblock-Walled Domed - like Building.
Roof: Arched-Curved.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: May 14 1951 to 1990 (skating).
As restaurant - Hi-Hat Food Shoppe (club): 1931 to 1950.
As rink - Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way: May 14 1951 to 1990. (only had 2 entirely different set of owners throughtout the years.
Reason for Closure:
As restaurant - Hi-Hat Food Shoppe (club): Bill Goodnow wanted to retire and get out of mess with lawsuit against him and the bar.
As rink - Hi-Hat Rollerway: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Forgotten New England - Early History of Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way; Forgotten New England - Among the Artifacts...; Facebook - Hi Hat Skating Club; Facebook - Lowell Sun short article about the rink;
Lowell Sun - Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way;
Date of issue: 09 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
It sure does appear they could have continue as a rink but problems got in the way. First, a background about the rink itself. If you want to read the entire article, read it at Forgotten New England about Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way. The reason I said is because I will speak of it the short version.
Hi-Hat began during the Prohibition Era (1920 to 1933) so roughly it began during that period. Roller skating did not start till later. And it was controversial for many things for this place.
They would open every November just before Thanksgiving and close in April, maybe May for skaters.
But let's stick to the beginning. At the ending of the Prohibition and the already started Great Depression of 1930s. Hi-Hat was opened for business as a restaurant which was rarely to be seen new business to start during that awful Depression. Likely started in 1931 by Wilfred Goodnow since advertising started to show in newspapers that year. The ads appeared in the Lowell Sun for the Hi-Hat Food Shoppe. Often Hi-Hat Food Shoppe which sounded more like a fast casual restaurant but opened late till 1 AM. it was not until mid 1930s Liquors started to appear at the restaurant.
Then in the late 1930s, there were quite a bit of robberies hit Hi-Hat which brought to the front pages of The Lowell Sun Newspaper. Most of the break-ins were trying to steal money but instead, they stole a lot of alcoholic beverages because they are worth a lot on black market to make up the cash grabs robbers they really wanted. 1937 was the first break in. By Christmas Eve 1937, already its third break in, third in three months. That was their biggest break in and stealing 7 Dollars in cash and $100 in liquor, plus $50 worth of cigarettes. Remember cost of living expenses for those were high.
This means 126.50 USD worth in cash in 2021, 1,807.15 USD for the drinks and 903.57 USD for the cigarettes. Again, those are the valuables in 2021. Now that is a lot of money. Perhaps those seven robbers were doing this for black market. Remember, back then, the Great Depression that no one has money and they need something to forget so an ideal is smoking and drinking for a while. The seven robbers were arrested and served a year in prison.
In November 26, 1940, the Hi-Hat expanded, adding the Melody Room, and introducing live big band music by Ray Harrington and the Hi Hatters Orchestra. Even though the Hi-Hat already been a destination for as a venue for a decade, the addition of the Melody Room expanded the Hi-Hat’s reputation in local dancing circles and be on the map of the city’s night clubs. The expansion helped Hi-Hat gain notice to the public. This helped Hi-Hat to be very successful even through Wartime and the rest of 1940s.
Bill Goodnow, the owner, told the community that he wanted to retire, and he put the Hi-Hat on the market. Bill turned down an offer in 1950, because something the buyer would change it completely.
But Bill and the Hi-Hat just got slammed with a lawsuit in 1950. Walter J. Perras filed suit against Hi-Hat, who alleged that the Hi-Hat was responsible for rough treatment he had received from the local police after the Hi-Hat had called them to help with clearing the bar one night at closing time in January 1946. There was a man from New Jersey in Perras’ group said, after that night at the bar: “In New Jersey, our bars close at three in the morning.”
When the bartender shout back an explanation reminding the men that they stood in Massachusetts where bars closed at 1 AM, the men finished their drinks, got up to get their coats, and then looked back to see the bartender instructing Lowell police to “see them off the premises”. He pointed at the men to make sure there was no confusion over who he meant. They also overheard him telling police that the men were not drunk, but were “feeling their liquor”. Then the Lowell Police approached the men, told them to leave, and while one of the men bent over to put on his boots, a plain-clothes officer struck him multiple times, with blows to the head and body. The man recovered, and felt that the force used to extricate him from the Hi-Hat was excessive, and that the Hi-Hat was responsible, since they had called the police in, in the first place. The courts didn’t see it the same way, though, and the Hi-Hat was ultimately cleared of any wrongdoing in the suit.
That, in my opinion, the court and police were bought by Hi-Hat. Like I said, opinion. Terrible! That man should have appealed and go up higher in court so that it makes it harder for Hi-Hat to buy out judges and juries. This was clearly corruption with that bar. Sound familiar. Many bars and night clubs do that way. Always some trouble. Maybe this is the real reason why Bill Goodnow wanted out.
In 1950, the Whitneys assumed operations after purchasing the Hi-Hat and then presenting their plans to the Lowell Licensing Commission, amidst quite a bit of controversy with the lawsuit (see last 3 paragraphs). The Whitneys including Maurice, William, and Ester (later known as "Ma" Whitney), then petitioned the city for permission to build an other addition to the Melody Room, so that they could conduct both skating and dancing lessons there. Those two-the Lowell Licensing Commission and the city were against the plan that they were concerned with the noise from skating and the music would create. Finally, the Whitneys got their way, and built their rink. The Hi-Hat Restaurant re-opened after renovations in May 14 1951, as the Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way. Esther was the most visible owner of the three, and become known throughout Lowell as "Ma" Whitney. The fifties wouldn’t have been the fifties at the Hi Hat Rollaway without her.
She loved skating and would skate often on the floor and even be floor guard blowing whistle. If you heard that, you would know its her and you may have done something wrong. She would give that stare at you. But everyone loved her and called her, "Ma."
Ma did well in maintaining a rink where parents could view their teenagers as safe. Ma herself was the mother of a champion girl skater, and held the Hi-Hat to the strictest and careful supervision at all times. Ma Whitney often wore her white polka dots on navy blue midi dress, encouraging female skaters (after the Hokey-Pokey) to do “Lady’s Choice” and drag guys out onto the floor. (one sentence by a skater who skated at Hi-Hat).
IN 1960s, ownership of the Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way had passed onto Maurice Rochette, or Mo as he is fondly remembered by the Hi-Hat skating community. Maurice was Hard of Hearing. He owned several restaurants and well-known for cooking excellent food. Awesome, I am Deaf and I am in awe to see a Hard of Hearing did well with restaurants and owned this rink for the final 30 years. He operated it till its closure in 1990. Many skaters from Hi-Hat fondly recalled him. This is why there is a bobble head wood statue of "Mo."
Maurice also had an ice cream stand for a time at the Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way.
Once again controversy among at Hi-Hat. This time as Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way. You see, up until the summer of 1964, the Hi- Hat hosted not just roller skating, but also record hops, or dances. Late August 1964. the Lowell License Commission suspended the dancing license of the Hi-Hat, for one week after a group of 500 teenagers ‘jeered and threw stones’ at Lowell Police as the record hop let out one night. There were damage to a police cruiser and five were arrests for disorderly conduct. But, this occurrence was enough to convict the Hi-Hat’s neighbors to collect some 170 signatures on a petition demanding an end to the record hops.
After it was closed, it was demolished and became condos/apartments. I wonder why Maurice did not sell to somebody would keep it as a rink.
They had organ music after the big band scene faded out likely after Bill Goodnow sold Hi-Hat.
The appearance for this rink was really awesome.
The Interior.
Before it was a rink, it was a restaurant in the Cape-Cod style building but when they proposed in 1950 to have a new rink and larger ballroom sort of to replace the small tight Melody Room. In comparison between those two, Melody dance floor would equal to a standard bedroom size. Maybe slight smaller than that. And that was common back then with many dance halls and ballrooms to be small and end up enlarge it about the same as a NHL size rink.. well, almost. Today, some rinks are much larger--same size or even larger than a NHL rink size.
But this was more simple yet, class with 1940s look which detour from classic 1920s and 30s glandular appearance with Art Deco or any style that fancy any owners around the world back then. It was simple. It had a stage, with a lot of doors on that same side with the stage. Perhaps it was to the outdoors because of the doors you could not see in the photo. The photographer who took that picture stood from the restaurant side and opened the door and took that picture of the rink/ballroom.
The simple design won a lot of dancers and skaters alike to make them feel like home and have comfort with their physical needs -- dancing or skating.
Looks this way when you walk in, the Melody Room appeared to be on the left side because of the comparsion to the roofline and the ceiling of that room plus windows. Now, this means the rink was on the right side in bigger building with Arch-Curved roof. The rest were Gable and vallar plus extensions.
The Exterior.
Two styles are shown at that place. More simple Cape Cod-ish building where the restaurant and the Meldoy Room was. The connection also was in that style too when connecting to the Ballroom-Skating Rink part. That part being Arched-Curved and taller than the original remaining place.
Since both interior and exterior photos were black-and-white, I have no idea what were the colors like back then. Anyone?
The Stats:
Rink Size: 170' x 70'. Floor: Maple. Floor Layout: Fan.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: 1990. Now Condos/Apartments.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Cinderblock-Walled Domed - like Building.
Roof: Arched-Curved.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: May 14 1951 to 1990 (skating).
As restaurant - Hi-Hat Food Shoppe (club): 1931 to 1950.
As rink - Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way: May 14 1951 to 1990. (only had 2 entirely different set of owners throughtout the years.
Reason for Closure:
As restaurant - Hi-Hat Food Shoppe (club): Bill Goodnow wanted to retire and get out of mess with lawsuit against him and the bar.
As rink - Hi-Hat Rollerway: N/A.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Forgotten New England - Early History of Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way; Forgotten New England - Among the Artifacts...; Facebook - Hi Hat Skating Club; Facebook - Lowell Sun short article about the rink;
Lowell Sun - Hi-Hat Roll-A-Way;
Date of issue: 09 January 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.