Courtesy of Four Squares. This showed the original look for Keeley's. Original mural, over sized turtles and real boulders for decor. And what is with that garden hose on the road for? haha.
Google Map. Dated June 2012. As Keeley's. Noticed murals on the exterior walls. One showing a skate cart-like. And all the animals! No, they are only statues. Whew!
I cannot tell if this was Keeley's or Roller City but basically that is what it is like.
One example of damage (no other photos available) that was caused by a tornado in 2011.
Google Map. Present day as Roller City. Googie lives again! Whew! That unique design survived well in a tornado attack. I like that red really compliment well against that stone veneer. Well, the animals are gone! Perhaps they too went to see the Wizard!
(Keeley's) Silver Wheels, 2800 East 24th, Joplin, MO
Silver Wheels was a rink from when it was established in 1973 until they closed and sold in 2013 to the new owners of Roller City Skating Rink which is operational today.
Not a whole lot of information about Silver Wheels. It was also known as Keeley's Silver Wheels. But what made it more interesting was this rink had a Googie style of architecture with Mid-Century architecture. Likely it may have been built in the 1950s because of the Googie Architecture which was common during 1945 to 1965. Googie Architecture on this rink featured a slant salt box style canopy for drivers to drive under to drop off skaters or pick up skaters. It featured that natural stone veneer wall with White walls. I would love to know if this was a rink before 1973. Say in the height of Googie Architecture of 1953 to 57. Was there another rink? Or what? Please let me know!
There is nothing much but I am glad I was able to capture at least three photos. One exterior in poor shape and one interior. That grainy blurred photos of those days and not like those digital today which are sharper.
Oh well. Ok, the history about Keeley's was that in 2011, there was a tornado ripped through the rink which torn off the roof and it gave water damage to the Maple wooden rink not long after the original owners replaced concrete floor with the wooden floor. Because of this, the only major repairs were the roof and they left the floor as it was which was pretty much warped that as the article in Joplin Globe newspaper puts it, "like a bubble wrap" (To see much damages, see the pictures from one of the rink that faced the same damages by the hurricane down in Florida I have on a profile on this site. See Florida. Sorry I do not recall which one). The tornado torn out the back wall too.
The owners neglect and let it go bad in the rink and apparently many skaters saw how bad it was and not return so the owners had to sell to the current owners who really took care of all the damages, replaced the Maple wood floor and new renovations. You will see both Keeley's and the current Roller City. As they were shown in Yelp, for Roller City their reputation is well above par. Apparently one of the best in the nation because of renovations and well customer service.
Unfortunately for Keeley's the test was done for Keeley's. Unfortunately. Skaters prefer wood best over concrete so to speak, wise move to change to wood but timing was off. Being in Tornado ally of the Midwest, life is tough as Hurricanes to Florida is tough.
The current owners, a couple had the purchase closed on march 29th, 2013 but they had to delay more often the opening for months as they realize it took longer to repair the damages and make changes that they completed in August 2013. it took quite a while.
The current look of the Googie Architecture with the paint replacing White to Fire Engine Red is quite noted and easy-to-read sign for the name of the rink.
Interior had blue cinder block half walls, and simple color walls when it was Keeley's but now, for Roller City, Many features are still the same from Keeley's though. such as that American Blue half walls, the shape of the ceiling. But the entire ceiling has been replaced because I can spot the entire replacement. It has black colored grid that holds up ceiling panels. Original did not.
They now have a huge movie theater style screen at the back of the rink for their videos and advertising I believe.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Originally Concrete, then Maple, then damaged by Joplin Tornado, replaced with new Maple floor, then current owners replaced it again with new Maple floor, clear coated, urethane coated Floor Layout: Fan.
Building Size: 20,000+ (According to article). Built: 1973. Damaged: a 2011 Joplin Tornado, repaired and repaired 2 years later in 2013 again.
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Cinderblock with Stone Veneer Building. (Googies look)
Roof: Gable (Googie style)
Acres: N/A
Operated: 1973 to early 2013 (Closing was on March 29, 2013)
Reason for Closure: Loss of patrons because of poor repair due to 2011 Joplin Tornado ripped through back side of the rink. Mainly neglect
Wanted: Information regarding actual open, actual close, reopen and sold to the Carsons of Roller City of Joplin. More original pictures and any pictures of damages.
Sources: Roller City Skate & Play of Joplin Facebook, Manta, Yelp,
Four Squares, Four State Homepage website, Joplin Globe newspaper
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved
Silver Wheels was a rink from when it was established in 1973 until they closed and sold in 2013 to the new owners of Roller City Skating Rink which is operational today.
Not a whole lot of information about Silver Wheels. It was also known as Keeley's Silver Wheels. But what made it more interesting was this rink had a Googie style of architecture with Mid-Century architecture. Likely it may have been built in the 1950s because of the Googie Architecture which was common during 1945 to 1965. Googie Architecture on this rink featured a slant salt box style canopy for drivers to drive under to drop off skaters or pick up skaters. It featured that natural stone veneer wall with White walls. I would love to know if this was a rink before 1973. Say in the height of Googie Architecture of 1953 to 57. Was there another rink? Or what? Please let me know!
There is nothing much but I am glad I was able to capture at least three photos. One exterior in poor shape and one interior. That grainy blurred photos of those days and not like those digital today which are sharper.
Oh well. Ok, the history about Keeley's was that in 2011, there was a tornado ripped through the rink which torn off the roof and it gave water damage to the Maple wooden rink not long after the original owners replaced concrete floor with the wooden floor. Because of this, the only major repairs were the roof and they left the floor as it was which was pretty much warped that as the article in Joplin Globe newspaper puts it, "like a bubble wrap" (To see much damages, see the pictures from one of the rink that faced the same damages by the hurricane down in Florida I have on a profile on this site. See Florida. Sorry I do not recall which one). The tornado torn out the back wall too.
The owners neglect and let it go bad in the rink and apparently many skaters saw how bad it was and not return so the owners had to sell to the current owners who really took care of all the damages, replaced the Maple wood floor and new renovations. You will see both Keeley's and the current Roller City. As they were shown in Yelp, for Roller City their reputation is well above par. Apparently one of the best in the nation because of renovations and well customer service.
Unfortunately for Keeley's the test was done for Keeley's. Unfortunately. Skaters prefer wood best over concrete so to speak, wise move to change to wood but timing was off. Being in Tornado ally of the Midwest, life is tough as Hurricanes to Florida is tough.
The current owners, a couple had the purchase closed on march 29th, 2013 but they had to delay more often the opening for months as they realize it took longer to repair the damages and make changes that they completed in August 2013. it took quite a while.
The current look of the Googie Architecture with the paint replacing White to Fire Engine Red is quite noted and easy-to-read sign for the name of the rink.
Interior had blue cinder block half walls, and simple color walls when it was Keeley's but now, for Roller City, Many features are still the same from Keeley's though. such as that American Blue half walls, the shape of the ceiling. But the entire ceiling has been replaced because I can spot the entire replacement. It has black colored grid that holds up ceiling panels. Original did not.
They now have a huge movie theater style screen at the back of the rink for their videos and advertising I believe.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Originally Concrete, then Maple, then damaged by Joplin Tornado, replaced with new Maple floor, then current owners replaced it again with new Maple floor, clear coated, urethane coated Floor Layout: Fan.
Building Size: 20,000+ (According to article). Built: 1973. Damaged: a 2011 Joplin Tornado, repaired and repaired 2 years later in 2013 again.
Type of Building: Free Span Steel Cinderblock with Stone Veneer Building. (Googies look)
Roof: Gable (Googie style)
Acres: N/A
Operated: 1973 to early 2013 (Closing was on March 29, 2013)
Reason for Closure: Loss of patrons because of poor repair due to 2011 Joplin Tornado ripped through back side of the rink. Mainly neglect
Wanted: Information regarding actual open, actual close, reopen and sold to the Carsons of Roller City of Joplin. More original pictures and any pictures of damages.
Sources: Roller City Skate & Play of Joplin Facebook, Manta, Yelp,
Four Squares, Four State Homepage website, Joplin Globe newspaper
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved