Top and bottom photos are of Google Map. Notice the evolution of color. Which came first? The Graying or the Tans? The bottom photo was taken in 2013. Then what? The middle photo courtesy of Loopnet. What color was it during the heydays of Naples Skatery?
Courtesy of Henry on Yelp. Only evident presently of the Naples Bingo. Descriptions are explained in Interior below provided by Willy who can spot many things and what changes. He is correct that they split the entire rink area into two rooms as you can see the windows in the photo and see the wall is right up by the lights on the ceiling. Speakers are there but the Disco lights and Disco Balls are gone. Main thing is still there. The Yellow Roller Floor is still there.
Naples Skatery 6750 Golden Gate Parkway Naples, FL
Naples Skatery was once a rink at 6750 Golden Gate Parkway Naples, Florida. Currently as a bingo hall. But back then it was a rink from when it first incorporated on August 15, 1984 and opened likely in September of that year. Unfortunately they closed in 1997. Must be they decided to close when their food service industry license expired on December 1, 1997.
The owners were Tom and Nancy Gregory Gregory. It is believed they were Ohio natives.
This is exact email from a former worker who worked at this very rink. His name is Willy. Here are his words describing the rink.
Presently a bingo hall. Floor, sound system & light system still present. Enclosed metal building.
** Rumor is the building was sold with a clause that it had to be kept in a condition so that it could be reverted back into a roller rink. The owners were that serious about skating!
It was a polyurethane covered concrete floor. It was longer and narrower than Bamboozles/Generations in Ft Myers. Since the owners were accomplished roller skating champions & coaches, I feel like the floor was a competition size & not built for speed racing. I worked there from 1993-1995 as my first job ever. I took part in resurfacing the floor, twice. Yuck!! Serviced figure skates & speed skates, snack bar, floor guard & DJ. Best job I ever had! I owned a pair of F-II with steel plates & then I bought a pair of Riddel 595 redlines on Labeda Proline plates w/blue cannibals loaded w/bones bearings. I was serious. We would travel to the rinks in Ft Myers: Generations in south FM, The Palace in north FM & Raymond's in Tice, FM; because the rules were more lax (how fast you could skate), the floors were directionally laid wood which were 'nicer' to skate on & the music selection was better. Lots of shuffle songs vs not a lot back in Naples. Keep me updated if you need more info. Willy.
Thank you Willy for your imput! Greatly helps! Will do ask!
Yes, you are right Willy, about the floor. Wood and Concrete serve two different purposes. Wood IS nicer and easier to skate for several purposes as for Concrete, it is more for jamming. I have skated both floors and noticed some differences.
(Note: FM means Fort Myers in South Florida/Gulf Side).
And one more thing, Willy, I found more information you would like to read in the sources below!
The building was sold on September 25, 1997 and this means they closed that month. At the time, it was sold for 775,000 USD. But in 2020, it was selling at 1.2 Million. Nice handsome profit for the bingo hall owners.
ALERT! The building is up for sale again. The family that owned the bingo hall for 20 years has put up on the market again according to ReMax. Skaters! Ah, It is on PENDING status. Will it return as a rink again? Will the clause be removed that it will ruin the rink? I hope not. This building has been on the market for 378 days as of August 12, 2020. It was up on the market for 1.6 Million USD.
The Interior.
Said the speakers and lightings were still there during the Bingo business years up to 2019 when they closed doors for good.
Here is what Willy has to say about the interior based on the photos on Yelp.
This is the inside of the rink in its current state. The sound system speakers JBL15s are still hanging. The large and two small disco balls & the mushroom light system that went to music are gone. The first two pics are looking south. The rink ran N-S. I believe that are standing at the original half wall that separated the rink from the snack bar and pro shop which were by the entrance. You can see the circles on the floor still for practicing heel to heel maneuvers. They put a wall down the middle to separate the space into two rooms. There was red shag carpet on the walls and the floor was that yellow you see in the pics.
Thanks again, Willy!
The Exterior.
The building has flat roof with faux roof front to make it look higher. And currently has that Gable-roof canopy overhead. It is over the front door which is on the left facing the building. They may have made modifications to the front for the Bingo hall.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Polyurethane coated concrete. Floor Layout: longer and narrower, and not built for speed skates.
Building Size: 16,000 SF. Built: 1977. Demolished: Still standing. Bingo hall closed.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled storefront-like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 2.34 Acres.
Operated: c. September 1984 to September 25,1997.
(Bingo hall 1999 to 2019).
Reason for Closure: Owner's health issues and traveling a burden; Owner's daughters did not want the business so it was sold.
Wanted: Information regarding photos of the rink, both interior and exterior, exact dates if possible.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Loop Net, ReMax, My Florida License, Open Corporate, Real Living, Realty Trac, Yelp, Willy (fan/worked there)
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Ps 86:10.
The owners were Tom and Nancy Gregory Gregory. It is believed they were Ohio natives.
This is exact email from a former worker who worked at this very rink. His name is Willy. Here are his words describing the rink.
Presently a bingo hall. Floor, sound system & light system still present. Enclosed metal building.
** Rumor is the building was sold with a clause that it had to be kept in a condition so that it could be reverted back into a roller rink. The owners were that serious about skating!
It was a polyurethane covered concrete floor. It was longer and narrower than Bamboozles/Generations in Ft Myers. Since the owners were accomplished roller skating champions & coaches, I feel like the floor was a competition size & not built for speed racing. I worked there from 1993-1995 as my first job ever. I took part in resurfacing the floor, twice. Yuck!! Serviced figure skates & speed skates, snack bar, floor guard & DJ. Best job I ever had! I owned a pair of F-II with steel plates & then I bought a pair of Riddel 595 redlines on Labeda Proline plates w/blue cannibals loaded w/bones bearings. I was serious. We would travel to the rinks in Ft Myers: Generations in south FM, The Palace in north FM & Raymond's in Tice, FM; because the rules were more lax (how fast you could skate), the floors were directionally laid wood which were 'nicer' to skate on & the music selection was better. Lots of shuffle songs vs not a lot back in Naples. Keep me updated if you need more info. Willy.
Thank you Willy for your imput! Greatly helps! Will do ask!
Yes, you are right Willy, about the floor. Wood and Concrete serve two different purposes. Wood IS nicer and easier to skate for several purposes as for Concrete, it is more for jamming. I have skated both floors and noticed some differences.
(Note: FM means Fort Myers in South Florida/Gulf Side).
And one more thing, Willy, I found more information you would like to read in the sources below!
The building was sold on September 25, 1997 and this means they closed that month. At the time, it was sold for 775,000 USD. But in 2020, it was selling at 1.2 Million. Nice handsome profit for the bingo hall owners.
ALERT! The building is up for sale again. The family that owned the bingo hall for 20 years has put up on the market again according to ReMax. Skaters! Ah, It is on PENDING status. Will it return as a rink again? Will the clause be removed that it will ruin the rink? I hope not. This building has been on the market for 378 days as of August 12, 2020. It was up on the market for 1.6 Million USD.
The Interior.
Said the speakers and lightings were still there during the Bingo business years up to 2019 when they closed doors for good.
Here is what Willy has to say about the interior based on the photos on Yelp.
This is the inside of the rink in its current state. The sound system speakers JBL15s are still hanging. The large and two small disco balls & the mushroom light system that went to music are gone. The first two pics are looking south. The rink ran N-S. I believe that are standing at the original half wall that separated the rink from the snack bar and pro shop which were by the entrance. You can see the circles on the floor still for practicing heel to heel maneuvers. They put a wall down the middle to separate the space into two rooms. There was red shag carpet on the walls and the floor was that yellow you see in the pics.
Thanks again, Willy!
The Exterior.
The building has flat roof with faux roof front to make it look higher. And currently has that Gable-roof canopy overhead. It is over the front door which is on the left facing the building. They may have made modifications to the front for the Bingo hall.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Polyurethane coated concrete. Floor Layout: longer and narrower, and not built for speed skates.
Building Size: 16,000 SF. Built: 1977. Demolished: Still standing. Bingo hall closed.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled storefront-like Building.
Roof: Gable.
Acres: 2.34 Acres.
Operated: c. September 1984 to September 25,1997.
(Bingo hall 1999 to 2019).
Reason for Closure: Owner's health issues and traveling a burden; Owner's daughters did not want the business so it was sold.
Wanted: Information regarding photos of the rink, both interior and exterior, exact dates if possible.
Anyone has pictures and/or information please let me know at [email protected]. Thank you.
Sources: Loop Net, ReMax, My Florida License, Open Corporate, Real Living, Realty Trac, Yelp, Willy (fan/worked there)
© 2019-2020 Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. God Matters. Ps 86:10.