Photo courtesy of FRRF. Noticed it has gable roof extension above the flat roof. It has fitness club front now. Noticed the train tracks? Famous scene there where the French Connection movie car-train chase scene was filmed. Noticed something was missing compared to the 2015 photo? No cell tower. Compare to all photos I posted on here, the cell tower on this building was missing in between the dark painted building and the finished painting building in white as shown above. I need information on this photo. When was it taken? And why no tower if there were tower during the era of dark paint on building when the drug store was in business. Is this a Mandela Effect or alternative universe that has no tower on?
Noticed the poster ad? Tony was listed. And yes, Tony won the fight. This fight was on December 21, 1977 according to Boxing-Scoops.com/Wikipedia. This fight was semi-final in April 19, 1977 but he fought in Dec as well. Yes, the very same Tony Danza, the former actor of "Who's the Boss?"
Photo courtesy of Borad (cinemastreasures.org). Noticed the sign on the peak of the gable roof wall that states the United Skates of America. This was after they closed in around 1985. You can tell this was taken after 1985 because of the grand opening of Consumers and other stores were in business where the rink was. And you can tell that black 1985ish Ford LTD sedan parked there. No cell tower there--yet.
Courtesy of Ken Roe (cinemastreasures.org). This apparently taken in 1990s because Consumers closed its doors. The ghost shadow of old signage showed in this photo. They remodeled the place before the signs were removed. They had the castle look corners and quite busy things on the track side of the building. Cafe was not there yet. But all painted over wall were illegal graffiti. Has to be 1990s because of the Dodge Minivan on the right at stop light and a parked red S-10 vehicle. Cell tower on the roof.
Photo courtesy of Ken Roe (through cinemastreasure.org) Stillwell Theater building as in 2015. Notices businesses come and go. The signage for the rink is gone. Building was painted. They also added few trims and a new tiny window on second floor. That clearly showed you where the bowling alley was. Awing was added. And of course, added cell tower upon the roof!
Photo Courtesy of elmorovivo (on cinemastreasures.org). Notice this was a theater before the rink. The sign disappeared after they closed for good.
Photo courtesy of CharmaineZoe (Cinemastreasures.org website). Noticed the beautiful marquee and stage? This was removed during the conversion to the skating rink and bowling alley.
Photo courtesy of Dolphin Fitness Center. Notice the floor? That was the rink. They added the red basketball foul lines. The black line was the roller rink outline.
Rollerama, 2402 86th Street, Brooklyn, New York
Roll-A-Rama Sports Center, 2402 86th Street, Brooklyn, New York
Roll-A-Rama Roller Rink was one of the venture in the Stillwell Theater building where the theater was once held in Brooklyn, New York. The building was designed by Architect Charles A. Sandblom began as a stage theater back then.from March 1928 until they closed in June 7, 1952. This was the theater a short distance from where they filmed a famous scene with one of the most memorable car/train chase ever made in the movie, "The French Connection" (1971), This building was famously connected with that and more. Read on.
After they closed the theater, they went on to become Stillwell Outlet Farmer's Market in 1954 which was named after the theater. But two years later, in 1956, the filed bankruptcy and shuttered the market.
The building was used once again but as Rollerama Roller Rink and Bowling Alley when they first opened on Friday January 18, 1957. (Billboard, Feb. 2, 1957) Eventually the name was changed to Roll-A-Rama Sports Center in 1962 (Skate Magazine 1962). The rink was held on ground floor as the bowling alley was on the 2nd floor. The rink outlived the bowling alley because of a fire in late 1970s. There are no information regarding to the fire such as articles online. However, specific fire to the bowling alley is not found online.
Nevertheless, the roller rink remained. They kept it open until 1983. Well, the difference was that the rink kept open until early 1980s then it became United Skates of America around the same period of time until 1983. We do not know. I will contact the headquarters in Ohio (Problem is, I got three different mailing addresses and no email address from the company on their website).
During the time of the rink, they added other activities including wrestling and boxing. One thing to notice a big name on this advertisement (see above), it was Brooklyn Native Tony Danza, who boxed professionally and later became an excellent actor well known for "Taxi" and "Who's the Boss?" He fought at the rink, legally. Tony, of course, won the bout in first round knockout against Ray Bryant on December 21, 1977 (Boxing-Scoop.com, Tony Danza profile, website expired, secondary resource-wikipedia).
They also opened on Sundays as a flea market on the rink. in the 1970s.
Boxing and wrestling were held in 1977 to 1978 including Tony Danza-Ray Bryant fight.
Then Roll-A-Rama became a United Skates of America for a brief time. Then they closed for good in c. 1983. (according to posts in cinemastreasures.org) The rink became Dolphin Fitness Club with small shops and Dollar Tree occupying the space. The only thing you can see is the rink floor at the fitness club in this photo (see above). The poster said Genoveese Drug Store opened in the Fall of 1983. This means United Skates of America closed in 1983 or even 1982.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free Span Cinderblock Building.
Roof: Gable
Acres: N/A
Operated: Friday January 18, 1957 until c.1983 (Stared as Rollerama, then Roll-A-Rama Sports Center, then United Skates of America, all under connection, no closures in between).
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: More information on the rink AND photographs of interior when it was a roller rink and bowling center.
Sources: FRRF, Wikipedia (Tony Danza), Boxing-Scoops.com, Billboard-Feb. 2, 1957., cinemastreasures.org
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.
Roll-A-Rama Sports Center, 2402 86th Street, Brooklyn, New York
Roll-A-Rama Roller Rink was one of the venture in the Stillwell Theater building where the theater was once held in Brooklyn, New York. The building was designed by Architect Charles A. Sandblom began as a stage theater back then.from March 1928 until they closed in June 7, 1952. This was the theater a short distance from where they filmed a famous scene with one of the most memorable car/train chase ever made in the movie, "The French Connection" (1971), This building was famously connected with that and more. Read on.
After they closed the theater, they went on to become Stillwell Outlet Farmer's Market in 1954 which was named after the theater. But two years later, in 1956, the filed bankruptcy and shuttered the market.
The building was used once again but as Rollerama Roller Rink and Bowling Alley when they first opened on Friday January 18, 1957. (Billboard, Feb. 2, 1957) Eventually the name was changed to Roll-A-Rama Sports Center in 1962 (Skate Magazine 1962). The rink was held on ground floor as the bowling alley was on the 2nd floor. The rink outlived the bowling alley because of a fire in late 1970s. There are no information regarding to the fire such as articles online. However, specific fire to the bowling alley is not found online.
Nevertheless, the roller rink remained. They kept it open until 1983. Well, the difference was that the rink kept open until early 1980s then it became United Skates of America around the same period of time until 1983. We do not know. I will contact the headquarters in Ohio (Problem is, I got three different mailing addresses and no email address from the company on their website).
During the time of the rink, they added other activities including wrestling and boxing. One thing to notice a big name on this advertisement (see above), it was Brooklyn Native Tony Danza, who boxed professionally and later became an excellent actor well known for "Taxi" and "Who's the Boss?" He fought at the rink, legally. Tony, of course, won the bout in first round knockout against Ray Bryant on December 21, 1977 (Boxing-Scoop.com, Tony Danza profile, website expired, secondary resource-wikipedia).
They also opened on Sundays as a flea market on the rink. in the 1970s.
Boxing and wrestling were held in 1977 to 1978 including Tony Danza-Ray Bryant fight.
Then Roll-A-Rama became a United Skates of America for a brief time. Then they closed for good in c. 1983. (according to posts in cinemastreasures.org) The rink became Dolphin Fitness Club with small shops and Dollar Tree occupying the space. The only thing you can see is the rink floor at the fitness club in this photo (see above). The poster said Genoveese Drug Store opened in the Fall of 1983. This means United Skates of America closed in 1983 or even 1982.
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Wood. Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: N/A Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Free Span Cinderblock Building.
Roof: Gable
Acres: N/A
Operated: Friday January 18, 1957 until c.1983 (Stared as Rollerama, then Roll-A-Rama Sports Center, then United Skates of America, all under connection, no closures in between).
Reason for Closure: N/A
Wanted: More information on the rink AND photographs of interior when it was a roller rink and bowling center.
Sources: FRRF, Wikipedia (Tony Danza), Boxing-Scoops.com, Billboard-Feb. 2, 1957., cinemastreasures.org
© 2019 - 2020 Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved.