Sefferino’s Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH. Taken in 2019. Source: Google.
Sefferino’s Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH. Sticker. Source: Worth point.
Sefferino’s Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH. Apparently Bill Sefferino wanted to sell extra skate wheels. Maybe no one wanted to buy it in the pro-shop back then. Source: Billboard - 6 April 1946, page 78, first column.
Sefferino’s Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH. Source: The Cincinnati Enquirer - Saturday, 20 October 1956 P. 19.
Sefferino’s Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH aka
Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, OH
Sefferino’s Rollerdrome 2827 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio. This roller rink was one of Sefferino owned roller rink. It was William F. Sefferino who started this rink and several other rinks he operated in the state.
William Sefferino began in 1921. The 1956 article showed that they were closing for good. I assume that William Sefferino closed his rinks for summer season off since skaters prefer to enjoy the summer outdoors as it is in the rust belt or the snow belt that skaters prefer to skate indoors somewhere. Remind you this is long before people prefer to be on the internet or the phone today.
William Sefferino decided to close the rink permanently instead of reopening that fall as he announced in the newspapers on Saturday 20 October 1956. He scheduled to be reopened that fall but I believe he decided to take retirement instead. He operated for many years. He worked for 35 long years. He became a snowbird along with his wife, Mrs. Sefferino to travel to Florida and to Canada.
He pioneered in Roller Dancing or we call that couple figure skating. This continue to this day in the nationals from state to regional to national championship and world championship as well.
William also owned and operated Seff's Labor Temple rink in Hamilton, Ohio which was the old Hilton Rink on East Van Zant Road. He also owned Seff's Chester Park Rink on Colerain and Spring Grove Avenues in Cincinnati. Also William owned rinks in Columbus, Ohio, Covington, Kentucky and Louisville, Kentucky. This means 6 roller rinks.
The book, Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday By Tom Russo said the rink opened in March 1937. I would not rely on that source because the article that the Sefferinos decided to close the rink in 1956 mentioned the date when he started and that very rink, the Sefferino Rollerdrome opened in 1921. So I rely on that source, not the book.
This rink was able to hold 3,000 skaters in a session.
It first held National Championship in 1940. The speed teams there demanded that the floor to be powered so much that the females who powered the floor looked like they aged in just few short hours because the white substance like a talcum power to prevent slippery. Well, the powder stick on their hair and they looked like they are old ladies.
The Rollerdrome Club, a private club was one of the World's largest skating club. The reason for the growth was that in 1946, it was reorganized under Ohio law to be a private club with a massive 12,000 members club. By April 1947, it was grown to 25,000 members! The reason for this was to discriminate against certain people which was a violation of Civil Rights even before the Civil Rights laws.
You see, Prior to reorganization to become a private club, A group of 16 people desired to go skating but because of their hereditary nationality, they were turned away because the rink was closed for a private party. In court, William Sefferino was acquitted of Desegregation and discrimination charges. This was common at many roller rink, amusement parks, etc during that period especially 1940s to 1960s. Rinks were targeted quite a bit. Even the oldest and biggest rink was burned to ashes because of riots. This was the 1921 riots you can click to.
I have described often about those rinks involved with discrimination. Yes roller skating industry had bad marks in history between the turn of the Century to 1960s. Same with many other industry had their own bad marks. Automobile industry had their own.. the riots and the deaths of workers. The air traffic control strike.. .could have stalled. Even health industry currently is having their bad marks right now due to those viruses outbreaks.
Likely the real reason for the Sefferinos leaving roller skating business and closed this rink may have to do with the bad mark-- the charges he faced and discrimination. Many rinks closed during 1950s to jump out of this problem. It was roller skating golden age that many operators decided to close on the high note of the curve. That lead destruction of the Golden Age into the downturn of the 1960s and early 1970s before the revitalized of Silver Age thanks to Disco of the 1970s and thanks to the movies both with skating and non-skating.. Skatetown USA starring the Late Patrick Swayze, Roller Boogie with Linda Blair and Jim Bray, and even Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta.
The end result for the decline of the 1960s that many Caucasians (Europeans) abandoned roller rinks). This is sort of not true. the Sliver Age of roller skating of 1970s to 1985 ish.. were pretty much majority Caucasians with a few minorities.
The current rebooted Golden Age in 2020 on HAS more minorities skating than Caucasians than ever before. It is Golden Age for the minorities.
Interesting to note. Small rinks could not afford to hire security personnel so they permitted Caucasians to police the rinks and not have to call the police. In another word, allowed the Caucasians to abuse power and gone narcissism on the minority such as bullying and rejecting. I see that on Yelp every once a while. This is sad. Really.
The Interior.
This rink was able to handle 3,000 skaters at given day or night. it had Maple Hardwood floor with skate powder on the floor. It was measured at 135 Feet Wide by 238 Feet Long! That amounted to 33,480 Square Feet! One of the largest rink at the time. Later they reduced size to 90' by 250". This means narrower but longer. It does look bigger that way but actually by square feet, it was smaller at 22,500 Square Feet. Big differences.
The Exterior.
Beautiful design especially the front. It does have Early Art Deco theme with Yellow Bricks and Dark Brown Bricks as stripe
The Stats:
Rink Size (1921): 135' x 238' (33,480 SF in 1921) Floor: Maple. Floor Layout: N/A.
Rink Size (renovated 1941): 90' x 250' (22,500 SF in 1941) Floor: Maple.. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Bricks - Walled Arena - like Building.
Roof: Gabled.
Acres: 0.2980 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1921 to Saturday 20 October 1956
Reason for Closure: Clearly after 35 years, retirement and wants to travel.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Billboard - 6 April 1946, page 78, first column.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, January 2, 1938, Page 50. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, January 9, 1938, Page 55. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, February 6, 1938, Page 57. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, February 27, 1938 Page 2. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, April 24, 1938, Page 30. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Saturday 28 Oct 1950, Page 16 Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Saturday, 20 October 1956 P. 19. Article.
Loop Net - Real Estate Records.
Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday - By Tom Russo, Page 90 - 92
Obituary - Janet Scilliano who was speed team race member. Page 23.
Date of issue: 29 December 2021.
For office use only: 4.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
William Sefferino began in 1921. The 1956 article showed that they were closing for good. I assume that William Sefferino closed his rinks for summer season off since skaters prefer to enjoy the summer outdoors as it is in the rust belt or the snow belt that skaters prefer to skate indoors somewhere. Remind you this is long before people prefer to be on the internet or the phone today.
William Sefferino decided to close the rink permanently instead of reopening that fall as he announced in the newspapers on Saturday 20 October 1956. He scheduled to be reopened that fall but I believe he decided to take retirement instead. He operated for many years. He worked for 35 long years. He became a snowbird along with his wife, Mrs. Sefferino to travel to Florida and to Canada.
He pioneered in Roller Dancing or we call that couple figure skating. This continue to this day in the nationals from state to regional to national championship and world championship as well.
William also owned and operated Seff's Labor Temple rink in Hamilton, Ohio which was the old Hilton Rink on East Van Zant Road. He also owned Seff's Chester Park Rink on Colerain and Spring Grove Avenues in Cincinnati. Also William owned rinks in Columbus, Ohio, Covington, Kentucky and Louisville, Kentucky. This means 6 roller rinks.
The book, Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday By Tom Russo said the rink opened in March 1937. I would not rely on that source because the article that the Sefferinos decided to close the rink in 1956 mentioned the date when he started and that very rink, the Sefferino Rollerdrome opened in 1921. So I rely on that source, not the book.
This rink was able to hold 3,000 skaters in a session.
It first held National Championship in 1940. The speed teams there demanded that the floor to be powered so much that the females who powered the floor looked like they aged in just few short hours because the white substance like a talcum power to prevent slippery. Well, the powder stick on their hair and they looked like they are old ladies.
The Rollerdrome Club, a private club was one of the World's largest skating club. The reason for the growth was that in 1946, it was reorganized under Ohio law to be a private club with a massive 12,000 members club. By April 1947, it was grown to 25,000 members! The reason for this was to discriminate against certain people which was a violation of Civil Rights even before the Civil Rights laws.
You see, Prior to reorganization to become a private club, A group of 16 people desired to go skating but because of their hereditary nationality, they were turned away because the rink was closed for a private party. In court, William Sefferino was acquitted of Desegregation and discrimination charges. This was common at many roller rink, amusement parks, etc during that period especially 1940s to 1960s. Rinks were targeted quite a bit. Even the oldest and biggest rink was burned to ashes because of riots. This was the 1921 riots you can click to.
I have described often about those rinks involved with discrimination. Yes roller skating industry had bad marks in history between the turn of the Century to 1960s. Same with many other industry had their own bad marks. Automobile industry had their own.. the riots and the deaths of workers. The air traffic control strike.. .could have stalled. Even health industry currently is having their bad marks right now due to those viruses outbreaks.
Likely the real reason for the Sefferinos leaving roller skating business and closed this rink may have to do with the bad mark-- the charges he faced and discrimination. Many rinks closed during 1950s to jump out of this problem. It was roller skating golden age that many operators decided to close on the high note of the curve. That lead destruction of the Golden Age into the downturn of the 1960s and early 1970s before the revitalized of Silver Age thanks to Disco of the 1970s and thanks to the movies both with skating and non-skating.. Skatetown USA starring the Late Patrick Swayze, Roller Boogie with Linda Blair and Jim Bray, and even Saturday Night Fever with John Travolta.
The end result for the decline of the 1960s that many Caucasians (Europeans) abandoned roller rinks). This is sort of not true. the Sliver Age of roller skating of 1970s to 1985 ish.. were pretty much majority Caucasians with a few minorities.
The current rebooted Golden Age in 2020 on HAS more minorities skating than Caucasians than ever before. It is Golden Age for the minorities.
Interesting to note. Small rinks could not afford to hire security personnel so they permitted Caucasians to police the rinks and not have to call the police. In another word, allowed the Caucasians to abuse power and gone narcissism on the minority such as bullying and rejecting. I see that on Yelp every once a while. This is sad. Really.
The Interior.
This rink was able to handle 3,000 skaters at given day or night. it had Maple Hardwood floor with skate powder on the floor. It was measured at 135 Feet Wide by 238 Feet Long! That amounted to 33,480 Square Feet! One of the largest rink at the time. Later they reduced size to 90' by 250". This means narrower but longer. It does look bigger that way but actually by square feet, it was smaller at 22,500 Square Feet. Big differences.
The Exterior.
Beautiful design especially the front. It does have Early Art Deco theme with Yellow Bricks and Dark Brown Bricks as stripe
The Stats:
Rink Size (1921): 135' x 238' (33,480 SF in 1921) Floor: Maple. Floor Layout: N/A.
Rink Size (renovated 1941): 90' x 250' (22,500 SF in 1941) Floor: Maple.. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Bricks - Walled Arena - like Building.
Roof: Gabled.
Acres: 0.2980 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1921 to Saturday 20 October 1956
Reason for Closure: Clearly after 35 years, retirement and wants to travel.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also photos/articles. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at [email protected]. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
Billboard - 6 April 1946, page 78, first column.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, January 2, 1938, Page 50. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, January 9, 1938, Page 55. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, February 6, 1938, Page 57. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, February 27, 1938 Page 2. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Sunday, April 24, 1938, Page 30. Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Saturday 28 Oct 1950, Page 16 Advertisement.
The Cincinnati Enquirer - Saturday, 20 October 1956 P. 19. Article.
Loop Net - Real Estate Records.
Chicago Rink Rats: The Roller Capital in Its Heyday - By Tom Russo, Page 90 - 92
Obituary - Janet Scilliano who was speed team race member. Page 23.
Date of issue: 29 December 2021.
For office use only: 4.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.