Possible sign at the old Rocket Skating Club although some say it was at the old Comet Skating Club. Yes, it became Rocket Skating Club later but no, this specific one was at the 3rd location which sat for 30 years at the 815 N. Virginia location. Source: OK Mod.
Southwestern Skate Center was operational from
Evident of Googie Architecture is found on front of the building. The Zigzag roofline is shown but some features you can see such as the front door area with arches which does not consist with the Googie Architecture. Its very Spanish version of Googie though which is almost non-existence for that matter. Just the roofline. The sign did change though. The signage above was new to change from the old which is shown below. This is why I save the beautiful picture below this comment.
A beautiful night for Southwestern Skate Center. The glow of the 1950s echo on a beautiful night. The cars could have been 1950s cars to sit to match with the architecture. Oh well. This was taken before 2011. Source: Southwestern Skate Center Facebook. Now this is my favorite since they torn down my favorite Mid-century architecture--the Tiny Naylor in California. Make this a landmark, Oklahomans! SAVE IT!
The interior of the Southwestern Skate Center. You can easily wooed with the Snowflake lights. They have a set of three sets. Yes, that's correct. three sets of three lights. Source: Southwestern Skate Center Facebook.
Rocket Skating Club 6401 South Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK
Skate-A-Rama 6401 South Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK
Southwestern Skate Center 6401 South Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK
South Skate 6401 South Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK (Currently operating)
Skate-A-Rama 6401 South Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK
Southwestern Skate Center 6401 South Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK
South Skate 6401 South Western Ave, Oklahoma City, OK (Currently operating)
Originally it was Rocket Skating Club but later on, several names including Skate-A-Rama, Southwestern Skate Center, and the current operating South Skate at this unique location on 6401 South Western Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
Like Comet Skating Club, both have very similar names, were they owned by the same owner but slightly different name and similar theme? Rocket and Comet.. sounds like they were. I have to say this they are one and the same family owned unless someone can correct me and I can fix this.
There is a conflict of dates. Both Southwestern Skate Center and South Skates both said they began in 1991. Was it really meant that South Skate counted Southwestern Skate Center as a just a name change and continuation of same management and just a name change? Some rinks get rebooted that way. No, here is what I found...
The owners of Southwestern Skate Center were Laird and Lorie Crowe began in 1991 and opened as Southwestern Skate center and the very first employee, Brandon Murray was hired and he worked and never had another job but only worked at the rink for 23 years. Yes, 23 years! He met his wife who was working at the snack bar and married and faithfully together then in 2020, Brandon and Rosa Murray purchased the rink and this is why the name changed to South Skate as they are the new management. Everything remains the same inside but just management change.
So, this page is sort of about the Rocket Skating Club as it was original owners, and so was Skate-A-Rama. Not much information on those two although the third, Southwestern Skate Center has a lot of information as well as the new South Skate that just opened in 2020 in the midst of COVID pandemic. It was time for a change anyhow and so congratulations Brandon and Rosa Murray on your new ownership.
The Interior.
It has None-painted coated Polyurethane coated Maple floor with pretty much geometric shapes on the Snow White wall. It feels easy and comfortable there that I recommend skaters to attend while it is still operating well. Yes, names have changed but still a roller rink there. Rocket may be gone and the style in there is gone but still, some hints are still in findable. Most notable is the exterior than interior though.
One thing really catches your eyes inside is if you look up during skating session, they have three colorful sets of "snowflakes" lights as I call that because of the shape. It showed different colors though. But it does look like snowflakes of sort. So, I am calling that, "Snowflakes" Similar to the former Comet, the Ceiling there has planets and musical symbols but this one snowflakes. This is the future replacing the favorite old Starburst lights (some call it spider but it is Starburst. Tube lights is the way to go with LED/fume light that can float through the tubes.
The Exterior.
This building is one of the most interesting because of the 1950s style awnings. it featured zigzag roofline. It was common in 1950s and 1960s with this style. It was part of the Mid-Century Googie Architecture era. I know of another rink with this style but part of a shopping plaza was none other than Empire Skates East. When Empire Skates in DeWitt, NY was operational, the canopy was the same shape and style but ran from end to end of the plaza but that was all changed during the same year as Empire closed in 1983. That appearance since 1983 remained the same today. I have seen some other buildings with this style. Like the the old Mister Donuts had that style too and one of that is still operational which is on 2018 South Salina Street in Syracuse, NY (Southside) as a Little Caesars. Many places were like that. In Oklahoma City area, there was another of Googie Architecture but it was demolished which was an amusement park which now is some offices and apartments there.
The rink has neon lights still. This is ideal place for both skating patrons and Route 66 patrons should stop by. I would recommend because of the uniqueness of style on the outside especially at night. Day time too. But most of the time, the rink is open during the evenings and daytime on weekends. It is now South Skate. It has beautiful green color. It sports 1950s style. It even have modern font style signage SKATE above the zigzag canopy.
That Googie Architecture is only strong remaining of the Rocket Skating Club, a true 1950s-60s themed roller rink still operational.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks-Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Zigzag.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A to Presently Operated.
Rocket Skating Club: N/A.
Skate-A-Rama: N/A.
Southwestern Skate Center: 1991 to 2020.
South Skate: (1991) 2020 to Presently Operated.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Rocket Skating Club: N/A.
Skate-A-Rama: N/A.
Southwestern Skate Center: Owners felt its time to sell to their longtime employee.
South Skate: Still operational.
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: South Skate (website, operational); Facebook - South Skate; Travelok - Southwestern Skate;
OK Mod - Rocket Skating Club; Yelp - Southwestern Skate Center;
Date of issue: 17 May 2021.
For office use only: 5 ps, 1 gm.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
Like Comet Skating Club, both have very similar names, were they owned by the same owner but slightly different name and similar theme? Rocket and Comet.. sounds like they were. I have to say this they are one and the same family owned unless someone can correct me and I can fix this.
There is a conflict of dates. Both Southwestern Skate Center and South Skates both said they began in 1991. Was it really meant that South Skate counted Southwestern Skate Center as a just a name change and continuation of same management and just a name change? Some rinks get rebooted that way. No, here is what I found...
The owners of Southwestern Skate Center were Laird and Lorie Crowe began in 1991 and opened as Southwestern Skate center and the very first employee, Brandon Murray was hired and he worked and never had another job but only worked at the rink for 23 years. Yes, 23 years! He met his wife who was working at the snack bar and married and faithfully together then in 2020, Brandon and Rosa Murray purchased the rink and this is why the name changed to South Skate as they are the new management. Everything remains the same inside but just management change.
So, this page is sort of about the Rocket Skating Club as it was original owners, and so was Skate-A-Rama. Not much information on those two although the third, Southwestern Skate Center has a lot of information as well as the new South Skate that just opened in 2020 in the midst of COVID pandemic. It was time for a change anyhow and so congratulations Brandon and Rosa Murray on your new ownership.
The Interior.
It has None-painted coated Polyurethane coated Maple floor with pretty much geometric shapes on the Snow White wall. It feels easy and comfortable there that I recommend skaters to attend while it is still operating well. Yes, names have changed but still a roller rink there. Rocket may be gone and the style in there is gone but still, some hints are still in findable. Most notable is the exterior than interior though.
One thing really catches your eyes inside is if you look up during skating session, they have three colorful sets of "snowflakes" lights as I call that because of the shape. It showed different colors though. But it does look like snowflakes of sort. So, I am calling that, "Snowflakes" Similar to the former Comet, the Ceiling there has planets and musical symbols but this one snowflakes. This is the future replacing the favorite old Starburst lights (some call it spider but it is Starburst. Tube lights is the way to go with LED/fume light that can float through the tubes.
The Exterior.
This building is one of the most interesting because of the 1950s style awnings. it featured zigzag roofline. It was common in 1950s and 1960s with this style. It was part of the Mid-Century Googie Architecture era. I know of another rink with this style but part of a shopping plaza was none other than Empire Skates East. When Empire Skates in DeWitt, NY was operational, the canopy was the same shape and style but ran from end to end of the plaza but that was all changed during the same year as Empire closed in 1983. That appearance since 1983 remained the same today. I have seen some other buildings with this style. Like the the old Mister Donuts had that style too and one of that is still operational which is on 2018 South Salina Street in Syracuse, NY (Southside) as a Little Caesars. Many places were like that. In Oklahoma City area, there was another of Googie Architecture but it was demolished which was an amusement park which now is some offices and apartments there.
The rink has neon lights still. This is ideal place for both skating patrons and Route 66 patrons should stop by. I would recommend because of the uniqueness of style on the outside especially at night. Day time too. But most of the time, the rink is open during the evenings and daytime on weekends. It is now South Skate. It has beautiful green color. It sports 1950s style. It even have modern font style signage SKATE above the zigzag canopy.
That Googie Architecture is only strong remaining of the Rocket Skating Club, a true 1950s-60s themed roller rink still operational.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Cinderblocks-Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Zigzag.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A to Presently Operated.
Rocket Skating Club: N/A.
Skate-A-Rama: N/A.
Southwestern Skate Center: 1991 to 2020.
South Skate: (1991) 2020 to Presently Operated.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Rocket Skating Club: N/A.
Skate-A-Rama: N/A.
Southwestern Skate Center: Owners felt its time to sell to their longtime employee.
South Skate: Still operational.
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: South Skate (website, operational); Facebook - South Skate; Travelok - Southwestern Skate;
OK Mod - Rocket Skating Club; Yelp - Southwestern Skate Center;
Date of issue: 17 May 2021.
For office use only: 5 ps, 1 gm.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.