South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Noticed how true 1950s look? Large window panels, zig-zag walls with the large neon sign, "Skating" and the starburst on top of it. True classic 1950s rink, a rarity! Too bad the windows were covered up on the sides and most of the front. And added a garage door. Groan! Canopy was truly 1950s because of the Steel-Trust post. Photo is taken during 1960s thanks to automobiles shown in the photograph. White or Very Light Sky Blue. Can't tell. Source: Couey Family.
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Albert Couey was teaching two females skating. Remember, no skatemates at the time! Hard to tell the floor was Concrete or Wood. Anyone? Source: Couey Family.
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Full page advertisement! Nice! Name a rink today does that? I doubt it. Source: AD courtesy of Couey Family/The Atlanta Journal P. 13.
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Noticed big changes to windows, garage door.. canopy, main doors.. and paint. Funny, the current owner painted this in 1950s Baby Girl Pink! Nice job! Source: Google Map.
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Noticed big changes to windows, garage door.. canopy, main doors.. and paint. Funny, the current owner painted this in 1950s Baby Girl Pink! Nice job! Source: Google Map.
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. This was taken in 1981. Yes, you are seeing snow! (I believe it was same winter that Miami, FL had snow). Source: Dave Parham.
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Sorry about the photo. This was taken in 1981. Source: Dave Parham.
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Teens hanging out.. Taken in 1981. Source: Dave Parham
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Teens hanging out.. Taken in 1981. Source: Dave Parham
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA. Source: Billboard (September 21, 1959, 4th and 5 column) with modification to combine article, please see link to understand why).
South Cobb Skating Club 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA
South Cobb Roller Rink 560 Lion Club Drive, Mableton, GA
South Cobb Roller Rink was the first in series that the Cuoey Family opened and operated which was in Mableton, GA off of Old Bankhead Highway according to a description on Facebook but I found the Street on an advertisement. It says Lion Club Drive. Found the street and I believe I found the building. Heavily renovated.
Both Carl and his brother, Albert built this rink. Carl also opened other rinks even Dazzles as well as the other sparkles rinks throughout Georgia and Tennessee. But the South Cobb was the first. Both brothers built the rink themselves perhaps with help of course.
They opened in 04 September 1959 and closed in 1982. Only 23 years.
UPDATE! -- 16 May 2022.
I received an email from someone who was connected to this rink. I will let you read this. Thank you Nancy! (edited).
I skated at this rink from the opening to around the 70's. My first hubby was the first person hired by this rink & his Mother, Vivian worked the entrance & pay window. Also good friends of ours worked concession stand. It was a marvel in it's time. I think it may have been the only rink in Ga. At the time that had a concrete floor. Loved this place and met my first hubby there. Great memories.
UPDATE! -- 10 July 2022.
Again, Nancy send me an email and this is what she said. Thank you!
I believe that the floor was called terrazzo with concrete underneath. I believe at the time it was the only rink in and around the Atlanta area is that had such a floor like this. I'm the same person that gave you the previous description. That place holds many memories for me & a lot of others.
UPDATE! -- 02 September 2022.
Wow, this page is popular and I kept getting emails. A few rinks are popular though. This time I got email from a David Parham. Here is what he has to say --
My mother was a/the manager of this rink when it closed in the early 80s. At that time it was called South Cobb Skating Club. I don’t recall all the details of why it closed but I have hazy memories of there being some sort of disagreement with the Couey’s. Also, I think competition from a Sparkles, that might have been a Couey property as well might have contributed. I have some vague memory of them wanting to move into arcades at the time. This may not be at all accurate as it is based on the understanding of a 6 year old kid at the time. I do remember the terrazzo floor, most people seemed to think it was marble. It was unforgiving when someone’s head hit it. I recall many times seeing people sitting in the office with bloody scalps. It may have felt harder for falls, but it was much smoother that the wooden floors going into sparkles at the time. I’ve recently starting scanning some of of my mothers photos from that time (she passed in 2010). I’ve included several here that show some of the building interior and exterior at the time. I have not gotten permission from the people in the photos, most of them I can’t identify.
I recall carpeted walls and I wasn’t able to find a picture but several carpeted toad stools, round benches used to tie up or just hang out. Several of the fiberglass round tables with captured benches.
Dave Parham
Thank you David. Really helps and confirmed some things as well. And the photos too. I really loved the architecture on this building because it was truly Mid-Century design.
The Interior.
While I do not have any good photos of the original rink interior, I can see windows were used based on exterior rendering and photograph. It was well lit inside with windows on both ends-the front and the rear that made the rink interior much brighter. But with night time, dark enough to be function-able with all Disco lights.
The floor was Poured Concrete with Terrazzo. The ceiling had that amber-colored small globes lights. Very 1960s/70s feel to it.
The Exterior.
A Classical Mid-Century Modernism feel to it. It had huge panel windows or window-walls on both sides-the front and the rear with the admission door and exit on the right side when facing the front of the building. It had huge canopy according to the drawing. Renderings not always become exact the same. Remember that the owner of any businesses or houses always change in last minute after the original rendering is completed.
Including the panel windows, they had White tiles on the front. Similar to what some fast food chains did in 1950s (McDonalds for example).
What further changes from the rendering you saw above is vertical zig-zag walls. This showed this place was truly Mid-Century Modern (MCM)/ Googie Architecture however, it is a bit of Brutalism that it should be qualified as Landmark comes in at least 2059 if survivable. Unfortunately, they closed the rink in 1982 which have destroyed the front wall (and likely rear wall too) by covering up the window with cinder-blocks. Only exception they preserved Mid-Century appearances were or are the smaller window panel in same position seen on the left front side. And the Zig-Zag or folding wall. This reminds me of BEST Catalog Stores' unique architecture designed by James Wines and his SITE in 1972.
But this pre-dates BEST Products Catalog Stores makes it one of originals along with Big Boys, Stan's, Tiny Naylor's, McDonalds-Downey, Carrols, Burger King, Burger Chef, Shipp's, Danny's/Denny's, and others during the Fabulous 50s. This is one of the most unique rink architecture design of 1950s-1960s. Hardly any rinks today showcase like those 20th Century greats. (If you do not know those names, please google them and you will see the images on Google and see how unique designs in 1950s were). Check Googie's, Mid-Century, and Mid-Century Modernism. They are my favorite architecture styles. It is coming back in style. Noticed all your favorite fast food chains now has that look? It is Minimalism. That style is in vouge now. I love that too.
It was built by the rink owners, Albert and Carl Couey- The Couey Brothers built the rink themselves which save labor cost but it was laborious working the entire building! I am sure they did hire other contractors to built the rest of the rink. Again, one of the most unique rink ever designed.
In addition to the windows on front and back, they had standard size windows on the right and left walls. If it was going to be a landmark, the exterior would need to be restored to that beautiful 1960s colored photograph, a rare color-balanced photo of 1960s.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Terrazzo over Poured Concrete. Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: 24,000 SF Built: 1959 Demolished: Still standing, renovated for current tenant.
Type of Building: Mid-Century Modernism Free Span Steel Truss Cinder-blocked Retail-like Building. Huge window panels front and rear of building.
Roof: Gable
Acres: 2.3300 Acres.
Organ: N/A.
10 Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Duck Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Candlestick Bowling Lanes: None.
Pocket Billiard Tables: N/A.
Amusement Rides: None.
Driving Range Slots: None.
Miniature Golf Course: None.
Arcade: (Number unknown)
Skee-Ball: N/A.
Fascination: None.
Restaurant: None.
Cocktail lounge: None.
Laser Tag: None.
Bounce Houses: None.
Bumper Cars: None.
Go-Kart: None.
Motel: None.
Swimming Pool: None.
Jungle Gym Playground: None.
Skate Park: None.
Operated: Friday, 04 September 1959 (newspaper ad) to Saturday, 02 October 1982.
Reason for Closure: Disagreement, has other rinks to focus.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also, photos/articles. Also send me any updates such as reopening, sold, name changes, or whatsoever occurred with this rink or any rinks. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at Dead-Rinks. Before you email, please state this rink name AND THE CITY AND STATE (or COUNTRY) so I can know where or what rink you are talking about. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
MDJ Online
Google Map
Facebook (You cannot see since its a private group)
Billboard - 21 September 1959, page 77, column 4 and 5.
William Couey Obituary
Loop Net
Realtor
AJC newspaper.
Email - N.R-C. (16 May 2022 and 10 July 2022).
Email - Dave Parham (02 September 2022). Thanks for great photos!
Date of Issue: 2019.
Updated: 20 April 2022.
Updated: 16 May 2022.
Updated: 02 September 2022.
For office only: 10.
Worth to visit:
You can see the exterior today. Still there. But the inside it is entirely different business. Focus on exterior only.
DISCLAIMER:
Dead-Rinks and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. We do not endorse such illegal activities including breaking and entry of former rinks, malls, abandoned buildings, etc. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Second of all: The contents including words and photos above on this page and/or on any pages are purely educational entertainment purposes only. I provide what information from other websites, skaters, and operators and it may end up with different results between two (or more) sources. It is not our responsible for errors we caused. All sources are shown on each page. All opinions and statements of mine are also stated and are for purely educational entertainment only.
Rinks that are closed are considered dead. Rinks that are/were sold and with new management names new name(s), the former are considered dead. Previous operating rink that closed but came back years later, are considered dead because the reopening is considered rebooted, nothing to do with the former.
As for “For Office Only” is for my reasoning and private legal reason for that.
Any music associated with any YouTube or any other videos provided on Dead-Rinks are not the property of Dead-Rinks therefore we do not own the rights to the music.
All photos you submitted or we retrieved become property of Dead-Rinks and are watermarked but they are credited to you (or where the source is from). Thank you for understanding. To understand more about this, please go to this page: Disclaimer.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks, an International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 to 16. Deut. 32:7.
Both Carl and his brother, Albert built this rink. Carl also opened other rinks even Dazzles as well as the other sparkles rinks throughout Georgia and Tennessee. But the South Cobb was the first. Both brothers built the rink themselves perhaps with help of course.
They opened in 04 September 1959 and closed in 1982. Only 23 years.
UPDATE! -- 16 May 2022.
I received an email from someone who was connected to this rink. I will let you read this. Thank you Nancy! (edited).
I skated at this rink from the opening to around the 70's. My first hubby was the first person hired by this rink & his Mother, Vivian worked the entrance & pay window. Also good friends of ours worked concession stand. It was a marvel in it's time. I think it may have been the only rink in Ga. At the time that had a concrete floor. Loved this place and met my first hubby there. Great memories.
UPDATE! -- 10 July 2022.
Again, Nancy send me an email and this is what she said. Thank you!
I believe that the floor was called terrazzo with concrete underneath. I believe at the time it was the only rink in and around the Atlanta area is that had such a floor like this. I'm the same person that gave you the previous description. That place holds many memories for me & a lot of others.
UPDATE! -- 02 September 2022.
Wow, this page is popular and I kept getting emails. A few rinks are popular though. This time I got email from a David Parham. Here is what he has to say --
My mother was a/the manager of this rink when it closed in the early 80s. At that time it was called South Cobb Skating Club. I don’t recall all the details of why it closed but I have hazy memories of there being some sort of disagreement with the Couey’s. Also, I think competition from a Sparkles, that might have been a Couey property as well might have contributed. I have some vague memory of them wanting to move into arcades at the time. This may not be at all accurate as it is based on the understanding of a 6 year old kid at the time. I do remember the terrazzo floor, most people seemed to think it was marble. It was unforgiving when someone’s head hit it. I recall many times seeing people sitting in the office with bloody scalps. It may have felt harder for falls, but it was much smoother that the wooden floors going into sparkles at the time. I’ve recently starting scanning some of of my mothers photos from that time (she passed in 2010). I’ve included several here that show some of the building interior and exterior at the time. I have not gotten permission from the people in the photos, most of them I can’t identify.
I recall carpeted walls and I wasn’t able to find a picture but several carpeted toad stools, round benches used to tie up or just hang out. Several of the fiberglass round tables with captured benches.
Dave Parham
Thank you David. Really helps and confirmed some things as well. And the photos too. I really loved the architecture on this building because it was truly Mid-Century design.
The Interior.
While I do not have any good photos of the original rink interior, I can see windows were used based on exterior rendering and photograph. It was well lit inside with windows on both ends-the front and the rear that made the rink interior much brighter. But with night time, dark enough to be function-able with all Disco lights.
The floor was Poured Concrete with Terrazzo. The ceiling had that amber-colored small globes lights. Very 1960s/70s feel to it.
The Exterior.
A Classical Mid-Century Modernism feel to it. It had huge panel windows or window-walls on both sides-the front and the rear with the admission door and exit on the right side when facing the front of the building. It had huge canopy according to the drawing. Renderings not always become exact the same. Remember that the owner of any businesses or houses always change in last minute after the original rendering is completed.
Including the panel windows, they had White tiles on the front. Similar to what some fast food chains did in 1950s (McDonalds for example).
What further changes from the rendering you saw above is vertical zig-zag walls. This showed this place was truly Mid-Century Modern (MCM)/ Googie Architecture however, it is a bit of Brutalism that it should be qualified as Landmark comes in at least 2059 if survivable. Unfortunately, they closed the rink in 1982 which have destroyed the front wall (and likely rear wall too) by covering up the window with cinder-blocks. Only exception they preserved Mid-Century appearances were or are the smaller window panel in same position seen on the left front side. And the Zig-Zag or folding wall. This reminds me of BEST Catalog Stores' unique architecture designed by James Wines and his SITE in 1972.
But this pre-dates BEST Products Catalog Stores makes it one of originals along with Big Boys, Stan's, Tiny Naylor's, McDonalds-Downey, Carrols, Burger King, Burger Chef, Shipp's, Danny's/Denny's, and others during the Fabulous 50s. This is one of the most unique rink architecture design of 1950s-1960s. Hardly any rinks today showcase like those 20th Century greats. (If you do not know those names, please google them and you will see the images on Google and see how unique designs in 1950s were). Check Googie's, Mid-Century, and Mid-Century Modernism. They are my favorite architecture styles. It is coming back in style. Noticed all your favorite fast food chains now has that look? It is Minimalism. That style is in vouge now. I love that too.
It was built by the rink owners, Albert and Carl Couey- The Couey Brothers built the rink themselves which save labor cost but it was laborious working the entire building! I am sure they did hire other contractors to built the rest of the rink. Again, one of the most unique rink ever designed.
In addition to the windows on front and back, they had standard size windows on the right and left walls. If it was going to be a landmark, the exterior would need to be restored to that beautiful 1960s colored photograph, a rare color-balanced photo of 1960s.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A Floor: Terrazzo over Poured Concrete. Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: 24,000 SF Built: 1959 Demolished: Still standing, renovated for current tenant.
Type of Building: Mid-Century Modernism Free Span Steel Truss Cinder-blocked Retail-like Building. Huge window panels front and rear of building.
Roof: Gable
Acres: 2.3300 Acres.
Organ: N/A.
10 Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Duck Pins Bowling Lanes: None.
Candlestick Bowling Lanes: None.
Pocket Billiard Tables: N/A.
Amusement Rides: None.
Driving Range Slots: None.
Miniature Golf Course: None.
Arcade: (Number unknown)
Skee-Ball: N/A.
Fascination: None.
Restaurant: None.
Cocktail lounge: None.
Laser Tag: None.
Bounce Houses: None.
Bumper Cars: None.
Go-Kart: None.
Motel: None.
Swimming Pool: None.
Jungle Gym Playground: None.
Skate Park: None.
Operated: Friday, 04 September 1959 (newspaper ad) to Saturday, 02 October 1982.
Reason for Closure: Disagreement, has other rinks to focus.
Wanted: Information regarding exact dates of open/closed, why closed, size of rink, rink materials. Also, photos/articles. Also send me any updates such as reopening, sold, name changes, or whatsoever occurred with this rink or any rinks. Anyone knows or have photos, please let me know by emailing at Dead-Rinks. Before you email, please state this rink name AND THE CITY AND STATE (or COUNTRY) so I can know where or what rink you are talking about. Thank you. You can also use this form.
Sources:
MDJ Online
Google Map
Facebook (You cannot see since its a private group)
Billboard - 21 September 1959, page 77, column 4 and 5.
William Couey Obituary
Loop Net
Realtor
AJC newspaper.
Email - N.R-C. (16 May 2022 and 10 July 2022).
Email - Dave Parham (02 September 2022). Thanks for great photos!
Date of Issue: 2019.
Updated: 20 April 2022.
Updated: 16 May 2022.
Updated: 02 September 2022.
For office only: 10.
Worth to visit:
You can see the exterior today. Still there. But the inside it is entirely different business. Focus on exterior only.
DISCLAIMER:
Dead-Rinks and Mark Falso are not responsible for your physical and legal injuries you may have caused. We do not endorse such illegal activities including breaking and entry of former rinks, malls, abandoned buildings, etc. Please always obey laws and regulations and property owner's signs. Some states allow purple paint on fence which means they even have guns on their property and have rights to shoot you. Please DO NOT attempt to enter property without permission!
For abandoned rinks, after you receive permission, do WEAR safety OSHA equipment including a safety glasses, pair of safety gloves, an orange vest or a jacket, and a construction helmet.
Thank you for understanding.
Second of all: The contents including words and photos above on this page and/or on any pages are purely educational entertainment purposes only. I provide what information from other websites, skaters, and operators and it may end up with different results between two (or more) sources. It is not our responsible for errors we caused. All sources are shown on each page. All opinions and statements of mine are also stated and are for purely educational entertainment only.
Rinks that are closed are considered dead. Rinks that are/were sold and with new management names new name(s), the former are considered dead. Previous operating rink that closed but came back years later, are considered dead because the reopening is considered rebooted, nothing to do with the former.
As for “For Office Only” is for my reasoning and private legal reason for that.
Any music associated with any YouTube or any other videos provided on Dead-Rinks are not the property of Dead-Rinks therefore we do not own the rights to the music.
All photos you submitted or we retrieved become property of Dead-Rinks and are watermarked but they are credited to you (or where the source is from). Thank you for understanding. To understand more about this, please go to this page: Disclaimer.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks, an International Commercial Archeology Preservation© Group. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 to 16. Deut. 32:7.