Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. This was a postcard. This is what it looked like when it was first opened. Source: Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Taken in the 1970s. Hard to see but I did not see a swimming pool outside as the description says but maybe I am wrong. Could have been indoors. Source: USGS.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. This was one of the last photo of the rink because of the billboard on the right saying, "REGREATFULLY WE ARE CLOSED NO INSURANCE NO ROLLER SKATING" Source: Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. One of the most beautiful 1970s roller rink interior design ever. The colors were trendy in the 1970s including Red and Yellow. The floor wood layout was quite different. It was a fusion of Fan and Log. You can see the lines on the floor pretty okay. Source: Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Whoa. Really different! Sure does look like a bus station because of the chairs in rows. This is bit too colorful in this section. What surprised me is that there are no arcade video games! Worse is next photo... Source: Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Too much yellow! Sunburst Yellow may have affected the camera to capture too much yellow-ness onto the film. Remember, it was not digital. All films! Again, looks like a bus station but it was not. That was Spinning Wheels Arena! The rows of chairs. They even had globe pendants lamps. The Concession Stand is in the back of the photo. Looks like a pizza oven there I can see. Source: Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Silly controversy. Source: Delaware County Daily Times Saturday 17 February 1973. © Copyrighted Digitally Remastered by Dead-Rinks (Cleaned up and rearranged article).
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. The skating rink shuts down for good. Source: Delaware County Daily Journal Tuesday 07 January 1986.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Part 1. It was a sad time in America with the Great Liability Insurance Crush of 1980s. Source: The News Journal Wednesday, 08 January 1986. (See part 2 below).
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Part 2. Source: The News Journal Wednesday, 08 January 1986.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Source: Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Source: Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA. Source: 2nd Facebook Spinning Wheels group.
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, PA
Spinning Wheels Arena 255 Rte. 202, Concordville, Pennsylvania was a roller rink from Tuesday 20 February 1973 to 1986. It was a classic looking 1970s roller rink for a time when roller skating was popular at the time with Disco Era. Google Map showed it was at 255 Route 202, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. But the street name ON the street is 255 Wilmington West Chester Pike, Glen Mills, Pennsylvania. Whew, long street name!
A newspaper reported that Spinning Wheels Arena was a new rink that replaced "Big C" that was burned down in 1971. Was "Big C" a roller rink? Sounded like it according to the article. I searched on Google and there is no such thing is a "Big C" But the article in Delaware County Daily Times article on Saturday 17 February 1973 mentioned that name. Anybody know about this?
Just before the rink opened, there was a controversy regarding some residents complained about how the rink will drain rainwater. But the county council approved the permit for William C. Coopersmith to built his roller rink.
The rink ran successfully until the 1980s that the next big thing that were forcing roller rinks to close was the insurance policies from many business insurance companies forcing roller rinks to pay a lot more for liability insurance. During 1980s everything was becoming well for the United States that President Ronald Reagan (R) lower interest rate from the government and lower prices and freezing prices but it was just the insurance companies making businesses to change-- pay more for liabilities as well as for some businesses, they had to add safety features. I recalled at a local Putt Putt® in DeWitt, NY, just a block away from the just closed Empire Skates East in 1980s that the owner had to built rails, and other safety features at the once popular miniature golf course behind McDonalds #27 on Erie Boulevard East. He said insurance went up big time as he told me in around 1986 as I recalled when I was there to play for a local Putters Tournament (I was usually top 10 player during 1980s and early 1990s). It really hurt his business he said. He said as I recalled, "Not just us here, every businesses that has high risks" I had no idea until I learned in Rinksider in early 1990s.
So, they had to close the rink because of no insurance. The billboard clearly stated on the building, "REGREATFULLY WE ARE CLOSED NO INSURANCE NO ROLLER SKATING" They already closed and was featured in the newspaper with that billboard statement.
Today it is a Goodwill thrift store and a few other small businesses. Next door building north of the former rink appeared to be empty and has similar design.
The Interior.
What unusual it was that it had not just one but TWO Concession stands. there was a small swimming pool in back of the office, and in addition to the Hammond B-3 in the glass enclosed booth, Bill Coopersmith had a Hammond C-3 in his office.
The Exterior.
Free-Span Steel Trusses Masonry (Red Bricks front, Blocks all around) - Walled Storefront - like Building with Mansard roof with Natural Wood Shingles roof tiles.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 100' x 200'. Floor: Urethane coated Hardwood Maple. Floor Layout: Unusual. (See photo)
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Masonry (Red Bricks front, Blocks all around) - Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Mansard with Natural Wood Shingles roof tiles.
Acres: N/A.
Organ: Hammond B-3 Organ (was in the owner's office at the rink!)
Swimming Pool.
Operated: (Overall)-- Tuesday 20 February 1973 to 1986.
Reason for Closure: Rising expensive business insurance for the rink-- could not afford..
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:
Facebook - I spinned at Spinning Wheels.
Facebook - Spinning Wheels Rink.
All newspaper credits are shown in captions under photos.
Worth to visit:
None.
Date of issue: 05 February 2022.
For office use only: 14.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
A newspaper reported that Spinning Wheels Arena was a new rink that replaced "Big C" that was burned down in 1971. Was "Big C" a roller rink? Sounded like it according to the article. I searched on Google and there is no such thing is a "Big C" But the article in Delaware County Daily Times article on Saturday 17 February 1973 mentioned that name. Anybody know about this?
Just before the rink opened, there was a controversy regarding some residents complained about how the rink will drain rainwater. But the county council approved the permit for William C. Coopersmith to built his roller rink.
The rink ran successfully until the 1980s that the next big thing that were forcing roller rinks to close was the insurance policies from many business insurance companies forcing roller rinks to pay a lot more for liability insurance. During 1980s everything was becoming well for the United States that President Ronald Reagan (R) lower interest rate from the government and lower prices and freezing prices but it was just the insurance companies making businesses to change-- pay more for liabilities as well as for some businesses, they had to add safety features. I recalled at a local Putt Putt® in DeWitt, NY, just a block away from the just closed Empire Skates East in 1980s that the owner had to built rails, and other safety features at the once popular miniature golf course behind McDonalds #27 on Erie Boulevard East. He said insurance went up big time as he told me in around 1986 as I recalled when I was there to play for a local Putters Tournament (I was usually top 10 player during 1980s and early 1990s). It really hurt his business he said. He said as I recalled, "Not just us here, every businesses that has high risks" I had no idea until I learned in Rinksider in early 1990s.
So, they had to close the rink because of no insurance. The billboard clearly stated on the building, "REGREATFULLY WE ARE CLOSED NO INSURANCE NO ROLLER SKATING" They already closed and was featured in the newspaper with that billboard statement.
Today it is a Goodwill thrift store and a few other small businesses. Next door building north of the former rink appeared to be empty and has similar design.
The Interior.
What unusual it was that it had not just one but TWO Concession stands. there was a small swimming pool in back of the office, and in addition to the Hammond B-3 in the glass enclosed booth, Bill Coopersmith had a Hammond C-3 in his office.
The Exterior.
Free-Span Steel Trusses Masonry (Red Bricks front, Blocks all around) - Walled Storefront - like Building with Mansard roof with Natural Wood Shingles roof tiles.
The Stats:
Rink Size: 100' x 200'. Floor: Urethane coated Hardwood Maple. Floor Layout: Unusual. (See photo)
Building Size: N/A. Built: N/A. Renovations: N/A. Demolished: N/A.
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Trusses Masonry (Red Bricks front, Blocks all around) - Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Mansard with Natural Wood Shingles roof tiles.
Acres: N/A.
Organ: Hammond B-3 Organ (was in the owner's office at the rink!)
Swimming Pool.
Operated: (Overall)-- Tuesday 20 February 1973 to 1986.
Reason for Closure: Rising expensive business insurance for the rink-- could not afford..
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:
Facebook - I spinned at Spinning Wheels.
Facebook - Spinning Wheels Rink.
All newspaper credits are shown in captions under photos.
Worth to visit:
None.
Date of issue: 05 February 2022.
For office use only: 14.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.