Starlight Skate Center West 815 SW Fairlawn Rd Topeka, KS
Starlite West Skate Center 815 Fairlawn Rd. SW, Topeka, KS
Skate-A-Way Skate Center 815 Fairlawn Rd. SW, Topeka, KS (current but old)
Sk8away 815 Fairlawn Rd. SW, Topeka, KS (current)
Starlite West Skate Center 815 Fairlawn Rd. SW, Topeka, KS
Skate-A-Way Skate Center 815 Fairlawn Rd. SW, Topeka, KS (current but old)
Sk8away 815 Fairlawn Rd. SW, Topeka, KS (current)
Starlite West Skate Center was at 815 Fairlawn Road Southwest, Topeka, Kansas. The name Starlight was commonly found on the net but it is actually a typo. It is officially, Starlite. But both names are listed for you to know it is one and the same.
It was Ken and Ruby Sasek whom they came to Topeka and built Starlite South Skate Center in 1966 at 301 S.E. 45th Street. The couple chose to build in South Topeka since it would be close to Forbes Air Force Base. At that time, the military base was active and roller skating was a favorite past time of military personnel.
Later, Ken and Ruby decided that Topeka could use yet another roller skating facility. They decided to, and built, Starlite West Skate Center at 815 S.W. Fairlawn Road in 1970.
In 1976, Edward "Pappy" Winkler purchased Starlite South Skate Center from the Saseks. Pappy originally owned a Radio Shack in Kansas City, and Ken would occasionally come in to purchase items for his rinks in Topeka and Kansas City. Over time they became good friends. Eventually, Pappy shared with Ken that he was interested in purchasing a skating rink and the two of them came to an agreement that Starlite South Skate Center was a good fit.
Over the next 4 years the two rinks thrived, and in 1980 Pappy purchased Starlite West Skate Center from the Saseks. Once again, both rinks were owned and operated by the same individual. This remained the case until 1990 when Pappy sold Starlite South Skate Center to Loretta Long. In the summer of 2020, Starlite South Skate Center closed its doors, and was sold to another business. It would no longer be a roller skating establishment.
Back to Starlite West Skate Center, in 1989, a woman known to all of 31 years later, Tina Robertson (affectionately called Miss Tina) went to work for Pappy. Six years later, in 1995, Tina purchased Starlite West Skate Center from Pappy. For many years, you could still go to the rink on the weekends and see Pappy hanging around and making his presence known. He loved making balloon animals for the kids. The smiles he brought to our youth over the years were priceless.
In 1998, Miss Tina renamed the rink to Skate-A-Way Skate Center and in 2001 she changed it to Sk8away, Inc. and it remains under that name even today (September of 2020.)
The Interior.
I do not have any older photos since its first opening. Of course, those days people did not think of taking pictures for future references like us here on Dead-Rinks. But more recent thanks to digital camera, people can take those pictures of rinks when there is no session or just opening a session.
As for Skate-A-Way on, Tina, the owner of the current rink, is an artist and she would paint murals annually or every other year. To keep it new and fresh which is a genius. Expensive but smart marketing concept. Good job Tina. I, myself am an Artist as well. Have done murals. Well, I understand you need to keep it up with trendy look and appearance without much to remodel everything else. You change a lot faster than what hotels would do--the 7 year lifecycle of the style. You do every year! That is an amazing.
Because of that, I cannot describe because by the time I finish writing this, and you read this, Tina changes once again. Hahaha.
Many of the pictures are self explanatory that those looks are what they are. Most recent I believe was done during Covid in 2020, Tina painted a huge graffiti like (which I do not like) the word, SKATE on the wall. The previous did looked better in my opinion. Also along with the word SKATE, there are wavy ribbon like on the wall.. kind of like the 2 famous soda brands would have their waves on their soda bottles/cans.
Every year or two at the most, there is a new paint job to admire. Miss Tina likes to keep it looking fresh. With her artistic abilities and the help of staff, it is like the whole place getting a facelift. From the various different geometric hanging shapes, to her own roller skate images that she builds, paints, and hangs on the walls, to the balloon and party images that she paints in the Party area, it is always something to amaze.
The Exterior.
It does look like a warehouse with more of.. storefront appearance with Red and White Bricks veneer brick wall on Cinderblocks. It had roof material change from once popular 1960s-70s roof-wall wood shingles to standard roof material in Shingle Black color. Clearly Tina had the skates painted on upper wall above the faux roof and canopy. All in repetitive. I believe it was a stencil painting to make it looked like a "wall paper"- like cookie cutter of repeating art. No offense but good art work though.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Sky Blue coated Concrete Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1970. Demolished: Still standing
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Flat.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1970 to present.
Starlight Skate Center West: 1970 to 1998,
Starlite West Skate Center: 1970 to 1998.
Skate-A-Way Skate Center: 1998 to 2001.
Sk8away: 2001 to present.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Starlight Skate Center West: Pappy Winker sold the rink to Miss Tina Robertson who changed name of rink.
Starlite West Skate Center: Pappy Winker sold the rink to Miss Tina Robertson who changed name of rink.
Skate-A-Way Skate Center: Still operational.
Sk8away: 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: Sk8away website - History;
Date of issue: 07 February 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.
It was Ken and Ruby Sasek whom they came to Topeka and built Starlite South Skate Center in 1966 at 301 S.E. 45th Street. The couple chose to build in South Topeka since it would be close to Forbes Air Force Base. At that time, the military base was active and roller skating was a favorite past time of military personnel.
Later, Ken and Ruby decided that Topeka could use yet another roller skating facility. They decided to, and built, Starlite West Skate Center at 815 S.W. Fairlawn Road in 1970.
In 1976, Edward "Pappy" Winkler purchased Starlite South Skate Center from the Saseks. Pappy originally owned a Radio Shack in Kansas City, and Ken would occasionally come in to purchase items for his rinks in Topeka and Kansas City. Over time they became good friends. Eventually, Pappy shared with Ken that he was interested in purchasing a skating rink and the two of them came to an agreement that Starlite South Skate Center was a good fit.
Over the next 4 years the two rinks thrived, and in 1980 Pappy purchased Starlite West Skate Center from the Saseks. Once again, both rinks were owned and operated by the same individual. This remained the case until 1990 when Pappy sold Starlite South Skate Center to Loretta Long. In the summer of 2020, Starlite South Skate Center closed its doors, and was sold to another business. It would no longer be a roller skating establishment.
Back to Starlite West Skate Center, in 1989, a woman known to all of 31 years later, Tina Robertson (affectionately called Miss Tina) went to work for Pappy. Six years later, in 1995, Tina purchased Starlite West Skate Center from Pappy. For many years, you could still go to the rink on the weekends and see Pappy hanging around and making his presence known. He loved making balloon animals for the kids. The smiles he brought to our youth over the years were priceless.
In 1998, Miss Tina renamed the rink to Skate-A-Way Skate Center and in 2001 she changed it to Sk8away, Inc. and it remains under that name even today (September of 2020.)
The Interior.
I do not have any older photos since its first opening. Of course, those days people did not think of taking pictures for future references like us here on Dead-Rinks. But more recent thanks to digital camera, people can take those pictures of rinks when there is no session or just opening a session.
As for Skate-A-Way on, Tina, the owner of the current rink, is an artist and she would paint murals annually or every other year. To keep it new and fresh which is a genius. Expensive but smart marketing concept. Good job Tina. I, myself am an Artist as well. Have done murals. Well, I understand you need to keep it up with trendy look and appearance without much to remodel everything else. You change a lot faster than what hotels would do--the 7 year lifecycle of the style. You do every year! That is an amazing.
Because of that, I cannot describe because by the time I finish writing this, and you read this, Tina changes once again. Hahaha.
Many of the pictures are self explanatory that those looks are what they are. Most recent I believe was done during Covid in 2020, Tina painted a huge graffiti like (which I do not like) the word, SKATE on the wall. The previous did looked better in my opinion. Also along with the word SKATE, there are wavy ribbon like on the wall.. kind of like the 2 famous soda brands would have their waves on their soda bottles/cans.
Every year or two at the most, there is a new paint job to admire. Miss Tina likes to keep it looking fresh. With her artistic abilities and the help of staff, it is like the whole place getting a facelift. From the various different geometric hanging shapes, to her own roller skate images that she builds, paints, and hangs on the walls, to the balloon and party images that she paints in the Party area, it is always something to amaze.
The Exterior.
It does look like a warehouse with more of.. storefront appearance with Red and White Bricks veneer brick wall on Cinderblocks. It had roof material change from once popular 1960s-70s roof-wall wood shingles to standard roof material in Shingle Black color. Clearly Tina had the skates painted on upper wall above the faux roof and canopy. All in repetitive. I believe it was a stencil painting to make it looked like a "wall paper"- like cookie cutter of repeating art. No offense but good art work though.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: Sky Blue coated Concrete Floor Layout: Standard.
Building Size: N/A. Built: 1970. Demolished: Still standing
Type of Building: Free-Span Steel Truss Steel-Walled Warehouse - like Building.
Roof: Flat.
Acres: N/A.
Operated: (Overall)-- 1970 to present.
Starlight Skate Center West: 1970 to 1998,
Starlite West Skate Center: 1970 to 1998.
Skate-A-Way Skate Center: 1998 to 2001.
Sk8away: 2001 to present.
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Starlight Skate Center West: Pappy Winker sold the rink to Miss Tina Robertson who changed name of rink.
Starlite West Skate Center: Pappy Winker sold the rink to Miss Tina Robertson who changed name of rink.
Skate-A-Way Skate Center: Still operational.
Sk8away: 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: Sk8away website - History;
Date of issue: 07 February 2021.
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:16.