Decal courtesy of Living History of Illinois
All photos courtesy of of Living History of Illinois. All of those were the Norridge location of The Hub before it became Axle Roller Rink. Postcard showed it was taken around 1930s or 40s and painted the black and white photo which was common for anything from rinks to motels to Americana to Route 66 and more. Both photos in the post card and the black-and-white of the rink did not do any good to show good perspective that it was very long rink. It was quite long, really! The snack bar photo above is quite unusual. It was designed like a modern night club alcoholic bar you would find at many places as well as restaurants I have been to since I was 18. The Black and White did not do any good to give you a picture of what color it was. It was red all around the walls of the bar with dark wood stain on the counter. Of course, you remember those classic metal trash containers. The dance floor was right nearby the bar. Perhaps it was an alcoholic bar but I am not sure because of the way the bar was set up and the dance floor as well. You should also notice the jukebox in background by the large window. Was that a 1950s Seeburg? It sure does look like a Seeburg Select-o-Matic 100G Jukebox. Or is that a 55 or 56 Seeburg 100JL? Cannot tell. One more thing, the bar also had a foot rest. Apparently this was like a night club bar after all.
The Hub/The Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois. This is a close up of the front of the rink. I was told by a skater that was her station wagon in the photo! Nice car! I remember seeing those cars back the day. This is what Raven, the station wagon owner said to me, I went in the day that they were taking the rink down and took the last few pictures of it. The car next to me, the red car with the white top belonging to the manager Bill Cohen. Next one is panned out more. Source: Digital Library of Historic Illinois.
The Hub/The Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois. This is a pan out of the front of the rink. I was told by a skater that was her station wagon in the photo! Nice car! I remember seeing those cars back the day. This is what Raven, the station wagon owner said to me, I went in the day that they were taking the rink down and took the last few pictures of it. The car next to me, the red car with the white top belonging to the manager Bill Cohen. This apparently was the last photo taken of the last day of this beloved storied rink. Source:
The Hub/The Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois. This is Graphic art of a couple. It became Axle. They operated at three locations including Norridge as well as Countryside and Niles, all suburbs of Chicago. That drawing of the people skating looks so folksy with very abstracting art work of people skating. I guess sexism was non-exist in a way because of the girl's mini-skirt on which is pretty close to her... you know. Source: Digital Library of Historic Illinois.
The Hub/The Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois. This was taken in 2010ish. I attempted to get exact year, I could not find it. Google may have changed it. Source: Google.
The Hub/The Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois. This is around 2015. Source: Google.
The Hub/The Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois. Wow! This was where the Hub used to be and then they remodeled for the plaza then again, totally renovated into a boring design! See next photo. Taken in 2019. Source: Google Map.
The Hub/The Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois. Wow! This was where the Hub used to be and then they remodeled for the plaza then again, totally renovated into a boring design! Too boxy, too plain, too ugly. It tries to be a minimalist but it is not. Totally not. Yes, you saw that sign on bottom picture. Chic-Fil-A is opening up at this location! Taken in September 2019. Due for another photo update! Still waiting for it! Source: Google.
The Hub 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois
Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois
Axle Roller Rink 4510 North Harlem Avenue, Chicago (Norridge), Illinois
This much storied rink, The Hub which had quite unusual facility. It was one of the largest in the world at the time with merely 275 feet long by 95 feet wide! That is longer than the Olympic and NHL length but width is 5 feet short of standards for an Olympic Ice Hockey Rink size. Try to image the size of the rink! It was quite long and the building itself which had Quonset hut style roof and it was quite long when you see the illustrations of the rink (see picture of label above). This is an old school roller rink design and business wise.
It was opened on October 27, 1950 just in time for Rock-n-Roll era but it was not. It was all organ music played by Leon Berry on a Wurlitzer Pipe Organ. It apparently was a popular rink that even the Hub opened two more locations (please check through the Rinks in US page to find Illinois and find more Axle rinks.
The rink was opened where there were practically almost no commercial developments between the rink and Irving Park Road. At the intersection were a police station, and Harlem Outdoor Theater (a Drive-in Theater).
It was in a quiet neighborhood but likely the draw of the entertainment, retail establishments came and encampment the neighborhood.
The rink building was long as I said before, it did look like the entire building would house the rink but it was not entirely true. There is a floor plan that had part of the length for roller rink and front part where they had various of things such as cloak room which was a coat room. They would actually give you a metal coin with a hole through it with a number stamped on to match to the number of your coat. Quite impressive. This was truly old school for 1950s. Not the 1970s standard rinks we all knew today.
Rental was on one corner, bathrooms were on the side middle between front and back, And a dance floor up front.
Sadly for many fans of The Hub, it was sold to new owners that changed the name to the Axle. It was not the same and it did not last long time. When skaters really cemented in something they love, they do not want to do anything with new owners. Kind of like what happened with 2 entire different rinks in 2 other states I just worked on: Conway Roller Rink in AR because of the owner was murdered and the next owner took over but it was not the same for those skaters and it died down. Same with Warnoco West that in 2004, they decided to change to ice rink and people did not like that and because of Warnoco North closed in 1996 that skaters were not happy with the clause so after the change at the West location, that was shooting-in-the-foot for that family in Greeley Colorado. This is purely an opinion, not a fact though.
Well, it might have said about the same. Short lived from 1973 when they changed hands and closed in 1985 a slow death of the rink.
When they changed, it became The Axle and their attempt with the cutesy couple skating together which does reassembled to early 20th Century folk art rather than 1970s style of mascot. To compare those folk art of early 20th Century, look at Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse, Felix the Cat, and Big Boy mascot of the Big Boys Restaurant Chain that Bob Wain came up with. Short, chubby, with fun curves. 1920s art fused with 1970s theme.
Unfortunately almost exactly 35 years later, on October 31, 1985 Axle closed for good at this beloved rink. Presently, it houses at least 3 different store fronts at the location as a mini plaza. The Quonset hut remains but they torn down part of the frontage and made into flat roof with new exterior walls that looks like flat roof. Still is that way but they covered most of it to hide that kind of roof.
Rink Size: 275 by 95 feet (one of largest in world) (26,175 SF) Floor: Clear Maple, Varnish finish? Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: 1950? Demolished: partial after 1985 for renovations.
Roof: Quonset Hut-style (with exception it does not go all the way to walls at the front/back)
Operated: (Overall) -- October 27, 1950 to October 31, 1985 (About exactly 35 years)
The Hub: October 27, 1950 to 1973
Axle Roller Rink: 1973 to October 31, 1985
Reason for Closure: The Hub: Name change to uniform all franchises to be The Axle.
Axle: Losing money so they closed.
Wanted: Information regarding why sold to new owners. Also the size of the building.
Sources: Remembering The Hub
Digital Library of Illinois
Answers
Facebook
Google Map
Hub Roller Rink PDF
Date of Issue: 2019 Update: 2020 Update again: 07 November 2021.
For Office Only:
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3, 16.
It was opened on October 27, 1950 just in time for Rock-n-Roll era but it was not. It was all organ music played by Leon Berry on a Wurlitzer Pipe Organ. It apparently was a popular rink that even the Hub opened two more locations (please check through the Rinks in US page to find Illinois and find more Axle rinks.
The rink was opened where there were practically almost no commercial developments between the rink and Irving Park Road. At the intersection were a police station, and Harlem Outdoor Theater (a Drive-in Theater).
It was in a quiet neighborhood but likely the draw of the entertainment, retail establishments came and encampment the neighborhood.
The rink building was long as I said before, it did look like the entire building would house the rink but it was not entirely true. There is a floor plan that had part of the length for roller rink and front part where they had various of things such as cloak room which was a coat room. They would actually give you a metal coin with a hole through it with a number stamped on to match to the number of your coat. Quite impressive. This was truly old school for 1950s. Not the 1970s standard rinks we all knew today.
Rental was on one corner, bathrooms were on the side middle between front and back, And a dance floor up front.
Sadly for many fans of The Hub, it was sold to new owners that changed the name to the Axle. It was not the same and it did not last long time. When skaters really cemented in something they love, they do not want to do anything with new owners. Kind of like what happened with 2 entire different rinks in 2 other states I just worked on: Conway Roller Rink in AR because of the owner was murdered and the next owner took over but it was not the same for those skaters and it died down. Same with Warnoco West that in 2004, they decided to change to ice rink and people did not like that and because of Warnoco North closed in 1996 that skaters were not happy with the clause so after the change at the West location, that was shooting-in-the-foot for that family in Greeley Colorado. This is purely an opinion, not a fact though.
Well, it might have said about the same. Short lived from 1973 when they changed hands and closed in 1985 a slow death of the rink.
When they changed, it became The Axle and their attempt with the cutesy couple skating together which does reassembled to early 20th Century folk art rather than 1970s style of mascot. To compare those folk art of early 20th Century, look at Steamboat Willie Mickey Mouse, Felix the Cat, and Big Boy mascot of the Big Boys Restaurant Chain that Bob Wain came up with. Short, chubby, with fun curves. 1920s art fused with 1970s theme.
Unfortunately almost exactly 35 years later, on October 31, 1985 Axle closed for good at this beloved rink. Presently, it houses at least 3 different store fronts at the location as a mini plaza. The Quonset hut remains but they torn down part of the frontage and made into flat roof with new exterior walls that looks like flat roof. Still is that way but they covered most of it to hide that kind of roof.
Rink Size: 275 by 95 feet (one of largest in world) (26,175 SF) Floor: Clear Maple, Varnish finish? Floor Layout: N/A
Building Size: N/A Built: 1950? Demolished: partial after 1985 for renovations.
Roof: Quonset Hut-style (with exception it does not go all the way to walls at the front/back)
Operated: (Overall) -- October 27, 1950 to October 31, 1985 (About exactly 35 years)
The Hub: October 27, 1950 to 1973
Axle Roller Rink: 1973 to October 31, 1985
Reason for Closure: The Hub: Name change to uniform all franchises to be The Axle.
Axle: Losing money so they closed.
Wanted: Information regarding why sold to new owners. Also the size of the building.
Sources: Remembering The Hub
Digital Library of Illinois
Answers
Google Map
Hub Roller Rink PDF
Date of Issue: 2019 Update: 2020 Update again: 07 November 2021.
For Office Only:
© Dead Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3, 16.