United Skates of America 3475 Ridge Rd., Cleveland, OH. Taken in mid 2010s. Source: Google.
United Skates of America 3475 Ridge Rd., Cleveland, OH. Taken in 2016 by Loop Net Source: Loop Net.
United Skates of America 3475 Ridge Rd., Cleveland, OH. The interior. Noticed the walls? That was the only thing left from the former rink. Yes, they had a bit of columns which was a bit bothersome to skaters. Source: Loop Net.
The Googie Architecture round building:
Royal Castle Dension Ave, Cleveland, OH. Taken in early 2000s. Source: Road Arch.
Royal Castle Dension Ave, Cleveland, OH. Taken in 2007. It was Donut Connection. Maybe was at one time Mister Donut but this proves as Donut Connection. Source: Road Arch.
Royal Castle Dension Ave, Cleveland, OH. This was in 2012. Totally repainted roof to Dark Teal. Source: Road Arch.
Royal Castle Dension Ave, Cleveland, OH. Taken in 2014. Oddly, the colors made more sense for today's trend but they were ahead of time but.. Source: Road Arch.
This time in 2019, it is all colorful again and original colors of Royal Castle in this Googie's Architecture! Very MC look. Very Bozo the Clown colors here. Good thing they restored the color in this generation of Browning of America. Each operator who had their business there, they changed colors. Truly reversed from Chocolate trim with Off-White to America colors. Now abandoned. Source: Google.
A patent design for this building. Like Chuckwagon is to Arby's, Mansard roof is to McD and the Golden Arches Salt Box is to McD, Pizza Hut hut is to Pizza Hut. But this never lasted and never expanded with this design. Likely this was a prototype. Source: US Patent Office.
United Skates of America 3475 Ridge Rd., Cleveland, OH
United Skates of America was one of the chain rink that was held at 3475 Ridge Road in its hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. I could not find any further information however, after it was closed some time ago, it became a church bingo hall which then was up for lease or sale. That is all I could find out. I am disappointed it is harder to find information on United Skates of America rinks than any other rinks. I think they do not want any past history associated to the rink if they are corporate rather than a local mom-and-pop business.
They have several rinks in the Greater Cleveland-Akron area.
Before United Skates of America, it was Pick-N-Pay grocery store before United Skates of America But also it was Zayre Department Store and even Carousel Lanes bowling alley. This Facebook group members throw all that in without saying what came first. So was the rink short lived?
Loop Net truly have information that other sites did not reveal for the rink. Clearly it was built in 1965 so looks that way they opened that year for one of the businesses however, they closed in 2001. Because that was the year it was renovated into a church bingo hall.
But I would appreciate photos, correct information, exact dates of open and closure, why closed, etc.
The building was a free-standing building in a shopping plaza. It appeared to be only major building empty compared to the rest of the plaza that are pretty occupied.
Loop Net advertised the rink for sale in 2016. I believe they closed long before that because of renovations occurred in 2001 by turning into a bingo hall.
The Googie Building--
It was originally build in early 1960s before 1965. I guessed correctly when by seeing the style of the architecture. It was Royal Castle, a hamburger chain. It closed then it became several businesses including a donut shop called Mister Donuts, another donut shop, and a rug store.
Behind the rink was a very unusual rounded building in a very Googie look. It appeared to be built in 1960s. Perhaps the same time as the former rink building. (Building built in 1965--same time as the former rink building). I found it on Google. I believe it was a drive-in Restaurant because typical drive-in restaurants would have rounded building like Roberts, Norm's, Simons's, Tiny Naylor's, Hurbert's, original McDonalds (not the Golden Arches Ray Kroc version), etc. (See Restauranting Through the History website).
It is abandoned in 2020.
The building was designed and patented in 1963.
The Interior.
I do not know what it was like in 1965 but they renovated in 1980s-1990s with the Memphis Group style graphic design on the wall with geometric shapes such as triangles, circles, and squares. Very 1980s colors of Yellow, Purple, Pink on Light Gray walls. This really surprised me that the church kept those walls like that but the floor was replaced with vinyl flooring tiles. Clearly they ripped out Maple and likely destroyed. That is the tradition of USA rinks to do so when they close down a rink based on sources I read about or heard about.
The Exterior.
The building is pretty standard for a shopping plaza that it has a Flat roof, Columns-supported Steel Trusses Pink Bricks - Walled Storefront - like Building without any front windows like any other stores in the plaza. It does have 2 big sets of glass blocks windows. The main door was you walk up
Roof: Flat.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 21,600 SF. Built: 1965. Renovations: 2001. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Columns Post Steel Trusses Pink Bricks - Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Flat.
Acres: 1.70 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A. to 2001.
Pick-N-Pay: 1965 to N/A. (Grocery store).
Zayre Department Store: N/A to N/A.
Carousel Lanes: N/A to N/A.
United Skates of America: N/A to 2001.
Bingo hall: 2001 to 2016(?)
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Pick-N-Pay: N/A. (Grocery store).
Zayre Department Store: N/A.
Carousel Lanes: N/A.
United Skates of America: N/A.
Bingo hall: N/A.
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:
Loop Net - Real Estate Property records.
Loop Net - old ad saved as records. PDF version.
For the Googie's building..
Facebook - Cleveland Our Architecture Legacy
Burger Beast - History of Royale Castle burger chain of Ohio (not to be confused with Miami, Florida chain)
Road Arch - History.
Date of issue: 30 October 2021.
For office use only:
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.
They have several rinks in the Greater Cleveland-Akron area.
Before United Skates of America, it was Pick-N-Pay grocery store before United Skates of America But also it was Zayre Department Store and even Carousel Lanes bowling alley. This Facebook group members throw all that in without saying what came first. So was the rink short lived?
Loop Net truly have information that other sites did not reveal for the rink. Clearly it was built in 1965 so looks that way they opened that year for one of the businesses however, they closed in 2001. Because that was the year it was renovated into a church bingo hall.
But I would appreciate photos, correct information, exact dates of open and closure, why closed, etc.
The building was a free-standing building in a shopping plaza. It appeared to be only major building empty compared to the rest of the plaza that are pretty occupied.
Loop Net advertised the rink for sale in 2016. I believe they closed long before that because of renovations occurred in 2001 by turning into a bingo hall.
The Googie Building--
It was originally build in early 1960s before 1965. I guessed correctly when by seeing the style of the architecture. It was Royal Castle, a hamburger chain. It closed then it became several businesses including a donut shop called Mister Donuts, another donut shop, and a rug store.
Behind the rink was a very unusual rounded building in a very Googie look. It appeared to be built in 1960s. Perhaps the same time as the former rink building. (Building built in 1965--same time as the former rink building). I found it on Google. I believe it was a drive-in Restaurant because typical drive-in restaurants would have rounded building like Roberts, Norm's, Simons's, Tiny Naylor's, Hurbert's, original McDonalds (not the Golden Arches Ray Kroc version), etc. (See Restauranting Through the History website).
It is abandoned in 2020.
The building was designed and patented in 1963.
The Interior.
I do not know what it was like in 1965 but they renovated in 1980s-1990s with the Memphis Group style graphic design on the wall with geometric shapes such as triangles, circles, and squares. Very 1980s colors of Yellow, Purple, Pink on Light Gray walls. This really surprised me that the church kept those walls like that but the floor was replaced with vinyl flooring tiles. Clearly they ripped out Maple and likely destroyed. That is the tradition of USA rinks to do so when they close down a rink based on sources I read about or heard about.
The Exterior.
The building is pretty standard for a shopping plaza that it has a Flat roof, Columns-supported Steel Trusses Pink Bricks - Walled Storefront - like Building without any front windows like any other stores in the plaza. It does have 2 big sets of glass blocks windows. The main door was you walk up
Roof: Flat.
The Stats:
Rink Size: N/A. Floor: N/A. Floor Layout: N/A.
Building Size: 21,600 SF. Built: 1965. Renovations: 2001. Demolished: Still standing.
Type of Building: Columns Post Steel Trusses Pink Bricks - Walled Storefront - like Building.
Roof: Flat.
Acres: 1.70 AC.
Operated: (Overall)-- N/A. to 2001.
Pick-N-Pay: 1965 to N/A. (Grocery store).
Zayre Department Store: N/A to N/A.
Carousel Lanes: N/A to N/A.
United Skates of America: N/A to 2001.
Bingo hall: 2001 to 2016(?)
Reason for Closure: N/A.
Pick-N-Pay: N/A. (Grocery store).
Zayre Department Store: N/A.
Carousel Lanes: N/A.
United Skates of America: N/A.
Bingo hall: N/A.
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:
Loop Net - Real Estate Property records.
Loop Net - old ad saved as records. PDF version.
For the Googie's building..
Facebook - Cleveland Our Architecture Legacy
Burger Beast - History of Royale Castle burger chain of Ohio (not to be confused with Miami, Florida chain)
Road Arch - History.
Date of issue: 30 October 2021.
For office use only:
© Copyrighted by Dead-Rinks. All Rights Reserved. Jn 3:3 and 16.