That’s How We Roll: Vandalia Skateworld
Mention roller skating, and most people think of kids skating around a rink with organ music playing in the background. Some of us remember when Roller Disco was a popular pastime, and a fun date. The 1950s through the ‘70s may be known as the Golden Age of Roller Skating, but it has made a comeback over the past few years.
Skateworld of Vandalia has been operating since 1976. In addition to recreational roller skating, the rink hosts parties for birthdays, sports events, church groups, and more. The skating sessions are accompanied by a DJ playing the latest tunes. They also have a Fun Shop, with video games and prizes, and a fully stocked snack bar. The spirit of family fun and community can be summed up with the mantra from their website —“Skate, don’t hate! That’s how we roll!”
The Gazette recently spoke with Skateworld’s longtime manager Charles Clark. Although he retired in 2021, he still puts in a few hours a day at the place where he has spent much of his life.
“We’re going into our 49th year,” he said. “The Corson family out of Kettering are the ones who built Skateworlds around the area. They opened their first one in Kettering in 1974, then this one opened in ’76. They had one in Xenia for a while. They actually built one rink for each of their kids, but the kids didn’t want to be part of it. I ran this one for them for 25 years, then went into partnership with Beau Townsend, and purchased it in 2004. I’m 77 years old, and I just keep the place running for Mr. Townsend now.”
The rink boasts a 16,000 square foot floor, plus a smaller area for beginners. They have SkateMates that help children or adults learn to skate independently. There is also a full-service Pro Shop that offers skates for sale, along with repairs. In addition to the weekly schedule of open sessions, the rink is available to rent for special occasions. They also do themed events throughout the year for Halloween, Christmas, and Easter, among others. Clark pointed out that birthday parties are a big draw.
“We do an awful lot for the birthday parties,” he said. “We set it up and clean up afterwards. All they have to do is bring the cake. We limit the birthday parties to 20 people, but we do a lot of private parties, like for families, where they may have 50 people. One weekend recently, we had eight birthday parties scheduled. We basically say an average age is 12 and under, but we’ve had adult groups in here for the parties, too. We do a lot of private parties with sports teams at the end of their season, and things like that.”
A typical Skateworld Birthday Party package consists of hot dog or pizza, chips, soft drinks, ice cream cups, decorated table with a Party Hostess, admission, skate rental, and a complimentary T-shirt and skating pass for the birthday child. Another feature offered by the rink is the Kids Skate Free program.
“Kids Skate Free is part of the national organization, the Roller Skating Association of America. They can sign up on our website and get 2 free admissions, for kids 12 and under. It’s something to get them in to try it and hopefully, they’ll be back.
“Our skating season goes from October until school is out. We have a family night during the middle of the week, where we let a family of 4 in for $15.00. It’s normally $7.00 a person, so they save some money and get to come as a family. Weekends are our busier times, and I would say our busiest night with the teenagers is Saturday. We open at 11:00 on Saturday morning for the kids skating, then we have private parties in the afternoon.”
As with most entertainment attractions, Skateworld had to deal with Covid considerations during the past few years. “Being an indoor business, it took a little while to come back. We were shut down about 4 months, but people were ready to come out and we survived. Some other places around the country were closed down for a year. Skating goes in cycles, but it’s on the upswing again. During the Disco era, everybody was out dancing and skating to the music. We have a lot of good skaters and on adult nights, we do really well. I have skaters who are 83, and they’re still at it.”
When you’re the front man for a popular local attraction for so many years, it’s inevitable that recognition will follow, whether you want it or not.
“Every year at Halloween, I gave out passes for skating,” he recalled. “I just handed out pieces of paper to the kids when they came to the door for trick or treat. This past Halloween, a little girl knocked on the door and asked if I was Mr. Charlie, and said she wanted a skating pass. I asked how she knew about that and she said ‘My mommy and grandma got one.’ I looked over and there they were, waving at me from the sidewalk.”
Skateworld of Vandalia is located at 333 S. Brown School Road, Vandalia, OH. For hours of operation, scheduled activities, and party information, call 937.890.6551, or visit their website, www.skateworldofvandalia.com. You can also follow them on Facebook.