Family Fun at Roller City

A few years ago, the building behind Lowe’s (with the sad looking concrete gorillas out front) stood battered and lifeless. Roller City came along, breathed new life into the building and brought family-friendly roller skating back to Joplin.

I remember being at a skating party at that rink two weeks before the tornado (when it was Silver Wheels) and wondering when the shag carpeting that covered the countertops would be replaced. Granted, the rink opened in 1973 and shag was cool back then, but still.

The tornado damaged the building, which necessitated the need for remodeling and today the countertop is shag-free.

When you visit the rink now, you pick up brand new skates (not old, stinky skates like you find at most rinks) at the counter. There is an area next to the rink where you can put your shoes away.

The inside of the rink appears much brighter than it used to be, and even the brand new floor is a lighter color. Here is a pre-tornado picture.

Here is a post-tornado picture (can you tell it’s the same person?).

When you go to Roller City, there are different skating sessions. We went on a Friday night and had a choice  between the 7-9 PM session, the 9-11 PM session, or both sessions: 7-11 PM. There are also daytime sessions on Saturdays and Sundays.

The sessions offer variety and interaction. There were times when the bright overhead lights were on, and then there were times when those lights were dimmed and the colorful disco lights danced across the walls and ceiling.

There were also contests. The first one was “Corners,” where skaters gathered at the nearest designated corner when the music stopped. Then, a huge die was rolled and whoever was standing in the corner that matched the number on the die had to sit out. The last people that remained standing got to choose a small prize.

The second contest was a race. Skaters were divided by age and gender to see who was the fastest skater around the rink. Again, the winner received a prize.

We were there on Roller City’s opening night and they had invited some roller derby players there to join in the fun. They were impressive to watch with their speed and skills, and I was extremely humbled. I consider myself lucky to make it around the rink once without causing a wreck!

As we were walking out the door that night, two employees asked us if we enjoyed ourselves and if there was anything else we would like to see there. I appreciated the fact that they were interested in customer satisfaction and welcomed feedback, which is so important when launching a new business.

Roller City offers good, clean fun for the whole family – minus the shag countertops.

Roller City is located at 2800 E 24th Street. Click here to visit Roller City’s website.

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Living Life to The Fullest!

I love seeking out new experiences and finding places off the beaten path. I started Joplin MO Life in August 2013 as a way to share my discoveries with others in the Joplin community so that they can learn about the resources that exist right in their own backyards.

I have worked in education and event planning, and have always loved to write. I hold a master's degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma and a bachelor's degree in marketing from Tulane University.