Skateland of Richmond

Okay, I went roller skating/​rollerblading a couple of years ago and apparently there’s another location off of Hull St and it wasn’t this one. haha. From overhearing someone else talking, the one I went to a few years ago was definitely the better option and had both roller blade and roller skate rentals.
Upon arrival, the outside looked a little «aged» to say the least. Parking lot is covered in gravel and there aren’t any marked parking spots. They’re open on Saturdays from 12 to 4PM and then from 7.30 to 10.30. It’s 10 bucks with the skate rental included for you can skate for as long as you want. This place only has roller skates but you can bring your own blades/​skates if you want and it’s only 5 bucks.
There is NO A/​C. I’m not sure if broke down or that’s how they roll here, but it got hot and sweaty very quickly. The inside also seemed like it’s seen it’s fair share over the years with many layers of paint on the wall, bathroom stalls for doors, and a cold hand dryer that really didn’t do much.
On to the skating experience! The skates weren’t the best of quality but it did the job. Hardwood floor was easy to ride own and it was smooth. It’s your average size skating arena with designs/​circles on the floor to help you do some tricks. They didn’t have any games like limbo or anything like that so you had to make up stuff to make it a little bit more enjoyable. They ONLY played hip hop/​rap songs while we were there which was music that I enjoy listening to but wished they mixed it up a little bit more.
Good prices and I had a fun time but I think i’ll hit up the other skating arena the next time I wanna blade.

Compared to my other rink ratings, I’ve just got to keep it real.
Even though this place is super-​vintage and the Rollergirls (used) to practice there (they are slowly relocating to another rink), I have just never been much of a fan. It’s cheap cheap cheap, so they know they are lacking, which is at least fair that you get what you pay for. But the facility is falling apart, the roof leaks when it rains so you are literally skating around trashcans all over the floor that are catching leaks. The floor itself is so dirty you will have to scrub your wheels when you get home, there are patchy and bumpy spots all over (I have not been back since they redid the floor a few weeks ago though so possibly improved), and it’s just kind of grimy and off-​putting. The snack bar is cheap but it’s cash only basically because there’s a $ 10 minimum purchase to use a card, and you could feed the whole place for $ 10. The music is fine, but the speaker system is pretty mediocre. The décor is old and depressing.
I would like to see this place do better because it’s so classic, but until they really bring it up to par with the rest of the rinks, I can’t give it more than 2 stars.

Whoa nelly, visiting Skateland is like riding a hot tub time machine back to the 70s. At least, that is the last time it underwent any sort of renovation… everything in this rink is officially haggard, but somehow that just lends to its charm. The skates look and smell like they have seen literally thousands of size 7 tootsies in their time, and the walls are painted in a teenage version of a Reading Rainbow theme.
Instead of walls, they have a rope sectioning off booths for storing clothing and purses and eating food… and it’s not unusual to see someone wipe out and careen through the rope and into innocent bystanders.
Plus, Skateland is home to the River City Roller Girls here in Richmond, and you can see the marks in the floors and walls where women have beaten each other to a bloody pulp. You know, in a weird sexy way of course.
They have a snack bar area where you can buy soft pretzels, hot dogs and candy, and the music is pretty current… so all in all, it will make for a delightful, if slightly ghetto-​fabulous, rainy day activity.
I went there for a birthday party and it was actually a lot of fun– reasonably priced to get in, they didn’t care if we had a cake and lit candles, and we could skate all afternoon. There were a bunch of families with kids there, but it was still a ton of fun.
Oh and lest I forget, it’s easy to get to (apparently a bus goes right there) and it’s air conditioned, and I heard a rumor that it’s open afternoons in the summer. So if you have a bevy of children and it’s humid and raining outside, you can easily take them to Skateland and let them entertain themselves for a few hours.

Wow! The last time I was inside this place– sometime around 1975 or so– I was hoping they would play «Fame» by David Bowie. I passed the place when I was back in Richmond visiting family in December 2008, and… it’s still there! Looks a little on the shabby side, but I’ll bet it’s a lot of fun still.

oh crap this isn’t a real review.
but it just made me a lil nostalgic and i’m going to cry. lol.