THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 20, 1996 TAG: 9603190089
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LORI A. DENNEY, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 86 lines
The Wilson family has gone from owning and managing a skate and bicycle rental business to owning and managing a full-scale skating rink.
After two years and $1.4 million, Rich and Linda Wilson and their son, Bob, officially opened the doors to their new business - the Strawbridge Skating Center.
``The people have been so receptive and so happy to see us,'' said Linda Wilson, general manager of the business, which opened three weeks ago. ``We're very proud to provide families a service that was needed.''
The Wilsons constructed their skating rink in the General Booth corridor, right next to the Princess Anne Recreation Center, because they said they felt the area had a real need for ``family entertainment.''
Apparently, they were right.
The roller and in-line skating center has been profitable since the doors opened, said Rich Wilson, managing partner of the family venture, Limited Liability Corp.
A Florida consultant the family hired two years ago to help gather demographics found that there were 15,000 elementary age children within five to seven miles of the skating rink site, said Rich Wilson.
On a recent Saturday, the rink played host to 400 skaters.
The typical $4.50 admission, and optional $1.50 roller or $2.50 in-line skate rental, nets a visitor access to the 13,000-square-foot rink, a sizeable snack bar, a game room, four party rooms for groups of up to 40, a pro shop and lockers.
There are 850 roller and in-line skates to be rented.
The apoxy-coated concrete floor gives the illusion of skating on ice. Music is piped in from a state-of-the art sound system while two mirrored ``disco balls'' twirl on the ceiling.
The facility also is fully accessible to the handicapped.
There are different rates and programs on different nights. For example, from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursdays, a family of four is invited to skate for $8. Mondays are strictly for those 18 and older. Tuesday is Christian music night, Wednesday is hockey night, Friday is a TGIF skate and Saturday features a special child's skate, an open skate and night skate. On Sunday, there is an open skate and time for private parties.
Bob Wilson, 28, is the operations manager, overseeing the day-to-day running of the business as well as special programs like the newly formed roller hockey league and speed skating team.
The Wilsons' daughter, Laurie, 20, also has been involved. She was in charge of the family's skate rental business at the Oceanfront.
The Wilsons employ 15 part-time employees.
Having spent nearly five years as the owners of a bicycle, roller and in-line skate rental business at 14th Street, the Wilsons got ``a taste of what the industry was becoming,'' said Rich Wilson, who also is the CEO of Atlantic Waste Services, a company that transports and disposes of hazardous waste.
``With the birth of the in-line skate, there came a whole new wave of interest in skating as a whole,'' said the New Jersey native.
The Wilsons, members of the Roller Skating Association, invested a good part of their own money and also were able to get a bank to help finance a portion of their costly venture.
When they decided to build and operate a skating rink, one of the first things they did was hire consultants such as a site engineer and architect.
``We couldn't have done something of this magnitude without help,'' said Linda Wilson.
The Wilsons not only had to deal with cost and construction, they were also bound by several new laws, including the Americans With Disabilities Act, which calls for complete access for the handicapped. They also had applications for use permits, rezoning variances and getting their well water approved by the Health Department.
Bad weather and ensuing construction delays held up the opening an additional three months.
But, even with all the frustrations of opening, ``once we saw the kids come in, it has been very satisfying,'' said Linda Wilson. MEMO: For information on the skating center, rates or programs, call
427-1668. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by D. KEVIN ELLIOTT
Bob, left, Linda and Rich Wilson opened the Strawbridge Skating
Center off General Booth Boulevard in February. And apparently it is
a success. On a recent Saturday, the rink played host to 400
skaters.
by CNB