LOOK FOR ALL DIFFERENT WAYS TO STAY ACTIVE. WHILE MANY THINGS WERE SHUTTING DOWN AND OLD FAVORITE CAME BACK INTO THE SPOTLIGHT, A LOT OF PEOPLE STARTED SKATING AGAIN AND L.A. SKATING GREEN ACRES AND THEY CLOSED LAST YEAR. BUT TO KEEP THE HOBBY ALIVE IN PALM BEACH COUNTY, PLEASE LET ME
INTRODUCE THIS FAMILY RIGHT HERE. CHRISTOPHER MCGINNIS BROUGHT THE POP THE PROPERTY AND IS NOW TURNING IT INTO ASTRO SKATE FAMILY FUN CENTER. HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE NEW RINK IS CHRIS FAITH, HIS DAUGHTER FAITH AND THEN WE HAVE DIANE AT THE END. SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.
I KNOW THAT I GREW UP SKATING AND THE PRODUCERS IN THE BACK, THEY WERE SO EXCITED TO HEAR THAT YOU GUYS ARE REALLY MAKING THIS OLD FAVORITE NEW AGAIN. SO TELL US WHAT YOUR PLAN IS. WE’RE FROM TARPON SPRINGS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE SIX RINKS IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA, AND WE GOT
LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO GET THIS ONE ON JOG ROAD. WE’VE PUT ABOUT $1 MILLION INTO IT, FIXING IT UP TO MAKE IT BRAND NEW, MODERN AND WE’RE JUST GOING TO SKATE THOUSANDS OF LITTLE KIDS EVERY DAY. I LOVE IT. SO DO YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR THIS?
IS THIS SOMETHING YOU DID AS A KID? I CAUGHT ON TO IT AT AGE 17 WHEN WE MOVED TO FLORIDA BECAUSE WE DIDN’T EVEN KNOW YOU COULD SKATE INDOORS AND THEN FOR SOME REASON, IT JUST FLIPPED OUT AND STARTED BUYING SKATING RINKS AND KEEPING THEM OPEN, FIXING THEM UP.
AND MY DAUGHTER, SPEED SKATES. THIS IS DIANE. SHE’S GOING TO BE THE MANAGER. SHE GREW UP AT THAT RINK AT AGE. HOW OLD? SIX. SHE WAS SIX YEARS OLD. SO YOU HAVE A LITTLE HISTORY IN IT ALL? THAT’S REALLY NEAT. BUT A SPEED SKATER. SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
SO IT JUST MEANS IT’S A BRAND NEW RANK, BRAND NEW FLOOR MEANS IT’S GOING TO BE FAST. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE A LOT OF NEW SKATERS DOWN AND WE HOPE TO RECRUIT NEW SKATERS TO OUR LEAGUE AND YEAH, BE GOOD. SO AND HOPEFULLY TEACH PEOPLE AS WELL. TEACH YOUNG SKATERS TO DO THIS.
I KNOW THAT IT’S A CHILDHOOD FAVORITE FOR SO MANY PEOPLE. ALL RIGHT. SO PEOPLE ARE WATCHING SAYING THIS IS GREAT BIRTHDAY PARTIES, EVENTS WHEN DOES IT OPEN? MAYBE NEXT WEEKEND. WHAT IF WE GET OUR FINAL INSPECTION TODAY AND IF WE GET GOOD ON THE INSPECTION, WE’LL OPEN UP MAYBE FRIDAY OR
SATURDAY, BUT WE’LL LET IT KNOW WHEELS QUICK AS SOON AS WE GET IT. SO WHAT ELSE IS THERE? I KNOW A LOT OF TIMES THESE DAYS THERE’S MORE. THERE’S FOOD, DRINKS, INFLATABLES. WE’LL HAVE GAMES, VIDEO GAMES. WE’LL HAVE A DANCE ROOM. WE’LL HAVE AN UPGRADED SNACK BAR. OUR RINKS ARE PRETTY YOU KNOW,
WE GO, GO, GO, MAN. WE TRY TO KEEP EXCITEMENT. LITTLE KIDS DON’T WANT TO SIT AROUND FOR TOO LONG. NO. SO THERE’S ALWAYS AN ACTIVITY EVERY FEW MINUTES. THAT’S FANTASTIC. LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. THANKS FOR SHARING. AND I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE GRATEFUL.
THIS IS THE ONLY SKATING RINK IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. YEAH, AND WHEN IT CLOSED, MAN, I WAS LIKE, GEE, MAN, WE CAN’T BELIEVE IT WAS CLOSED. SO WE GOT LUCKY. YOU KNOW, WE CONVINCED THE DEVELOPER TO SELL US BACK THE RINK, AND WE’RE PUTTING A TON OF
MONEY INTO IT AND IT’LL BE A SKATING RINK IN THIS TOWN FOR ANOTHER 40, 50 YEARS. THIS ONE. AND HER DAUGHTER WILL BE RUNNING IT 30 YEARS FROM NOW. YOU GUYS WILL BE COMING SKATING, SAYING, WOW, HOW COOL I HOPE SO. I HOPE SO. ANY BIG PROMOTIONS GOING ON?
WE JUST WANT TO GET OPEN, MAN. THAT’S THE GOAL. NOW, ONCE WE GET OPEN, WE’RE GOING TO BE SKATING. WE’LL HAVE ADULT NIGHTS, WE’LL HAVE LESSONS, WE’LL HAVE THE WHOLE DEAL. WE’LL HAVE BUSSING WHERE WE CAN PICK YOU UP WITH OUR BUS. I MEAN, WE JUST WE SKATE. EVERYBODY THAT WORORKS AT ASTRO
SKATE SKATES, WE DON’T HIRE PEOPLE FROM CHILI’S TO RUN THE ROLLER RINK. WE ARE PEOPLE THAT GREW UP ROLLER SKATING. FAIR ENOUGH. I’M EXCITED. I’D LIKE TO COME TO SEE YOU. SPEED SKATE. THAT SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD TO ME. THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE’VE ACTUALLY PUT A LINK TO YOUR SIDE OF PEOPLE ARE
INTERESTED IN CHECKING IT OUT. FINGERS CROSSED. IT ALL OPENS UP SOON ON OUR WEBSITE. WPBF.COM. THANKS FOR COMING TO SHARE WE APPRECIATE IT. THANK YOU. GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR POOL. SEE YOU
source
