OPENING A ROLLER SKATING RINK

Question
QUESTION: Good afternoon,

I'm looking to open a skating rink in Chicago. What you you advise my first step(s)?

ANSWER: My advise for your first step is to think twice.  LOL  Just joking!   Is this an existing rink or are you planning on building a new rink?  If you don't mind me asking, what town are you thinking of for this rink?  You mentioned Chicago but are you talking in the actual city or one of the suburbs?

Send me some info and perhaps some specific questions then I can try to help more.

Talk to you soon
Pat

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My question was a little vague...  Sorry.

I'm actually in Chicago. I was looking to open it in the Austin Area. As far as the building. I was thinking of building the rink inside of a existing building. To state the facts... This thought came to me a few months ago... It's somehing I've always wanted to do, but pushed it aside. Now I have the urge, and I want to pursue it. I need to know where to start i.e building size, staff, professional trainers, revnue, salaries, vendors, the whole 9 yards...

All I knmow is I want to make it happen, and I'm looking for guidance. So far I'm working with SCORE counselors, and I welcome anybody else who could shed light on my project.

Answer
Hi Tangie,
   It looks like you have your work cut out for you but go for it.  If it's an existing building the floor size will be determined by what's left after you allow room for a snack bar area with enough tables to accomadate quite a few kids birthday parties because those are money makers.  

You also need to allow room for your office and admission/ticketing booth and the kids "stuff" shop/skate sale shop.   You'll also need at least one side of the rink surface for a decent size aisle for entering and exiting the skate floor.  Then you need to include an area for storage (mops, floor scrubber, cleaning products etc.  And lastly you'll need or course ladies and mens bathrooms plus a skate room where you store and rent rental skate.  

Once you've figured out where all that will go then you will know how large your actual skating surface can be.


If you plan on adding on to the building, starting from scratch or you have enough room in the already existing building...your average floor size should be somewhere in the area of 80 wide by 175 long..give or take a few feet.  That's a nice size floor but like I said....it depends on how much room you actually have.  All rinks are different it just depends on what's workable.  Some rinks are smaller and some are much larger.  Just see what works for you.

As for staff?  Most of roller rink employees are  part time and in their teens to mid 20's.  Any management people should, of course, be older and very responsible not to mention trustworthy.   Part time kids would make minimum wage to start.

You will need floor guards, skate rental room people, snack bar people and I would imagine you will be the person to handle the money taken at the front door when people pay to come in.

Professional coaches/trainers:  Coaches are like private contractors.  They charge people for giving them lessons then they pay you a specified fee for the amount of floor time they spend teaching.  It's usually an hourly rate...some rinks charge $2, $4 or more per hour.  The actual lesson fee that they charge the skaters belongs to the coaches.  

If you know of any coaches you can ask if they'd like to teach there, otherwise once you're open they may find you.

Down the road you will want to offer kids classes and for that you will need teachers.  Once you are at that stage contact me again and I will give you all the information you need on how to start, build and market your kids classes.  Kids classes are quite profitable and necessary.

Vendors:  You will need vendors to supply certain items for your snack bar (pepsi, ice cream etc) and also for placing video game type machines around the rink.  

Revenue:  I don't really deal with that end of the rink but the name of the game is to make money.  It takes time but if you have a good business plan it will build nicely.  

First you need to get people in the door by giving out coupons and advertising.  Don't be afraid of handing out 2 for 1 admissions or some free passes to all the schools in your area.  Establish a good relationship with all the grade schools in your area.  They will book school parties which are also very profitable.

But word of mouth has always been the very best source of advertising to the general public.

Good Luck and if I can help any further, feel free to write me again.  Don't forget, once your up and running contact me and I'll help you build your kids classes.

Visit other rinks and ask the owners questions.  That would be your best source for finding out anything that you would need to know.

Pat