Calling Chicago West Side Roller Skaters

By | May 24, 2012
32 Comments

West Side

If you roller skated at Madison Roller Rink, Hot Wheels, Top Flight, St. Agatha or Maywood Roller Rink or any other rink on the west side of Chicago, your stories,  images and other memorabilia are needed. We would love to hear from you.

At which other West side rinks did you roller skate?

32 thoughts on “Calling Chicago West Side Roller Skaters”

  1. Julian

    Also type in the truth about SONI D being that he passed 3 years ago… Real name Kevin Allen. Born on westside of Chicago went to a number of high schools including Proviso East . Well known DJ around the world will be amazed of what he’s become over the years.

  2. Julian

    My father SONI D was the best DJ at the rink… Google SoundCloud type in his name and you can hear his mixes.. Email me for information on how to acquire a number of his mix tapes.. julianallen0283@yahoo.com

  3. Scomo

    Back in 1980 all the Chicago avenue shorties were hitting HOT WHEELS up i bought my first pair of skates from Amvets thrift store and bought my wheels and jump bars from the guys at the rink, “HELL ON WHEELS” is who i was trying to link up with,,,,,,,,Those were the best days

  4. Pearl

    I remember bringing my 4 children,3 nieces& 2 neighbor children,then pcking up another niece & 2 nephews on the westside & taking them all to 7 Grand on Laramie. I came out with 3 jammed finger cuz they accidentally ran me into a wall. But we had lots of Fun !!

  5. Calvin

    4 all tha ppl who say they skated on tha Westside it was 2 concrete jungles tha other 1 was on Madison and menard it was a old movie theater called top flight and if u was at tha 7 grand u knew tha magnetic rollers and micro stars stayed at it,my step brother was a dancers then thats how i use 2 get in all them places

  7. roscoe

    Skated at Sears YMCA rink on Kedzie, Albany Skating Rink, Rainbow Skating Rink on Clark Street, and Screamin Wheels in Gary IN… Good ole days of fun …..

      1. David

        It was also a skating rink on Laramie right off of Jackson, on 87th,and 95th. I went to all of them also. God is good, It’s still good to be around to talk about these old great memories. All the time!!!

    2. Rosabel Sanchez

      Can you please tell me the location of the Albany Skating Rink? Do you know when it closed?

  8. GH

    Hey, I just watched roll bounce w/Lil B, Wow,. It brought back memories of my skating days. Is Hot Wheel the rink near Orr HS?

    1. Jeremy

      Yes, that was Hot Wheels over on Pulaski and Chicago Avenue, near Orr High School.

  9. Jeremy

    Madison and Albany had a great, dusty little rink. It was lots of fun on weekends and really did give us something fun to do. It was our little slice of heaven on the west side of Chicago.

    1. Michael

      Yes you are so right.Also let s not forget the old YMCA on Arlington and Kedzie.

  10. Chris Raggs

    This JR lil Chris well way back then I had the curls for the girls And one of the best skaters for my age Lol JB King

      1. Chris Raggs

        At hot wheeChris. was my peoples place all my uncles. I am lil Chris.

  11. China

    and they had a dance floor in the back where they would play all music generes but mostly house music yup HOT WHEELS its a burger king there now Chicago West side the best side you should post poster up on chicago ave and I am sure you would get a better responds

  12. China

    Hot Wheels on the Chicago Ave I would go every time I had 2 dollars and 50 cents it was 2 to get in and 50 cent to rent the skates. I remember this fine chocolate boy with curls would be there all the time he knew how to cross his legs and dance to Jb music hella good they never let me get in @ nite I was only a day time skater because of my age the 3 song I LOVE playing today I use to hear all the time was K.sweat a right and a wr
    ong way, Whodini I am a hoe, and Full force tears Play back the 80 plz

    1. Ms. Marcie Post author

      Thanks for letting us know about Hot Wheels, Ms. China. Do you happen to remember the address of the rink?

  13. Willie

    For months friends of mine were trying to remember the name of a roller skating rink on the westside of Chicago located around Laramie & Quincy/Adams. There is a Family Dollar presently at that location. Marcie helped to narrow it down to two names Grand and/or 7 Grand. If anybody out there remembers that rink please respond or leave a comment.

    2. Bryan Banks

      The name of that skating rink on Laramie & Quincy/Adams was called
      The Grand Roller Rink. I used to frequent that establishment every weekend:)

    3. Jeremy

      That was the Grand 7 over on Laramie – a few blocks south of Laramie.

    4. sojah moe

      I remember the 7 grand roller rink and the charge line

    5. Wendy

      Yes it was called 7 Grand

      And Hot Wheels was on Chicago ave and Pulaski

  14. Lisa

    I’m a concrete jungle girl! Hot Wheels was the end of the real! I loved those year. The owners/Brothers were the gentlemen of the 80’s. My brother was a “skate guard”. My memories are Donald “Duck” and Christine being the hottest skaters and couple in the JOINT. I loved. “White Boy” DJ’n was hot! Michael Washington was the “hot” afro KING. Twins Marvin & Melvin was the tall light boy skate guards! Michael Tiggs was well ah ight! Abby! We love you!

    1. Ms. Marcie Post author

      Lisa, thanks so much for sharing your West Side roller skating memories. If you know of any more, please send them my way. If you have pictures that you are willing to share, that would be appreciated, too!

    2. sojah moe

      I was a member of title wave at the concrete jungle and top flight skating rink. During the era of the batman boots skates

Comments are closed.