I’ve been meaning to do a few posts on the roller rinks that the Almquists owned in Riverside and today I’ll introduce some of the articles/ads I’ve found on the two rinks that I know about.

The first rink opened in March of 1940. I have two ads here and here where you can read about the opening day and details of the first rink.  I found it surprising that Gus didn’t try a concrete floor but went for a more conventional maple floor.  He opened the rink with his eldest son, Dan, who by that point was married to Suzy and was 27 years old. Dan and Gus were both still living in Perris, but would move to Riverside one year later, ending up living down the street from each other on Elmwood.

I’m not sure why, but 9 years later they left the old skating rink at 6th and Fairmount and built a brand new structure at Brockton and Magnolia in April of 1949.  As you can see here it was larger, with air-conditioning, and new quiet floor (concrete?).  This rink was torn down at least by the late 1980’s, as it is where they eventually put a shopping center.  Growing up in Riverside I remember two rinks, one concrete and one wood, both further west on Magnolia.  “California Skate” and “Roller City 2001“.

I have quite a few pictures of the first Roller Rink with Clarence and his high school friends that I will share in a future post.