Back before Facebook, iPhones and TikTok videos, the social scene looked very different. In the latter half of the 20th century, kids found many different ways to look cool, have fun and hang out with their friends. And that’s when roller rinks flourished.
Full of colorful lighting, pop hits and mirror balls, roller rinks invited you to pick out your cutest outfit, grab your friends and head out on the glossy floor on skates to show off in front of your middle school crush. Pittsburgh-area youths flocked to venues such as Ches-A-Rena in Cheswick, Bethel Roll Arena in Bethel Park and Romp n’ Roll in Shaler to show off their best moves.
But nowadays, according to Pittsburgh SK8 Collaborative, the once-booming industry has shrunk from 18 rinks at the height of roller skating’s popularity to just two today…