After more than eight decades of roller skating, memories, and community gatherings, the Indian Lake Roller Rink is closing its doors.
Owners Daniel and Lena Moore announced Thursday on social media that the building at 330 Taylor Avenue has been sold and the rink will no longer operate.
Any booked parties will be refunded.
The Moores, who have operated the rink since 2020, thanked the community for its support and hospitality, writing:
“Since 2020 when we took over the rink, it’s been an honor to have met many great people of this community… we will miss you.”
The announcement marks the end of an era for a business that has been part of Indian Lake’s culture since 1939.
Roller skating has deep roots in the Indian Lake area, with earlier rinks at Wicker’s Resort and Sandy Beach.
In 1939, Harry and Arlene Lawrence, along with early partner Madge Voltz, built the Indian Lake Roller Rink in Russells Point.
At that time, the rink operated only in the summer, heated by a pot-belly stove, with skaters rolling on wooden wheels to the sound of live organ music.
In 1960, the rink closed for seven months for a major remodeling.
The 80-by-150-foot skating surface was resurfaced with an eight-inch plastic floor — one of only a few in the nation at the time.
The innovation earned the rink recognition as one of the five finest in the country by the United Roller Rink Operators of America.
New lighting, acoustical ceilings, padded railings, and a modern heating system transformed the facility, creating what Lawrence described as a completely new skating experience.
The rink’s story is also one of family tradition.
In 1953, teenagers Charlie and Janice Moore met at the rink.
A year later, they married — and within two weeks began working there.
By 1965, the couple leased the rink and, in 1975, purchased it from Harry Lawrence.
Over the next four decades, the Moores updated the rink, adding candy-striped carpeting, new seating, an expanded concession area, and other upgrades.
They became beloved community figures, bussing skaters in from surrounding towns on weekends, and serving as mentors and “second parents” to generations of children. Many friendships and even marriages began at the roller arena.
Reflecting on their years at the rink in 1986, the Moores said:
“We enjoy interacting with the youngsters and other patrons, and some of the moments range on the emotional scale from comical to touching. This makes what they call work a lot of fun.”
Charlie and Janice, along with their children Sheila, Lora, and Kevin, ran the rink for more than 40 years before passing it along to the next generation of owners.
For more than 86 years, the Indian Lake Roller Rink has hosted everything from birthday parties and fundraisers to first dates and family nights.
The closure marks not just the end of a business, but the close of a cherished chapter in Indian Lake’s cultural history.
Thank you to the Logan County History Center for all the information and photos.
