Signaling the true end of an era, one of the Bay Area's last roller skating rinks is preparing to close.
Listen to the latest episode of "Bay Current" below.
Dr. Hassan Sharifi, owner of The Golden Skate in San Ramon, announced last month that they have decided to close the beloved business due to "enormous financial damages" suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rink will be missed by residents from far and wide. "Being the largest roller skating rink within hundreds of miles, many of our skaters come from all over Northern California: from Gilroy in the south, Vacaville in the north, Sacramento in the east and Richmond and San Francisco in the west," Sharifi said.
Sharifi first purchased The Golden Skate on the brink of closure in 1995. "It took years to revive," he said. In May of 2020, they were forced to close the rink due to coronavirus concerns. In May of 2021 they reopened with high spirits, but the toll of the pandemic was too severe.
"We are still not making money," Manuel Duarte, who has worked at the rink almost 24 years, told KCBS Radio's "Bay Current" on Tuesday. "We used to have 30 employees in one weekend, now we only have three."
He said that technology is the reason that skating has become less popular.
"Kids don't want to be out anymore," he added. "The skating rink in San Jose closed seven years ago, now it's our turn. I don’t know who will be next."
The rink revealed on Instagram that they will remain open through the holidays to give skaters a chance to roll with The Golden Skate for the last time. It will permanently close in Spring, 2022, though no fixed date has been announced.
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