After 17 years and more than 50,000 parties, the wheels have come off and the good times have rolled out of this Staten Island institution.
Despite New York City’s recent abundance of pop-up rinks and its nostalgic reputation as a roller-disco mecca, RollerJam USA was the only year-round, indoor roller skating rink within the five boroughs from its June 2007 opening until its closure last Saturday.
What’s more, it’s the last of a dying breed. RollerJam USA opened mere months after both the 66-year-old Empire Roller Skating Center closed in Brooklyn and the 29-year-old Roxy closed in Manhattan — and, in a sense, marks the end of the city’s groovy, four-wheeled heyday. The Staten Island venue even hosted reunions for defunct rinks including Roll-A-Palace and Skate Odyssey.
And, in the ultimate New York City scenario, the closure is due to a rent hike. However, terms of the lease are undisclosed.
The closure of the city’s last indoor rink marks the end of an era for roller skaters, who will now have to turn to Big Apple outdoor rinks — Brooklyn Bridge Park’s Pier 2 Roller Rink and Prospect Park’s LeFrak Center among them — and pop-ups.
Located not far from the southernmost point of New York State, in Staten Island’s Richmond Valley neighborhood, RollerJam became a destination for skaters far and wide over its nearly two decades in business.
Owner Joe Costa — who didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment — announced the closure in April, delivering the news while standing on the rink, one of its disco balls lightly twirling overhead.
“We’ve made it through Hurricane Sandy, we’ve made it through [COVID], and we fought the good fight but unfortunately we were not able to get our lease renewed,” he said, before thanking every one of his customers, all 3,173,798 of them, according to a counter on RollerJam’s website.
“I’m not here to place blame, there’s no gain in that,” Costa told the Staten Island Advance of the rent spike that ultimately closed him down. “Unfortunately, that’s how business goes. Whoever [takes our place], I wish them the best.”
It didn’t go without a farewell.
Following the announcement of the impending shutdown, RollerJam experienced an enormous surge in business as old-timers and youngsters alike traveled from far and wide to experience the space one last time.
“I know people love RollerJam, but I guess I never grasped how much. Over the last four weeks, I’m realizing, ‘Wow, this is big; this place meant something to so many people,’” Costa told the Advance.
“RollerJam USA wasn’t just the last remaining roller rink in the five boroughs — it was a national and internationally known cultural site,” photographer, avid skater and Staten Island native Mike Shane told The Post. “It wasn’t just a piece of real estate; Joe created a home for this inclusive, positively impacting culture.”
The final night, he added, was one for the books.
“[It] attracted loyal fans who drove from Chicago and South Carolina,” said Shane.
“It was a great night,” agreed Derek Wiltshire, a “born again skater” who skates some three to four times a week. “More like a reunion and kind of sad because it’s the last real indoor rink” in city limits.
RollerJam didn’t do anything special for the closing night.
“It wouldn’t be RollerJam if it was something different,” Costa said. “We want it to feel like it’s always felt for the last 17 years. Nothing different, not even our DJs, who are Tito T and Tony B. We kept everything normal, because why would you want your last night to be different?”
