Gulfgate Roller Rink At 6839 Holmes Rd.

[digitalcowboymagic]

Does anyone remember the movie JFK? There was a scene where Jim Garrison (K. Costner) was interrogating David Ferrie (J. Pesci). Ferrie mentions that on the night of 11/22/63 he drove to Houston with some friends "to go ice skating". I did some research on this a few years back and I found out that the place he went to was located at 2400 Norfolk. The place was called Wonderland. This would place it somewhere behind the Ninfas on Kirby. I drove through there the other day and I saw this building that looks like it might have been an ice skating rink many years ago. Now it houses the BMW repair shop. Does anyone remember this ice rink?

And as a connection to one of the other threads, he stayed with his friends at the Alamo Motel on South Main.

[Alpha]

I remember Winterland. Is that the one you meant? I went there in the early 60s.

The ice rink where I used to take lessons (in my early 20s) was in Town & Country (Katy Freeway at West Belt.) It was part of a building called the Farmer's Market. There were a lot of little shops in one half of the building, but in the other half were two ice skating rinks. One was regulation size and the other was a smaller practice rink. The building was built around 1970. In 1974, the roof was damaged by a tornado that passed over. After it was repaired, the rink was under new management and I stopped taking lessons. Instead of having classes just for adults, they put us in a class with teenagers. The instructor kept tapping a broomstick on the ice (kind of like a loony dance master) so most of the adults quit.

The building was torn down when the mall was built in the early 80s.

Edited April 22, 2007 by Alpha

[digitalcowboymagic]

I remember Winterland. Is that the one you meant? I went there in the early 60s.

The ice rink where I used to take lessons (in my early 20s) was in Town & Country (Katy Freeway at West Belt.) It was part of a building called the Farmer's Market. There were a lot of little shops in one half of the building, but in the other half were two ice skating rinks. One was regulation size and the other was a smaller practice rink. The building was built around 1970. In 1974, the roof was damaged by a tornado that passed over. After it was repaired, the rink was under new management and I stopped taking lessons. Instead of having classes just for adults, they put us in a class with teenagers. The instructor kept tapping a broomstick on the ice (kind of like a loony dance master) so most of the adults quit.

The building was torn down when the mall was built in the early 80s.

Yes, you are correct, it was Winterland. I think that building is still there.

[capt. kirk]

I also remember us going skating at a roller rink (1962-64) that I think was on IH-610 west of Gulfgate Shopping Center/Mall. Was there such a place in that vicinity? Or in this case, has my memory failed me?

Chet Cuccia

YES, THE LAST TIME I SAW THAT BLDG IT WAS AN EQUIPMENT RENTAL PLACE ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 610...............THERE USED TO BE SEVERAL SCATTERED ACROSS HOUSTON

[BARK]

Tradewinds on W 34th just off 290 is still there. However, it is closed and for sale.

I used to play hockey there. There were about 4 or five of us who stayed for a couple years. The owners name was Russel, I think. He was our coach. I used to go to oak forrest baptist just up the road. I fell once while we were skating laps and broke my arm and wrist. But we went to nationals twice, where we were soundly defeated by every go---mn team that played north of our latitude. Russels son was the DJ and he had lots of those puppets with the sticks on their hands so you can move em. Our goalie had baseball equipment, when we went to nationals every other team had real hockey equipment.

[Texasbloom]

Just saw this forum. I heard a great song they used to play at the Gulfgate Roller Rink back in the '60's where I skated.

The song is "Last Night" by the Mar-Keys. Check it out on youtube as I wasn't sure I could post a link here. Will bring back old memories if you skated in the '60's.

[Gulfgate kid]

Yes that was Gulfgate Roller rink It was one block west of Telephone Rd. on what is now loop 610. The last time I was in that area the building was still there and being used as a Frame and Trailer Company. I think the Rink closed up in the 1970's.

[hbcu]

Fondren and West Airport had one also....good icees..lol

[Juliet Shohreh]

If I remember right, it was named Gulfgate Roller Rink. That one was there for a long time too.

I remember the shops in the mall too. Before Almeda Mall, Gulfgate was it other than stand alone stores in Pasadena.

The Gulfgate Theater is gone along with the hill it sat on. Mini storage there now and the 610 crossing bridge is sort of there. I think they are leaving it in place and are rebuilding the theater end of it to match the new lower grade.

I remember the hill that the Gulfgate Movie Theatre sat on. I remember running and walking up and down that hill, and I remember the parking lot too. And walking down to the street level of the Gulfgate Movie Theatre. My mother didn't drive, so on one ocassion (or is it occassion?) one night we walk down to the street (below and under the freeway or highway I mean I-45) to catch a ride with my aunts and my grandmother. I remember in 1975 (I believe it was 1975) my grandfather (my mother's stepfather) parked in the parking lot to see the movie Witch Mountain with Kim Richards and Eddie Albert.

[Juliet Shohreh]

My grandmother's (my mother's grandmother's) house was about 5 minutes away from Hobby Airport. My grandmother's (my grandmother's mother's) house was off Broadway in the Santa Ena (pardon my spelling) neighborhoods.

[Juliet Shohreh]

I lived with my grandparents (on my mother's side) until I turned 38 (around 38)(2010). She lived in the same house until she died. My grandmother bought the house about 1967 or so. I was born on June 13, 1972. Her house was on Simms Bayou and her first flood was on my 1st. Birthday.

[rsb320]

There was a rink way out west. Either on Beechnut, Bellaire or Bissonnet. They used to have a gay disco skate night in the 80's. Drag queens on skates - hilarious!

Edited August 9, 2012 by rsb320

[Nin a.k.a Lindy]

I remember the roller rink on 610 and I think Telephone Road. Would have given the world to own a pair skates and know how to skate backwards. The rink was I think about 2 blocks west of Gulfgate Mall and the theatre across the raised walkway over 610 to the mall.

I got my first "French Kiss" on a "grassy knoll" at the mall.

[Dogstar]

I used to live at Tradewinds. Every kid in my class had a birthday party there. Still there at 5006 W 34th.

[Michelle C]

When I was ten or twelve years old my mother would take me to a roller rink at Telephone road and what would now be called Loop 610. I don't know what that part of Loop 610 was called then but you could turn right off of it into the parking lot of the skating rink. I do not remember the name of the rink either. Hopefully someone here can remember the name of the rink. I do however remember an older man that was always there named Oscar. Oscar was an avid and very professional skater.

[torimask]

Would this be the same rink remembered? Right near Gulfgate, correct?

 

http://www.houstonarchitecture.com/haif/topic/2860-skating-rink/?p=158505

[Michelle C]

I checked your link, the rink I went to would have been west of Gulfgate and was probably the Gulfgate Rink. Looking at Google, it appears that the building is still there. I also pulled out an old Houston map from the fifties and the street that is now Loop 610 was then Holmes Road. There was a crossover at Holmes road and Chaffin. The entrance to the rink was at the end of Chaffin.

[FilioScotia]

I remember that rink. I met a lot of girls and had a lot of great fun there in the late 50s.

 

I found an old newspaper article about this rink, dated October 20, 1956. It was the Gulfgate Roller Rink, and the article said it opened in August 1956 at what was then 6839 E. Holmes Road, adjacent to the then new Gulfgate Shopping Center. It was owned by Estes A. Kelly and his wife Connie, and they claimed it had the largest skating floor in the city at that time. The Kellys also owned Skateland at 6610 Capitol.

 

Holmes Road is still there, but not with that name. It is now the S. Loop service road, running west from Gulfgate out to near Cullen, where it dog-legs a little to go under the S. Loop near Scott and becomes Holmes Road again. 

 

Edited January 7, 2015 by FilioScotia

[FilioScotia]

By the way, in case you're interested, that old article was in the national entertainment magazine Billboard, which covers ALL kinds of entertainment, including roller skating. The link I found was to the October 20, 1956 issue, page 57, and a string of short items about roller rinks around the country. Here's the link:

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=fAoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=old+skating+rink+on+holmes+road+houston&source=bl&ots=NHTF1qZcEE&sig=r5_hsgUQ3gIU2vBjnucwrlWHOdw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SZGtVPj2FoigNqCegOAJ&sqi=2&ved=0CHcQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=old%20skating%20rink%20on%20holmes%20road%20houston&f=true

 

To see what else was going on in the entertainment world in October of '56, scroll up to Page 1 and read to your heart's content. I promise - it will REALLY take you back to the 50s.. 

 

Edited January 7, 2015 by FilioScotia

[Michelle C]

By the way, in case you're interested, that old article was in the national entertainment magazine Billboard, which covers ALL kinds of entertainment, including roller skating. The link I found was to the October 20, 1956 issue, page 57, and a string of short items about roller rinks around the country. Here's the link:

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=fAoEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57&dq=old+skating+rink+on+holmes+road+houston&source=bl&ots=NHTF1qZcEE&sig=r5_hsgUQ3gIU2vBjnucwrlWHOdw&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SZGtVPj2FoigNqCegOAJ&sqi=2&ved=0CHcQ6AEwCg#v=onepage&q=old%20skating%20rink%20on%20holmes%20road%20houston&f=true

 

To see what else was going on in the entertainment world in October of '56, scroll up to Page 1 and read to your heart's content. I promise - it will REALLY take you back to the 50s.. 

 

Pretty interesting read. Lots of stuff with in the link.

 

[Laura-Lellobeetle]

On 1/18/2006 at 1:20 PM, Ashikaga said:

Some older people I've talked to said that some roller rinks many years ago had a person playing an organ while people skated. I don't remember that even though I'm now 47. I just remember them playing records over the PA system. I remember the many times that I fell and busted my butt on the hard wood floor.

 

I'm 48 as of 2017. My aunt lived Sagemont in the 1970's and I'd sometimes stay out there.  I grew up in Wilchester neighborhood off Wilcrest between Memorial Drive and I-10. Anyway, I would skate either at Dairy Ashford Roller Rink over on my side of town or Almeda Roller Rink, which I believe is now closed. And yes, I only remember them playing lots and lots of disco on the PA system. Hope that helps!

[torimask]

Lots of Almeda photos here along with a bit of history until it was torn down in Feb. 2016

 

http://southbelthouston.blogspot.com/2017/06/south-belt-spot-skate-ranches-almeda.html

[DewMoon]

On 7/19/2005 at 9:15 AM, Ashikaga said:

I also remember us going skating at a roller rink (1962-64) that I think was on IH-610 west of Gulfgate Shopping Center/Mall. Was there such a place in that vicinity? Or in this case, has my memory failed me?

Chet Cuccia

Hi was it called Cook's?

[Ms. Tee Griff]

On 7/22/2005 at 7:19 PM, TexasHome said:

If I remember right, it was named Gulfgate Roller Rink. That one was there for a long time too.

I remember the shops in the mall too. Before Almeda Mall, Gulfgate was it other than stand alone stores in Pasadena.

The Gulfgate Theater is gone along with the hill it sat on. Mini storage there now and the 610 crossing bridge is sort of there. I think they are leaving it in place and are rebuilding the theater end of it to match the new lower grade.

OMG !!!    ;-)      THIS BROUGHT BACK SOOOO MANY MEMORIES !!!!   lol lol   I got soooo excited when I found this site and these comments about the gulf gate skate rink...  

 

Ohh how, I had sooo much fun in that rink.. Friday Nights were the best. If my Mom told me no to the $5 bucks, My grandma would give it to me..   2 bucks to get in w/ skate rental & a soda , w/ nachos !!  ha ha    great to see sooo many folks that remember the place..   Yes you are sooo correct about the location ..  Happy New Year..

[Bob Singleton]

 Yes it was Gulf Gate roller Rink as I was A nightly visitor every night Danced ,Free style and Dance Represented the Rink back in the day now in my 70s loved that rink grew up in it Remember the big old Dill Pickles the floor was Well Kept used to be the bad guy with the whistle wish I could buy it bring it back to it former Glory I remember aat one end had the big Neon RSROA sign any one having any Decals patches they wish to sell 214-869-3628 call me as I would love to buy them to many memories I may be old now still skate but it was the best Rink in the 60s and to me will always be the best Bob Singleton

[Imagesntime]

On 4/3/2007 at 8:38 AM, Original Timmy Chan's said:

There was also a Skate Ranch on Blackhawk in the Sagemont area. I spent many days there as a child doing the Hokey Pokey, the Bunny Hop, drinking suicides, playing Tron, and listening to "Eye of the Tiger", "Looking for Love in all the Wrong Places", and "Bomb Iran". Funny how history works...if the Skate Ranch was still around, I bet they'd still be playing "Bomb Iran" today.

I rollerskated pretty much exclusively at the Skate Ranch as a kid...so much so that it was high school before I realized that not all roller rinks were called "Skate Ranches". I thought that was just a generic term for a roller rink...like, "let's go find a skate ranch and go roller skating."

 

I use to Skate at the Skate Ranch myself! What a fun time, loved Bomb Iran! Such a simpler time. I spent every Saturday and Friday nights there when I could. Wow! What memories. 😁

[SugarSuzane]

Yes I used to skate at Gulfgate Roller Rink back in the 70's.

[Kathy_B]

On 7/20/2005 at 10:03 AM, Ashikaga said:

The last time that I went to Houston was back in 2002. On IH-610 I remember seeing a business called "Levitz." The skating rink that I think I remember was somewhere in that vicinity.

Chet Cuccia

I remember the one near Gulfgate area in Houston Texas in the 70’s. It was called Starlite or something like that. It was on 610 Loop South and Telephone Road. The building is still there but it’s a different business. 

[Steve Harris]

Yes, there was very much a GulfGate Skating Rink that was a hub of teen activity in the 60s, especially Sat and Sun.  Friendships were made that still exist and some ended in marriages that lasted.  I am STILL looking for friends I met during those times like Barbara Clark, Sherry Bone, Leah Zwarneman, and many more.

[Highrise Tower]

I didn't see this posted so I thought I would contribute.

Gulf Gate Roller Rink

Houston's Largest Air-Conditioned Rink

6839 Holmes Road - Houston, Texas