Community roller skating is on its way back to Iowa City.
Glide & Go Skate City, a 27,000-square-foot skating rink, is set to open in January at the former Joann Fabrics, at 676 Sycamore St.
"A skating rink is the epitome of community," said the founder of Glide & Go Skate City, Alicia Crews.
Crews grew up roller skating in Atlanta, Georgia. The dream of writing a book lured her to Iowa City in 2022, but she soon noticed her new home was missing a roller rink.
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"It is something that speaks to me, a skating rink would be awesome here," Crews said. "(Roller skating) is the intersection of music and movement, and skating is a personal level of freedom, but you are experiencing it with people."
Building a roller skating community in Iowa City
Iowa City boasts a prominent skating community, anchored by multiple roller derby teams and free skate nights at Robert A. Lee Community Center. Despite the popularity, Crews doesn't know if a roller-skating rink ever existed in Iowa City.
What to know about Glide & Go's Iowa City roller rink
The rink will take up 8,000 to 10,000 square feet of the building.
Other amenities include a kids' zone, jungle gym, a kid-only skating area, and a sensory lounge for all ages.
The facility will be open everyday but Monday and Tuesday, anchored by multiple skate sessions, including family sessions, general skating sessions, and adult-only sessions. Glide & Go will stay open until 1 a.m. Friday through Sunday. Admission will be $12 while monthly memberships, which will range from $25 to $60, are offered at discounted rate of $20 through Sept. 5.
The advanced memberships aid in supporting the buildout.
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Construction of the new attraction will begin in November, when Spirit Halloween vacates the space, with the rink anticipated to open in late January or February.
A new take on concessions, but no alcohol service
The indoor skate facility will be home to a cafe with coffee, smoothies, and grab-and-go fresh food options, including sandwiches.
Underscoring its community focus, Glide & Go will work with local restaurants to supply dining options, including Falbo Bros Pizzeria. Operating a restaraunt is what Crews believes causes a rink to crumble, making local partnerships even more important.
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"The restaurant itself is a major business, and running a restaurant and a skating rink at the same time is quite difficult, and it is something that other skating rinks have struggled with quite extensively," Crews said. "Partnering with other people (is mutually beneficial). We are providing them with customers, while also being able to stay true to what our actual goal is, which is providing a great experience."
Glide & Go will be a dry space, choosing not to sell alcohol because "alcohol and skates don't mix," Crews said.
Glide & Go is raising money
Glide & Go is still in the fundraising stage by developing partnerships with local and national brands. Crews wants the new rink to bring the community together, uniting family, friends and businesses.
"One of the things that I noticed when I first got to Iowa City is the level of community and the level of importance that is placed upon the family here. Those are already things that are strong," Crews said. "Glide & Go will add to that, something that all of us can enjoy; this is a long-term plan....we need to get back out there into the community spaces and seeing one another again and enjoying each other."
Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and education reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at [email protected] or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_
This article originally appeared on Iowa City Press-Citizen: Glide & Go Skate City is opening a roller skating rink in Iowa City
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