Blog

Wheel Pricing:

Sure-Grip is going up on a lot of their harder indoor wheels and also on some of their outdoor wheels.  They haven’t had a wheel price increase in quite a long time, the cost of their materials have gone up, and they need to make some adjustments.  Here is a list of the wheels that are impacted:

Velvet, All American Plus, Wooden, Sliders, Freestyle, Premier, Mini Mac, Slicks, Harmony, All American Dream, Original, Aerobic, Motion, Boardwalk, and Gravity

Inventory Updates:

We just received a shipment from Sure-Grip with more of the Fame skates.  We also received a big shipment from Chicago that leave us with almost all of their items in stock.  They will be pulling backorders from both of these later today.

 

We’re expecting a shipment soon (possibly Oct 23) from Vanilla that will get us some of their Junior skates.  This will not be as many as we were hoping for, but it should let us get a lot of the backordered pairs shipped out.

 

We’re expecting a shipment from Sure-Grip by Oct 26 with some of their new yellow Fame skates.  Then the week after that another one from Sure-Grip that should have some pink Stardust skates.

Found on the Internet:

Richland Rink Reopens – click here

 

 

Customer loyalty is crucial to many types of businesses, but how can you get (and keep) your customers’ attention when there are so many distractions in the world today? As a skating rink owner, you’re not only competing with other family entertainment centers, but also with a plethora of technological distractions, from streaming sites to social media to video games. Fortunately, you can generate repeat foot traffic, keep customer excitement high, and earn customer loyalty with a few simple strategies. 

How to Get Repeat Customers for Your Family Entertainment Center

Create a loyalty program.

We’ve all been there: You get a punch card for your favorite deli, and suddenly, you find yourself wanting sandwiches for lunch more often. After all, the food is great, and if you buy just [insert number here] more sandwiches you’ll get one free! Nevermind the fact that you have to buy 10 sandwiches to get one for free, or that your sandwich of choice is inexpensive to begin with; there’s just something about getting one for free that makes it taste better! That friends, is the power of a loyalty program, and if you don’t have one… Well, what are you waiting for?

If the idea of setting up a loyalty program seems intimidating, don’t worry. It’s actually really easy to create your own customer loyalty program, and it can be as simple as some inexpensively-printed business cards and a hole punch, or as elaborate as a custom-branded app. Here are a few tips for setting up a loyalty program:

• Choose a catchy name. For example, DSW has DSW VIP, IKEA has IKEA Family, and Nordstrom has the Nordy Club.
• Gamify it. There’s something innate to human nature that makes us love games, so adding a game component to your loyalty program can make it even more effective. This could include a variety of approaches, like allowing customers to “level up” to different tiers (think Silver, Gold, Platinum levels), or adding a random prize component at certain milestones (similar to Easter eggs or loot chests in video games.) 
• Create a variety of ways to participate. For instance, every regular price admission earns a certain number of points, while booking a party earns a much larger point bonus. You can also market your program by holding regular double points or double punch days. 

Shake things up.

Regular, simple changes can keep the experience fresh for your customers. The options are endless, but these are some easy ways to make sure your customers are having unique experiences every time they visit. 

• Adding seasonal food or drink specials to your concessions program
• Updating your skating playlists with new music, seasonal favorites, etc.
• Introducing a new skate night special, activity, or event
• Keeping your redemption prizes new and novel

Make sure you get the word out to your customers about these updates through in-person and online marketing. If you don’t tell them, they won’t know about all the cool new stuff you’re doing!

Look and listen.

Last but definitely not least, continue to keep your eyes and ears open to your customers’ experiences. By listening to their feedback, monitoring online comments and reviews, and paying attention to what they engage with in-person and online, you can find out what’s working and what’s not to impress your guests and keep them coming back for more.

Here are some more inventory notes to try to keep everyone up to date on where we stand as of today (Oct 15, 2020)

CHICAGO – We have a big shipment on the way, it should arrive any day now and it should fill most of the holes in our inventory.

 

SURE-GRIP – They have a shipment on the way that will get us black and white Fame skates.  We don’t know yet what sizes are coming, but hopefully this will leave us enough to have some inventory after the backorders are pulled.  They’ve announced that some colored Fames are coming soon, the first of those to arrive will be the yellow ones.  They’ll have black wheels, half will be Fame indoor wheels and half will have a black outdoor wheel.

 

VANILLA – A shipment of Junior skates have arrived from China.  We hope to get some by Oct 25.  We’re not sure yet how many we’ll get, but they say there should be a few of most sizes and colors, so that will help fill some of our backorders and maybe leave some over for new inventory.

 

ROLLER DERBY – They are expecting a lot of product to start arriving very soon.  Most of their models will start showing up by November 1, but they did warn us the GTX-500 skates will NOT be in that first batch.  You can see a lot of their new skates on our website at www.seskate.com/skate-show/  This has pictures of the new Candi Girl skates, the Roller Girl line, and some other new items they’re introducing.

 

DON’T FORGET – Here is a list of items that ARE in stock now that might get overlooked. . .

Stratos White  sz 3, 4, 5, 6

Stratos Black sz 3, 4

Candi 774 Raspberry sz 3, 4, 8, 10

Candi 774 Peri sz 3, 4, 5

Candi 774 Seafoam sz 3

Candi 772 White sz 3, 4, 5

Candi 772 Pink sz 3, 4, 5

Candi 772 Mint sz 3, 4, 5

Candi 772 Black-Teal sz 3, 4, 5, 6

Revive Light Up Black sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

Revive Light Up White sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

GT50 Glitter Style Black sz 4, 5, 6, 8, 9

GT50 Glitter Style Silver sz 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

GT50 Plus Light Up Black sz 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Cyclone Blue sz 4, 5, 6, 9

Cyclone Pink sz 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

Cyclone Purple sz 4, 5, 6, 9

Heart Throb Black sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Heart Throb Red sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7

ATA-600 Purple sz 6, 7, 8, 9

Rock Flame white w/ blue sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Rock Flame black w/ blue sz 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Rock Flame yellow w/ black (“Buzz”) sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Rock Flame ghost grey sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13

Rock Flame black w/ green sz 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

Rock Flame black w/ seafoam sz 3, 4, 5, 6, 9

Rock Flame black w/ orange/yellow (“Tri Color”) sz 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Rock Flame white w/ pink sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Rock Flame pink w/ black sz 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Rock Flame black w/ pink sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10

Rock Flame black w/ red sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

Rock Flame black w/ ruby sz 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10

Since we aren’t able to have a traditional tradeshow this year, we wanted to still get out as much info as possible from our vendors through our email list and website.  We’ve talked to several of our friends throughout the industry and we’ll forward on what info they gave us.

 

The info here is designed to be shared with your customers.  You can forward this on to anyone.  We have other info including pricing, specials, etc., that is available via email once we’ve verified that you’re a legit customer.  The easiest way to do that is to email us (info@seskate.com) your account number and a recent invoice number, they’re both shown on any of our invoices or statements.  Once we have that, we can email you additional info that rink owners are going to be interested in.

 

Any dates in here are estimates.  That’s true most of the time, but especially this year.  Covid-19 has made forecasting demand tougher this year.  It means that getting products made is tougher than normal.  It has made finding boats and trucks to ship things tougher and also much more expensive.  We’ve never seen anything like this, our inventory levels are the lowest they’ve ever been, we just can’t get skates in as quickly as we’d like.  So take the dates any of the manufacturers are providing with a grain of salt, nobody really has a handle on this yet.

 

CHICAGO – Chicago doesn’t have any new products to report on, but they do have their traditional line up of 1900/400/800 skates, and they’ve been doing a pretty good job of keeping those available for us.  We just received another good shipment, and as we type this up, our inventory here is better than it is for most of the other brands.  So that’s a good thing to keep in mind.

 

CLEAN SKATE MACHINE – We’re offering a special through Oct 15 on the wheel washer machines.  There is a video at https://www.facebook.com/97214809053/videos/10154086432519054 that you might want to check out if you’d like to learn more about the machines and how they work.

 

CSA CREDIT CARDS – We switched our credit card processing to CSA approximately two years ago.  They had an endorsement from the RSA and we thought we would see if they could save us some money.  They saved us a lot of money, they’re great to work with, and we haven’t looked back for a second.  If you’d like to see if they could help your rink save money, email dbrewer@csamail.net, and ask him to get you details on how you can start saving money with each sale.

 

REBECCA’S – They put together a video with news about a sale on birthday party supplies, and we’ve also got more info for you if you are a verified customer (see below).  But the video link is https://youtu.be/Jz-e-QC_knY and we hope you check it out.

 

ROCES – We carry three different inline models from Roces.  One is designed for smaller feet, one for bigger feet, and one for middle sized feet.  Click here for pics and more details.

 

ROLLER SKATING MUSEUM – Did you know that roller skating has its own museum?  We do, in Lincoln Nebraska, and you can learn more at this link.

 

ROLL-ON – Click here for more info on floor coatings from Roll-On Floor Systems.

ROLLER DERBY – Roller Derby is coming out with several new products this season.  Tony Muse will be joining us for a Zoom Meeting to show off their new skates.  We’ve got pictures and details of the new skates, info on the Zoom Meeting, click  https://seskate.com/skate-show-roller-derby/for details.

 

SCENTURION – Scenturion is a deodorizer spray that comes in three different size bottles.  Click here for more info.

 

SKATE MATE – Skate Mate has slightly redesigned their Trainers.  We’re offering discounts on orders placed by October 15.  Click here for more info.

 

SOUTHEASTERN SKATE – The last few months have been a whirlwind, to say the least.  As we adapt to the Covid19 world, many items have sold out and manufacturers are struggling to keep up.  We’ve got info on that, updates on many of the other products and services we provide, and more all available by clicking here.

 

SURE-GRIP – We’ve got an update on inventory from Sure-Grip and also news about some new colors that are coming.  Click Here from more details.

 

TRUSTWORKZ – Trustworkz is a company that specializes in internet marketing, website creation, etc.  They helped us update our www.seskate.com website to make it simpler and more mobile friendly.  They put together a video for our customers which you can view at https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1vGUKpnpiJQbBaBfDbHMZYZOM-dTeui62?usp=sharing

If you would like to contact them to see how they can help you, just email gaby@trustworkz.com.

 

 

Roller skating will always have an enthusiastic community of devotees, but there’s no denying that it’s currently having A Moment. That’s right, roller skating is officially trendy right now, and this resurgence in popularity has been driven by two important factors: TikTok and COVID-19. If you’re scratching your head wondering where all of this newfound roller skating passion has come from, read on to learn how a global pandemic and a Gen Z social media app combined to generate a roller renaissance. 

TikTok and #rollerskating

If you were born before the mid-1990s and are wondering what the heck TikTok is, don’t worry—we’ve got the scoop for you. TikTok is just the latest trend in social media, a platform that fits perfectly with today’s meme culture, easy access to technology, and demand for short-form entertainment. The short videos you’ll find on TikTok range from quick fitness tips to mini comedy sketches, but the most popular type of video by far is the lip-syncing dance video. 

Similar to the way the Ice Bucket Challenge or “planking” swept through our Facebook feeds years ago, TikTok dances are picked up and repeated by users who add their own spin. 

Of course, since roller skating, popular music, and dancing are so intertwined, it makes perfect sense that skaters are sharing their short roller skating videos set to music clips via TikTok. Micro-influencers like oh.thatsreese and anaocto have amassed hundreds of thousands and even millions of followers, and #rollerskate is up to 226.6 million views and counting! This increased visibility on roller skating has led to a boom in skate sales, with stylish skates like Impala’s Pastel Fade Limited Edition selling out in just one day. 

But while TikTok has certainly heightened the visibility of roller skating, there’s more to this skating moment than just a social media trend. Those TikToks have resonated so much with fans because we’ve all been experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic together. 

How COVID-19 Led to A Roller Skating Renaissance

The global COVID-19 pandemic has affected people in many ways depending on their circumstances, but some things—especially feelings of social isolation, boredom, and fear of the unknown—have touched all of us in one way or another. Months-long stay at home orders and mandatory social distancing may have kept bars, restaurants, and recreation facilities like skating rinks closed, but roller skating is an activity that can be done outdoors. It’s social, fun, and a great way to get some exercise, making it particularly valuable in light of the extra time we’ve all spend sitting around at home since the pandemic started. 

Roller skating also has a certain retro appeal that continues to pull it back into the mainstream consciousness year after year. For many of the Millenials who grew up having skating rink birthday parties, dusting off their old skates during these trying times has provided a much-needed dose of comfort, nostalgia, and stress relief. How many workouts can boast that kind of emotional impact?

Now that most skating rinks have been able to reopen, it’s a great time to capitalize on the popularity of roller skating. There are plenty of opportunities to be had for content creators on TikTok, as well as micro influencer relationships with skate brands. This is also the time to push your skate sales, especially for stylish skates and TikTok or Instagram-ready accessories. Check out our 2020 wholesale skate catalog, or contact us to place your order!

Fall is officially here! After the unrelenting heat of summer and the stresses of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the cooler weather is making everyone want to head outdoors. Getting out of the house and doing some outdoor fall activities will be good for your family’s mental and physical health. Check out these family-friendly outdoor activities for fall around Atlanta!

Fall Family Fun: Outdoor Activities in Atlanta

The coronavirus pandemic is still going strong in many areas, so social distancing, hand hygiene, and masking up are still important. However, being outside in the fresh forest air is a lot better than breathing in recycled air at the mall or movie theater. These ideas will help you seize the season and get every drop out of the PSL (Pumpkin Spice Latte) of life. 

Go roller skating.

Did you know that you can convert your indoor roller skates into outdoor skates? Roller skating is a fantastic cardio workout, but it also builds muscles, reduces stress, and burns calories! Skating is the most fun you can have while still getting a workout, and you can make it even more exciting by skating outdoors. 

All of those numbers and ratings on skate wheels can be a bit overwhelming, but don’t worry—we’ve got your guide to choosing the right skate wheels. Whether you’re cruising sidewalks in your neighborhood, zipping along the trails of a nearby park, or even jumping into the fray at a skate park,  skating will get your heart pumping while keeping your whole family entertained. 

Take a hike (or several).

Every season has its own charms, but there’s nothing quite like fall in the North Georgia mountains. It’s the perfect time of year to take a hike with your kids and appreciate the vibrant colors of the changing leaves. Fortunately here in Atlanta, there are tons of kid-friendly hiking opportunities nearby—Fernbank Forest, the Dunwoody Nature Center, Arabia Mountain, Doll’s Head Trail, and Kennesaw Mountain, just to name a few. If you’re willing to take a day trip, there are even more hikes to see within a couple of hours, like Brasstown Bald, the Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park, and even a trail featuring a 270-foot suspension bridge over the Toccoa River! 

Shoot the Hooch. 

While tubing down the Chattahoochee River is most popular during the sweltering days of summer, those with an adventurous spirit may still enjoy this laid-back outdoor activity even in the early fall. Check with the tube rental companies before you go, and be sure to do your homework beforehand to check on the weather conditions, water safety, and everything else you need to know about shooting the Hooch. 

Have a picnic.

Sometimes the simple pleasures are best, and that definitely includes the humble picnic. Pack some snacks, grab a blanket or beach towel, and head to your neighborhood park (or even just your backyard!) for some al fresco dining in the cool, autumn air. And the dancing fireflies even provide a lovely after-dinner show. 

 

What are your favorite outdoor family activities for fall?

Vintage Rentals

 

Pacer is getting ready to introduce a new traditional looking quad rental skate called the Vintage.  This will be a lower priced quad rental skate priced to compete with any of the rental skates on the market.  It will come in sizes 12 Jr through 12 adult.  Shipments are a little hard to predict right now, but they’re hoping this will arrive in December.  They did a postcard mailing that some of you may have already seen with pictures and a few details.

 

They are being VERY aggressive with the pricing on this skate.  The regular price on this is going to be less than the New Generation Skate price, in a traditional looking quad rental.  But they’re doing a special to help get it started that will give you a big savings from that price during the month of September (call for details).  This makes the Vintage extremely competitive even against some of the used rentals that are out there.  This special price is definitely just for the month of September, we MUST receive your order in September to qualify for the pre-launch price and reserve your new rentals.  If you need rental skates, please place your order now so you don’t miss out on this.

Inventory Updates

Pink Stardust – Sizes 4,5, 6, and 7 still available from our last shipment.

 

Boardwalk – We just received some red (sizes 5-9) and purple (sizes 5-10) of these popular outdoor hightop models.

 

GT50 Black – Sizes 1-8 are in stock now, larger sizes expected to arrive today (Sept 11) or possibly Monday (Sept 12)

For many years we have hosted a tradeshow at our warehouse here in Roanoke, VA. Due to the current situation of the Covid-19 Pandemic, we will not be able to host a show this year. There is just too much uncertainty going on to be able to host an event like this in Virginia right now. We could list off a bunch of different reasons (building occupancy, catering rules, meeting space, etc.) that most people could appreciate, but it just doesn’t feel right to risk our employee’s or customer’s health in an attempt to sell more skates right now.

We do want to keep our customers updated and give our suppliers a chance to show off their new products. Look for an electronic version of the tradeshow with web site updates, email blasts, pics, etc. We hope to launch this the first week of October and are already working with our vendors to help product content. We are aiming for something that our customers can share with their customers (the skaters) to get them excited. We also hope to have some customer only content with pricing, special sales, etc.

Here are a few new notes on our incoming shipments of inventory.

Chicago – Our next shipment is probably going to be late September.

Sure-Grip – We just received a few of the GT50 skates and pink Stardust. Another shipment from Sure-Grip left California yesterday and should be here in about a week. The next big item from them to arrive will probably be the Fame skates, which will really help.

Bones – A big shipment is on the way, we don’t have details yet on what is in there.

Roller Derby – We received a good shipment of the Lucy adjustables last week. They’re working on several new models but these won’t be ready until later this season.

Disinfectant – We have the lemon and lavender disinfectants in stock as well as a new cleaner designed especially for plastics and plexiglass.

Consider getting orders in now for any of the popular items you need. That way when we do receive shipments you’ll be the first to get product.  Some of these shipments are going to be smaller than what we’d really like, but if you have an order in ahead of time you’ll be at the top of the list when they arrive.

Inventory Updates     

We received a small shipment from Chicago and thought it would be a good idea to send out an updated inventory list for you.  Here is a list of sizes that are currently in stock.  Because many of these are limited quantities, existing Roanoke customers get first priority until Tuesday (Sept 1).

400 (white)  sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7

405 (black) sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

800 (white) sz 5, 6, 7, 9, 11

805 (black) sz 5, 7, 8, 10, 12

We also have some other items we’d like to update.  Please keep in mind that some of these (especially the larger sizes) might be in very small quantities, so order quick if you’re interested.

Sure-Grip Malibu Black sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 11

Sure-Grip Malibu White sz 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10

Candi Girl 772 Black-Teal  sz 3, 4, 5, 10

Rewind 772 Solid black sz 3, 4, 5, 6

Candi Girl 772 Pink sz 3, 4, 5

Candi Girl 772 Mint sz 3, 4, 5, 6

Candi Girl 772 White sz 3, 4, 5, 6

Candi Girl 774 Seafoam sz 3, 4, 5, 7

Candi Girl 774 Peri sz 3, 4, 5, 6, 8

Candi Girl 774 Raspberry sz 3, 4, 5, 7, 11

Candi Girl 774 Blue sz 4, 5

Stratos White sz 3, 4, 5, 6

Stratos Black sz 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12

Boardwalk Blue sz 9

Boardwalk Red sz 3, 9

Boardwalk Purple sz 4

Boardwalk Pink sz 5

Stardust Gold sz 3

Stardust Blue sz 3, 4

Stardust Pink sz 3

Stardust black sz 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11

We are expecting our next shipment from Sure-Grip very soon.  The next two items aren’t here yet, but should be soon, hopefully next week.  If you’re interested you should consider pre-ordering as we don’t think we’re getting enough to last very long.

Stardust Pink sz 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9

GT50 black sz 4, 5, 6, 7, 8

You’ve made a COVID-19 safety plan for your skating rink and you’re working hard to impress your guests in this “new normal.” You may have even deep cleaned your skating rink during the shutdown, or completed some upgrades or remodeling projects. But are you missing some important cleaning opportunities? These are some of the (un)usual suspects that are easy to overlook, but can definitely benefit from additional attention in your cleaning routine. 

Commonly Overlooked Areas When Cleaning and Refreshing Your Rink

Restrooms

Restrooms are an easy area to overlook, but the cleanliness and design of your bathrooms can actually make a big difference in how customers perceive your business. Ask yourself: 

• Could our bathrooms use an upgrade? 
• Are our paper towel and soap dispensers touchless? 
• Do we have seat covers available? 
• Are the changing tables sanitized regularly, and is there sanitizer available for customers? 
• Is the trash touchless? Does the door need a touchless opener?

Menus and Signage

Signs are a frequently overlooked area that can get pretty grubby if left out of the cleaning rotation. Menus are another “usual suspect,” and they are particularly important to sanitize because they’re handled by so many people before eating. Add a menu wipedown to your cleaning protocol, or better yet, switch to a no-contact solution like a menu chalkboard, digital menu board, etc.

Redemption Counter and Prizes

You probably have everything behind a counter, but if not, consider rearranging your displays to prevent kids from digging through the prizes with their (possibly germy) hands. 

Walls

These surfaces are all around us and typically get touched a lot at FECs, but walls are easy to overlook. Consider giving your walls a fresh coat of paint, or better yet, commission a local artist to paint a custom mural for your skating rink. This can even be a marketing opportunity and selling point, especially if it’s a photo op mural that people want to be photographed in front of! 

You can also spruce up empty walls by getting prints made of favorite photos from your rink. Turn it into a contest and have your skaters send in their favorites to be immortalized on the wall. 

Curb Appeal

While not strictly a cleaning tip, keeping an eye on your curb appeal is always a smart move. First impressions matter, and you want your entrance to make a good one, setting expectations for what visitors will find inside. 

Furthermore, perception is reality—a well-kept and appealing exterior communicates to your customers that your facility is clean, safe, and professionally managed. Sweep those sidewalks, freshen up the landscaping, and if needed, upgrade your signage. You might even draw some new customers who have never given your skating rink a second look!