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We just received a new version of the U772 Candi Girl in pink.  It has a fade look to it, so you get a lot of different shades of pink.  Plus blue.  Plus yellow.  A really different look, sure to turn heads.  Check it out:

We bet you already know that October is National Roller Skating Month, but have you thought about ways to use that to your advantage? 

We have a few easy ways to freshen up your skating center for October.

• New Prizes – Are the rewards for your arcade a little outdated? Check out the options from Southeastern Skate Supply. These novelties offer a huge markup opportunity, so don’t skimp on keeping prizes interesting.
• New Party Stuff – If you want to capture repeat party business (and why wouldn’t you?), make sure that guests can make their party different from the last one. New tableware and themes go a long way.
• New Music – While retro nights or speciality music are a big hit with certain crowds, your day-to-day music should be fresh and exciting. Make sure your DJs are keeping up with what’s popular as well as what’s cutting edge.

Of course, no matter how awesome they are, updates aren’t going to matter if no one sees them. How will you draw people into your skating center?

• New Promotions – Consider a National Roller Skating Month promotion (or several) that makes sense with your demographics and business plan.
• New Events – Throwing a National Roller Skating Month party with fun specials is a great way to bring people in during an off-season.
• Publicize It! If customers don’t know about your events, they can’t attend! Keep your customers up to date through all the channels you have access to.

Southeastern Skate Supply is here to help! With a little bit of extra effort, rink owners can turn this month into a real winner.

We wanted to follow up our tradeshow with a series of interviews with some of the vendors that were here.  We’ve already done the RSA and LaserBlast (see www.seskate.com/blog if you missed them).  Today we have a great one with Roller Derby.  We talked to Tony Muse and also Will Marion.  We’ve inserted a couple of editor comments in here, along with some pics of the new skates they talk about.  Feel free to forward this along to your skating buddies or customers. . .

 

QUESTION: You go to a lot of events, do a lot of traveling, and really try to be out there, visible, supporting the skating rinks. What are you hearing from the rinks as the busy season gets ready to start up? What are the rinks saying?

 

Will Marion:  Comments from the show would indicate that their business is getting better as the season progresses.  Some felt September was softer than usual but please with the current level of business.  Tony can answer this as well since he’s involved with his family in the business.

 

Tony Muse:  I come from a unique position in that I do get to travel to the shows and events and at the same time, my family owns and operates a few rinks back home. Because of that, I get to see it and hear about it at the same time. The energy at the rinks that I talk to is still very positive. There is the normal “football Friday” keeping a few rinks slow but many have shifted to a Saturday night that does what the Friday used to. Most rinks are doing everything they can to squeeze in more birthday parties as demand for those are high. For skate sales, it really is dependent on the area of the country as I really hear a difference in what works in different areas.

 

QUESTION: What are some of the new items Roller Derby / Pacer / Tour are introducing to the market? What kind of feedback have they received? Has anything specific stuck out?

Tony Muse:  We just introduced our Alpha 125 and 110 skates which we are excited about. The 3 big wheels catch everyone’s attention and with the quality of the support we have in the skates, they are really easy to use. Not only do I love skating on them, but my wife and kids have given them high praises as well.

Our Inferno boot has done really well for those skaters looking for top quality and performance in a roller skate. My brother Dante is one of the most picky skaters I know and he has been nearly impossible to pry away from his Oberhaimer boots but he has been on the Inferno for about a year and he is still amazing on skates.

The new colors in the GTX have created some buzz and our reboot of the Comet and Charger will certainly help with gift under the tree this Christmas season.

 

[editor’s note – Dante has earned the right to be picky.  Both he and Tony were very successful speed skaters, winning numerous National Championship and World Championship medals, they’re both generally considered among the best speed skaters ever]

 

 

Will Marion:  The new models in Pacer are new designs on what are proven popular models -  we revamped the Charger – the birthday skate – and the lighted wheel Comet.  Both have a very good response from the rinks – the new Alpha models had an excellent response – eye pop so to speak – had a lot of conversation on these – new Tour models will be introduced in 2018 – 39TY, 49TY and 59TA – we didn’t have samples at your show as everything will be 38, 48, and 58 until 2018.

 

 

QUESTION: Have you heard of any new ideas from the rinks you talk to that sound exciting and that our readers might want to borrow from? Any new profit ideas out there?

Tony Muse:  I am still a bit shocked at how few rinks have gotten on board with the “specialty” skate rentals. Our family has been renting specialty speed and inline rentals for years (at an additional fee) with great success. I have gotten a few notable rink operators around the country to bring in some skates to try specialty rentals out and they have all came back to me and told me how much of a home run it was for them. I would suggest every rink try bringing in a higher priced specialty rental program in and see how it works for them.

 

QUESTION: The company name is “Roller Derby”, but you’re also very involved in the SPORT of roller derby. Especially Tony, as a derby skater. What are you seeing at the different derby meets and shows? How is derby changing as we move forward?

Tony Muse:  The sport of Roller Derby is very near and dear to us as a company because our owned Ed Selzer is family to the creator of the sport Leo Selzer. We were excited to see the sport re-emerge again in the last decade and we try and support as many events as we can in order to help support it. The sport of Roller Derby as a comeback endeavor largely grew through women and the females have embraced it and made it grow to crazy proportions. In fact, the upcoming WFTDA (women’s league) championship will be broadcast live from Philadelphia on ESPN 2. As the sport has grown, the men have followed suit although not in the same numbers as the women and what we are seeing now, a huge emergence of junior and children’s roller derby leagues and programs popping up. Many rinks fear the roller derby adults and the leadership that comes with them but if rink operators have a chance to start a junior program in the area they should jump on it right away as it provides a number of kids with an outlet to continue their love and passion for skating in a team sport which many prefer over individual sports. Outside of the states the growth is great with nearly 50 women’s teams and 40 men’s teams scheduled for the upcoming 2018 World Cups in England and Spain.

 

[editor’s note – the WFTDA Championships will be broadcast on Nov 5, 2017, on ESPN2.  More details available at https://wftda.com/wftda-signs-deal-with-espn2-to-televise-2017-wftda-championship-game/]

 

QUESTION: Roller Derby is very involved in the bigger sporting goods stores and mass merchants as a supplier to many of the larger retailers across the world. What do you hear from them as they get ready for the upcoming Christmas shopping season?

Tony Muse:  We hear that grandma’s and grandpa’s have fond memories of growing up skating and they are excited to be able to share that love for the sport with their grandkids as they give it a try. We hear about stores having derby players coming in and not finding suitable grade equipment at some of the box stores. We hear about a generation of new parents who grew up in the skating rink and are finding their way back into skating as they have kids.

 

I hope this helps. I am certain that Will can help in a much greater capacity than I in some of these areas.

 

Will Marion:  In general retailers are very carefully watching inventory levels and inventory turns.  Fortunately, skates, particularly quad, are performing quite well. The advent of Soy Luna has brought quad skate interest in markets around the world for the first time.  Latin American in particular has seen a surge in demand – this was the inline customer of 5 years ago – and this is moving to additional markets – Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Canada – I have inquiries from markets that have been difficult at best to spur interest in the past.

[editor’s note – Soy Luna is a Disney program that is broadcast in the Latin America market.  It has been a huge success, creating a surge of interest in skating in that area.  There is hope that it might eventually come to the USA, but nothing definite yet]

 

Our annual tradeshow was earlier this week, and we thank everyone for turning out.  As a new feature, we’re doing interviews with many of the vendors that were able to join us.  Yesterday we did one with LaserBlast.  This morning we have an interview with Jim McMahon, the executive director of the RSA.  We hope these are interesting, and we should have more from some other vendors coming later this week.

 

QUESTION:  First off, thanks for taking the time to come to our show.  I know the RSA leaders spend a lot of time on the road, we appreciate your commitment.  Since you are on the road a lot, visiting with a lot of rink owners, what are you hearing from the rinks?  Are they optimistic as we get ready for the busy fall/winter season?

ANSWER:  Roller rink operators that I have spoken to are very optimistic about the upcoming season. The majority are reporting that they are slightly ahead this year compared to where they were at last year at this same time.

 

QUESTION:  Have you heard any new ideas on new things some rinks are trying that have been a big home run?  What are some new ideas that are helping the rinks?

ANSWER:  An increasing number of our members have added a summer camp to their offerings. Most of these camps have a multitude of activities and skating is just one facet of their camp. STEM has been a great revenue builder for rinks. Additionally, the Kids Skate Free program has been rapidly growing which has helped create additional income for the summer months for the rinks that have recently joined the program.

 

QUESTION:  For the rinks that aren’t yet RSA members, what are some of the main benefits the R offers rinks that helps them cover the cost of membership?

ANSWER:  Outside of the obvious answer of Pepsi which makes most participating member’s dues free each year. Our newest benefit ICEE is a great new benefit for those interested in a frozen beverage offering. An unsung hero of our member benefits is HR360 a program with a $395 value that each RSA Member receives for free. This program does a multitude of things that are important for any business owner who doesn’t have a full time HR department. Protect Youth Sports in an excellent benefit in today’s day and age where we need to be more cautious about who we hire. Office Depot is another great membership that saves members on both printing services and items in the store.

 

QUESTION:  Can you tell us anything yet about your upcoming 2018 Convention in Las Vegas?  What is the theme of the convention?  What are some of the seminars or speakers that are lined up?

ANSWER:  The Convention is May 13-17, 2018 at the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV.   This is a family friendly property that has (in addition to a casino) a bowling alley and some excellent restaurants.  The theme for this year is Back to the Future. The convention planning committee, marketing committee, and promotions committee are all bringing their A-game this year to bring awesome programming for the event.

 

QUESTION:  If someone did want to join the RSA, or had questions, who is the best person to contact?  What is their email address and/or phone number?

ANSWER:  For membership information they can reach out to Sharon McMahon, Director of Membership at 317.347.2626 Ext 108 or membership@rollerskating.com. Additionally, they can reach out to myself Jim McMahon or anyone else on my team for help. There is also a lot of information available on our website and new members can join online if they so choose.

[editor’s note – they also provided the graphic below that is pretty interesting, feel free to copy, save, and use on your own website or facebook page]

We just hosted our annual tradeshow here at our Roanoke, VA warehouse.  We realize that many people aren’t able to attend, so we thought we would follow up on the tradeshow with a series of interviews with the vendors that attended.  Our first one (ever) is with Al Keeping and Mike Ewald from LaserBlast.  We hope you find these interesting. . .

 

QUESTION:  What is involved in a skating rink adding laser tag to their rink?  How much space will it take?  How much time will the construction take up?

 

Adding laser tag to a skating rink typically follows one of three tracks:

1. Repurposing lightly-used lobby, party rooms, banquet halls, storage space, etc.
2. Reducing the size of the skating floor to acquire more space.
3. Expanding the building.

Construction times will vary significantly depending on the type of space being repurposed; a remodel can be complete in 3-6 months.  We recommend 3,000 to 4,000 square feet for a full conventional laser tag with briefing and vesting area included.  As little as 1,200 square feet is suitable for our kid-friendly CyberBlast-Phaser game.

 

QUESTIION:  How much do rinks get for a game of laser tag?  Or do most add it to their general admission price or birthday party packages?

 

Adding laser tag to birthday party packages accounts for about 50% of laser tag revenues.  The other half is made up of paid per-game players and larger events.  Most rinks see a large increase in party bookings after adding laser tag.

Price per game varies depending on the length of game, and the ‘wow’ factor / size of the attraction.  A smaller CyberBlast Phaser game will typically be $3-$4 for 6-10 minutes of actual game play (15 minute experience time, including briefing, suit-up, and exiting).

A traditional laser tag will demand a higher price of $6-$9 for 8-12 minutes of game play.

 

QUESTION:  What makes LaserBlast brand a good option for the skating rinks?

 

Although we offer a wide variety of interactive devices and advanced game, easy operation and extreme durability are most important for a skating rink addition.  When laser tag is an added attraction, it’s critical that the equipment starts up quickly, offers simple 1-button game starting, and holds up to fired up energetic players.  Our unique background in rugged electronics, industry-exclusive Wireless Charging system, and fully automatic 1-button startup make LaserBlast equipment the ultimate operator-friendly system.  We also offer the option to use a 2-pound hand-held phaser for smaller players side-by-side with the full vested system.

 

QUESTION:  How long do the equipment pieces last?

 

We have some clients continuing to operate their original system 15 or more years later.  We advise a refurbishment or upgrade program after 5-7 years of normal use to take advantage of the latest offerings and keep everything running tip-top. We do not require any license codes or fees, so you are welcome to use the equipment as long as you would like.

 

QUESTION:  How often should you remodel the laser tag field arena to keep it fresh?

 

Optimally some freshening of the arena should be done every 2 years to keep the attraction from getting stale.  It doesn’t have to be a full remodel though; just changing around a few key panels, adding a special centerpiece, or some targets or special effects goes a long way.  A typical operator does this every 5-10 year.

 

QUESTION:  What’s the best way to reach you if they have more questions?

 

E-mail or Phone would be best:

You can reach us on our toll-free line at 877-338-7889, or by e-mail at info@laser-blast.com

At Southeastern Skate Supply, we know that branding is everything. Getting your name out there and creating brand recognition can help increase your business exponentially. Buying ads and billboards is one thing, but there are many other great ways to keep your skating rink relevant without spending a fortune.

We offer a ton of really cool and creative ways to promote your brand. Check out a few of the things we can do for you below and then give us a call to place an order today!

Get The Word Out!

At Southeastern Skate Supply in Roanoke, Virginia, we have great sources for several different promo items you can use to get the word out about your business.

• Cake Knives – Get your rink’s logo and contact information printed on the knives you use to cut cake or serve pizza, and then give them to the birthday mom to take home!
• Wooden Nickels –Wooden nickels are fun little items that you can give away to your customers. Add your logo on one side and an offer such as “free coke” or “free admission” on the other. They encourage return visits and are cool souvenirs for your patrons to take home.
• Pencils – Handing out pencils with your logo and contact info to all the birthday party guests or school party customers means they are carrying your brand all around town. You can even print up some extra and donate them to local schools that need help with supplies. This is a great way to help your community while also getting your name out there for upcoming birthday parties and group events.

We’re Fully Stocked and Ready to Ship

At Southeastern Skate Supply, we are always fully stocked with creative promotional material, as well as all of the coolest skate gear and novelty items you could want for your pro shop or gift shop. For more information or to place an order, contact us today!

It’s almost time for the Southeastern Skate Supply Annual Trade Show! On Monday, October 2nd and Tuesday, October 3rd, join us at our warehouse in Roanoke, VA for this annual gathering of vendors and industry professionals. This event is not open to the public–it’s only for rink owners. Look for vendor meetings, product demos, dinner, networking with other rink owners, and even a skating party! 

From 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm on Monday and 9:00 am to 2:00 pm on Tuesday, the show is an opportunity to get amazing deals on new products and closeout prices on old ones. Making purchases at the trade show also means you save on freight charges. On Monday at 6:00 we’re hosting a free catered dinner so attendees can catch up with new friends and make new ones, and afterwards a local skating center will host a skate party. Bring your skates and get ready to have some fun at a skating rink–for once while you’re not working!

Are you the owner of a skating rink in a smaller market? This year we’re excited to announce our first Smaller City Rink Owners Committee Meeting! We encourage everyone who owns a rink in a small market to bring questions, ideas, and best practices to share with others in your same situation. The Roller Skating Association has been thinking of ways to attend to the challenges of this particular market, and at SE Skate Supply we’re proud to play a small part in making that happen.

For more information, contact us at Southeastern Skate Supply. The trade show will be here before you know it, so make plans today.

Our annual tradeshow is coming up on Oct 2 and 3.  Invites went out in the mail, hopefully you’ve received one by now.  This is a great chance to see new products in person, meet with different vendors, talk to other rink operators, etc.  The local RSA Chapter will be hosting a skate party at one of the local rinks.  The brand new RSA Small Rink Committee will be having a round table discussion group to find out what kind of support the rinks in smaller markets would like to see from the RSA.  This sounds like it should be one of the better meetings of the year, we hope you can join us here in Roanoke, VA.  If you have questions please give us a call or an email.  If you haven’t RSVP’d yet, please do so quickly, as the hotels are going to be pretty busy this week with a big football game at Virginia Tech.

We have several new skates from the Roces company.  One of the things we like about these skates are the wide variety of sizes they’re coming in. . .

Roces ZYX – Available in sizes 16, 17, and 18 (not a typo).  One buckle and one power strap per skate, with a fast lacing system.  90mm x 82A wheels.  ABEC 5 bearings.  In stock now.

Roces FCO – A rental inline.  Available in sizes 13, 14, and 15.  76mm wheels and ABEC 5 bearings.  One buckle per skate, with laces.  Coming soon.

Roces Orlando – An adjustable inline for smaller feet. Small is really small (fits sz 9J-12J), medium (fits sz 13J-3), and large (fits sz 4-7).  ABEC 3 bearings.  Two buckles per skate.  72mm wheels on medium and large, 64mm wheels on the small.  In stock now.

We have great sources for several different promo items you can use to get the word out about your business.  Here are some of the more popular choices.  Each of these can be imprinted with info about your rink.

Cake Knives – use these to cut birthday cakes or serve pizza, then give them to the birthday mom with your rink’s info printed on them.

Wooden Nickels – a neat classic looking wooden nickel design on one side, and a “free coke” or “free admission” printed on the other side.

Pencils – hand these out to all the birthday party guests or school party customers.  Or print up some extra and donate them to local schools that are looking to help out the students that might not have funds to buy their own supplies.  A great way to potentially get your message into schools that could then book parties from your rink.

We also have a new deodorizer spray called Scenturion now in stock.  It helps kill the bacteria that cause odor buildup in rental skates.

When it comes to hosting birthday parties for their kids, parents have a lot of options nowadays. How can your business set itself apart in this market? If you’ve already got flexible packages, plenty of extras, and helpful staff, it’s time to look at your party supplies.

There’s no denying that kids’ birthday parties are a huge source of business. Not only does your facility get the party fee, but if all the guests have fun, you should be able to clinch repeat business from the guest of honor, their family, the guests, and the people they tell about their awesome birthday party on social media. Great looking supplies are a huge part of that appeal! 

Just like a bad carpet will bring down your whole skating rink, boring designs will kill your party atmosphere. That’s why at Southeastern Skate Supply we’ve introduced a bold new design for party supplies: “It’s Party Time.” With bright colors and confetti graphics, this is a great addition to our existing party supply designs and will really liven up the table at the parties guests host at your facility. This design is available in two different plate sizes, plus cups, napkins, and placemats. It has a fun, celebratory look, and with its bright primary colors, it’s easy to coordinate with other decorations.

Southeastern Skate Supply has all your wholesale skating rink needs, from party supplies to skates to rink equipment. If you want to make parties a successful part of your business, make us your first stop!