All skate! Local roller rink’s new owner keeps a 70-plus year tradition rolling right along

MOUNT MORRIS – Rebecca Jones is on a roll.

She bought the Pine Creek Canyon wedding venue and Pine Creek Cabins in April, and before the year’s end she closed the deal on a third business: White Pines Roller Skating Center.

Jones bought the local landmark in December, and so far, it’s been business as usual for the roller rink that’s been around since 1947.

“It worked really well with my current portfolio,” Jones said. “This business is mostly in the winter, unlike my other ones. There aren’t many winter weddings. It also borders my properties. It made sense from a business standpoint.”

The roller rink at 6929 West Pines Road is just west of the canyon wedding venue, and across the road from the White Pines State Park.

Jones started talking to former owners Dave and Maggie Johnson back in September about buying the business. Dave had owned the rink since 1984 and recently relocated to Nashville, Tennessee. The reported amount of the transaction was $240,000.

Jones said she’ll continue to operate the rink much as it has been since it opened, she does want to draw more private events, like adult skates and nights with live bands. She also plans to spruce things up, including power washing and cleaning up the front of the building.

“It needs a little bit of a face lift,” Jones said. “We want to make it have more curb appeal.”

The roller rink’s manager under the Johnsons, Amber Becker, agreed to stay on to run the rink’s day-to-day operations. But Jones made a point to have the sale completed by the end of the year so she could help with preparing for the rink’s overnight event on New Year’s Eve.

“It was a really busy day, the busiest of my year,” Jones said. “It was awesome and I was impressed by the staff. My family was there to help, too.”

As for her other businesses, Jones has had a good first year; she said bookings at both businesses are up and weddings are scheduled through the entire year.

For now, she doesn’t have any plans to buy any other properties.

“That’s my New Year’s resolution,” Jones said. “Never say never, but I want to focus on building and improving what I have.”

DETAILS

White Pines Roller Rink

929 W. Pines Road, Mount Morris

7 to 10 p.m. Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. & 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday

Visit skatingfun.com or call 815-946-9988 for more information or to book an event.

Find White Pines Skating Center on Facebook