FAYETTEVILLE — Skating is in Tiffany Caston’s blood.
That’s why she and her husband, Neil, recently opened Starlight Skatium in Fayetteville, giving roller derby teams and skaters of all ages another local entertainment venue.
The new business is at 612 N. College Ave., the former home of Curry’s Video and Special Occasions.
Fayetteville hasn’t had a roller rink since the Skate Place closed in 2005. The Razorback Roller Rink in Rogers shut down in December 2008.
Starlight Skatium joins a pair of rinks in Washington and Benton counties: Great Day Skate Place, 1615 Moberly Lane, Bentonville and Roller City, 1007 Century St., Springdale.
Roller City has been open for 30 years and is owned and managed by Stephen Lightfoot.
Great Day Skate Place was built in 2001 and is owned and managed by Roseanna Carter.
“We love competition,” Carter said of Starlight Skatium’s opening. “It does what it is supposed to do — it gives people a chance to choose what they want.”
Starlight held its first skate Dec. 18 and the rink is open special hours tonight — 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. — to ring in the new year.
The building has almost 17,000 square feet and the Castons bought it from Dewitt Clinton Goff in June for $657,000. The couple spent more than $361,000 on renovation, according to a Fayetteville building permit issued in August.
The building’s renovation involved gutting the interior and making outdoor improvements.
“We were basically down to four walls,” Tiffany Caston said.
The skating floor, constructed of hardwood maple, is about 10,000 square feet. The remaining space is a lounge area complete with tables, a concession stand and admission area, giving patrons a place to hang out when not rolling across the floor.
Starlight Skatium has 10 part-time workers, in addition to the Castons.
All the contractors were local except for the provider of the lighting and stereo systems. Caston used a Kansas City business that specializes in roller rinks.
“One of the things I’m most excited about is how beautiful that building is, and on such a busy street,” said Allyson Twiggs Dyer, director of the Fayetteville Visitors Bureau.
Neighbors would stop by during renovation to express appreciation of the building improvement and bringing skating back to Fayetteville, Caston said.
The Northwest Arkansas Roller Derby will make its season debut Jan. 23 at Starlight Skatium, when the Arkansas Killbillies take on the Memphis Roller Derby.
The other Northwest Arkansas team, Backwoods Betties, has its first home match Feb. 6 against Mo-Kan Roller Girlz.
Roller City hosted roller derby prior to Starlight Skatium’s opening. Lightfoot said he doesn’t mind losing the roller derby and can focus on being more family oriented.
“I pride myself in working toward families,” he said. “It mean’s more to me to put a smile on a kid’s face.”
Caston knows a thing or two about roller derby. She is a member of both local teams.
She is putting together a Fayetteville speed skating team.
Starlight Skatium has open skating at various times Wednesday through Sunday. People can rent the rink for private parties with several party packages. Caston said the rink doesn’t sell alcohol but people in private parties can provide their own. Private party rental packages range from $350 to $600 for a two-hours party.
Birthday party packages run from $100 to $250 and can be held during regular rink hours or as private parties.
Dyer said she sees many possibilities for the rink.
“When we bring in sporting events, we don’t have an abundance of activities for kids to do,” she said. Skating is something children can do before, between and after games.
Kids aren’t the only people who skate.
“I see this as a tool for us with all types of events and groups,” Dyer said. “Now that skating parties can stay home, that’s tax money staying local.”
When asked why they opened the skating rink now, Tiffany Caston said, “I saw the need and we made it happen.”
The roller business shrunk throughout the past few years. There are about 2,000 rinks nationwide, said James Vannurden, director of the National Museum of Roller Skating in Lincoln, Neb.
He said the first public roller rink was built in 1866 in Rhode Island. In the 1920s rinks opened at a steady rate until hitting its peak of more than 2,100 in 1952.
“The industry as a whole, I would say it is going down, but barely,” Vannurden said.
Caston feels confident about her family’s new business venture. They operate Celestial Spring Water, which she calls her husband’s baby.
“This is my baby,” she said of Starlight Skatium.
Owning a family friendly business allows Caston to spend more time with her children and bring them to work with her. The Castons have three boys ages 9, 7 and 5.
Webwatch: Starlight Skatium - starlightskatium.com
AT A GLANCE
Starlight Skatium
Hours and Prices
Wednesday — 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Thursday — 8 to 11 p.m.
Friday — 7 to 11 p.m.
Saturday — 1 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 11 p.m.
Sunday — 1 to 4 p.m.
Admission is $5 for matinee sessions and $7 for night sessions. Admission price includes skate rental.
Source: Staff Report