Mainstreet USA Rink in Streamwood closes

A Streamwood staple is no longer.

Mainstreet USA Roller Skating Center closed May 19 after struggling to keep up with taxes and bills, but that didn’t stop co-owner Steve Rollins from keeping it open one extra hour beyond what had been announced.

“The kids didn’t want to leave,” co-owner Pat Rollins said, adding that the group clapped for her husband. “It was really the taxes. We just can’t make it with everything else. It doesn’t pull in that kind of money.”

It’s a bittersweet moment for the couple, who have had the rink through a land contract since November 2002.

Their lender, Wintrust Bank, is taking control of the property May 31.

“Just because of the money we’re glad to get out of it, but we’re really going to miss it,” Pat said.

She said they appreciated the “overwhelming” community support.

The rink, which also hosted parties, fundraisers and other events, hosted its final open skate sessions Friday and Saturday, May 18 and 19, and they were well-attended. Friday evening brought in around 300 people, more than twice the usual crowd.

Some residents have contacted the village asking whether it could help, but Village Manager Gary O’Rourke said Streamwood hasn’t raised fees for things such as business licenses in about 10 years and the financial problems were beyond what the village could address.

“We’re always sad to see a local business close,” O’Rourke said.

“It’s obviously a longtime institution that provided recreational opportunity for a number of years.”

Some still hope the rink can reopen.

On May 16, a Facebook group called “They can’t take away Mainstreet USA!” started, and by May 19, it had more than 900 members.

Sue Angelacos said she hopes the rink will survive with the help of people like her son, but even if it doesn’t she thinks the effort to save it will be a civics lesson for them.

“The kids want to do something,” she said. “Now that that’s closed, there’s really no where else for them to go outside the park district.”