Monday, September 20, 2010

Bowling and Roller Skating in San Gabriel, Cal.

The New San Gabriel Lanes closed up around the summer of 2008. The building pictured is still for sale.

No date found on when the bowling alley was built,
but "San Gabriel Bowling Lanes" was listed in the L.A. Times in September, 1961.
Up one block and across the street at 136 So. San Gabriel Boulevard is a building once home to Shamrock Roller Rink.


The current business is an Airsoft store and warehouse covering 30,000 square feet.  Merchandise, guns and plastic bb's are sold here to support the recreational sport similar to war games using paintball.

Shamrock Roller Rink started up here in 1949.  It was brand new building.  "Shamrock" was an often-used name:  there were other Shamrock rinks, and there was a Shamrock roller hockey team out of Pasadena.  Music went along with the sport:  roller skating discs were cut at Hollywood's Capitol Records with music set for a tango, march or waltz beat as well as the hokey pokey.  In the 1960s, live bands performed there.  In 1968 the name of the rink was changed to Fiesta Roller Rink.

6 comments:

  1. New San Gabriel Lanes closed in October 2001. It was built in 1954.

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  2. I worked there and was there when it closed it was a sad day for a lot of people

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    1. Thanks for the info. I'm Ron Carmona, still in San Gabriel since it was operating.

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    2. I used to roller skate and I remember how fine it was and it is sad I'm a Pyramid Bishop California and I wish to God they get something like this for the kids cause they're kids cause there had been a terrible accident that we lost 3 kids and it's lack of not much to do you know the mountains are there climbing there but they needed something but I always remember going dancing and doing that doing that but thank you

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  3. the shamrock roller rink changed name to fiesta roller rink in 1968.when the name changed it was leased from original owners.i'm still friends with the lease operators daughter.

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    1. Many thanks, Anonymous, for straightening me out on the date!

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