Guptill Arena-Secrets

I wish I could give it 0 stars.  Not that the management or ownership there cares at all.  They are the most wacked out, crazy people I have ever come across in my life.  Tonight, my daughter and her friend were there.  They did not lock up their coats and they were stolen.   Ok, so this is their fault and I get that.  We had a nice little talk about responsibility and all that.  HOWEVER, I tried to call Guptils to see if they had cameras or could do anything.   When I called I said to the women that answered the phone "can I speak to the person in charge"    She asked me "in charge of what?"   I wanted to laugh, but instead I said, "in charge of the skating, ya know, the manager?"  She told me no and hung up on me.   So, I tried calling back, she would pick up the phone and then hang up.  So, I went down there.  I asked the guy at the door and he was very vague and told me he didn't know who was in charge.  He then pointed to an old man and said to go speak to him.  So, I did.  I explained what happened and he kept saying there was nothing he could do about the coats.  I had to tell him about 30 times that I was not complaining about the coats, but rather the person who answered the phone.  I told him she sounded high (which she truly does.  Seriously, call there and listen for yourself)   His response was "watch it, that's my wife"  He had no clue at all how to deal with a customer.   I asked him if he is the owner and his response was "perhaps I am, perhaps I am not"   wth????  These people run a business?? A business that caters to children???  It was seriously comical, I wish it had been video taped because it was hilarious!!!  Regardless, Guptils has one less customer and if they keeping acting in their strange ways someday they will have none.

I had not been to Guptill's since 1993-ish.  It hasn't really changed and they are now celebrating their 60th Birthday (Congratulations Guptill Family).  As a result of it being its birthday, they gave EVERYONE a coupon to come back and skate next Saturday for FREE!!!!

Admission is $7, skate rental was $3, my hog dog was $3, and bottle of water was $2.  It is estimated that a person of my stature burns about 800 calories over the course of 2 hours of roller skating and I did about 3 hours of skating, so I don't feel guilty about that hot dog.  So for $15 I had a great afternoon, snack, and workout!  Lockers are 25cents each.  

I had forgotten how much fun roller skating was.  It was a little scary because there were kids every where and they kept falling and then I kept almost falling trying to avoid the human speed bumps on the floor. You'll be happy to know that they still have the neon sign indicating "all skate", "couples moonlight", "trio", etc.  You'll be sad to know that they are no longer spinning Madonna and Bon Jovi 45s.  They have some new lighting and the skater police still patrol the rink but don't seem to enforce the rules as strictly as they did when I was a kid.  You'll be happy to know that I did not fall.  Not once.  I had some close calls.  

Thank goodness i workout strenuously 4 times a week.  I anticipate that despite my efforts that i will be icing my knees and bemoaning sore gluteus maximum, medius, and minimus muscles for the next weeks.  

I've decided that after begging for a Guptill's Birthday party for most of my childhood and being denied, I am going to have my next birthday party at Guptill's....I don't care if its for kids.

Guptils holds the Guiness record for the biggest indoor skating rink in the world and its right here in sweet ass Latham.  

Things kids are good at scare me because they never get hurt when they fall. When  I found our that my friend Friday was having a birthday party at Guptils and there was going to be roller skating involved I was pretty sure I'd break my wrist because I'm not a kid and didn't learn then.

I strapped on my rental skates and after a scary 20 minute learning curve I was totally rocking out. Once you find your balance rollerskating  is graceful, even beautiful and really fun to do. You can talk with your friends or slow dance or even groove out as there is inherent rhythm in the movement.

The scene is wholesome fun. No swearing, or drinking..... And that's where I take a star. I totally understand why drinking and rollerskating is dangerous, but a worked up a thirst and a beer on skates would have been great.      

It was $10 on a Saturday night for skates and entrance. That seemed perfectly  reasonable to me. $3 for a soda was a little steep but locker rentals are just a quarter.

Overall we had a great time and it was fun to do something different for the night.