PLACE
Hillsboro Skate World
Hillsboro Skate World
- A roller skating rink in Hillsboro, Oregon, where I spent double-sessions nearly every Friday and Saturday night for many years, spanning the entire 1980s.
- This rink served as a major social hub where I met Bill Harp (who was working as the rink's DJ), beginning our lifelong friendship and business partnership.
- Personal Significance:
- Roller skating was the very first physical activity I could do well, having been pretty lousy at sports in school.
- It provided both vital social connections and serious aerobic exercise; my denim jeans and t-shirts would always be completely soaked with sweat by the end of the double sessions.
- While I was never technically perfect, I had a strong stage presence and loved showing off—a performance style very similar to how I approached singing Karaoke in later years.
- I used rink rentals here until the owner offered to sell me his personal top-of-the-line used setup for a good price. These became my skates for the rest of my skating days, consisting of:
- It was a sister facility to Beaverton Skate World, sharing either peer status or the same ownership.
What links here
These facts are as Randal recalls them, but much time has passed for most of this. If you find a factual error, please email realmerlyn@gmail.com.