Empire Roller Skating Center first opened its doors on Empire Boulevard in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, way back in 1941. Across the street was Ebbets Field, when it was still the Dodgers’ ballpark. Over the following six decades, Empire saw as many changes as the neighborhood around it, including a series of names changes, musical styles, crowds, and uses beyond simply skating.
By the ’70s, it had become world famous thanks to skaters like Bill Butler, who incorporated dancing elements into skating and used the disco era as a platform. In the ’80s, a sound system was installed that rivaled not only other skating rinks, but many clubs at the time. [READ MORE]