Where do I buy skates?

March 19, 2010 4:53 PM

Where should I purchase roller skates in the Philadelphia area?

Brand new skater looking for a good place to purchase a reasonably priced pair of quad skates, used is okay.

I've tried some large sporting goods chains, but they weren't in stock. Preferably I'm looking for a place in Center City or West Philly, and I don't know if this matters, but I have smallish feet (6 1/2).

I'm also wondering if there is a certain brand/kind of skate I should be looking for, that's better for beginners?

posted by Pochemuchka to Shopping (5 answers total)

If no one gives you a specific answer here, try asking the roller derby girls...they'll know! Look up the Broad Street Butchers. They're really awesome, and they would definitely know. Tell them Alison from Voodoo Economics (of the meat video) says hi!
posted by nosila at 5:25 PM on March 19, 2010

Hello, likely Drexel or Penn student (and if you're not you're gonna be super insulted). The idea of talking to roller derby girls is a solid one...there are also some thrift stores if you go west a little bit there are some thrift shops (I wanna say on 45th in between spruce and walnut if you walk around), but yeah. south also has some shops that could have them.

Also try craigslist, I'm sure a lot of people have some in their closet and just don't think about it.
posted by wooh at 5:38 PM on March 19, 2010

wooh is thinking of the Second Mile, on 45th between Locust and Walnut. (I used to live around the corner.)
posted by madcaptenor at 5:40 PM on March 19, 2010

I have a pair of Riedell R3s. A friend of mine who is in roller derby recommended them. They're a good speed skate for beginners, and have a synthetic boot, so they don't take forever to break in. But, since they're not leather, they're really only good for rink skating. They'll run about $100 new (I got mine on Amazon), but you can probably find a pair used, since they're really common. I don't know about finding them locally, but I know that in my town (Albuquerque), the local options for buying skates are pretty slim, so looking around online is probably a good bet.

I also agree that you could try asking the roller derby girls for recommendations. They're generally more friendly than they look!
posted by lexicakes at 8:16 PM on March 19, 2010

Best answer: seconding the R3's. They should be perfect for what you're looking for. Unfortunately, there's not much opportunity to actually put your foot in a boot before you buy so you need to be careful with sizing. See my previous answer to a similar question from a few weeks ago. Also, I love to talk about skates and gear and all that so if you need any advice you can MeMail me or email me (from profile.) Good luck!
posted by capnsue at 9:35 AM on March 20, 2010