New Owners Will Keep Beloved 60-Year-Old West MI Skating Rink Open

Tarry Hall Roller Skating Rink in Grandville will live on!

First opening at 3330 Fairlanes Ave in 1959, the family entertainment center was put up for sale in December, and folks worried that would mean the end for Tarry Hall.

However, the new owners plan to continue operating the beloved rink, rather than converting it to an antique mall, storage warehouse, church, or fitness center-- offers they say were on the table.

In a Facebook post, the new owners share that they have a long history with the rink. Jenny Steketee has been a manager at Tarry Hall for 17 years. She first met her husband BJ there when they were kids competing on the speed team and even skated there on their wedding day! She and BJ now coach the Wolverines Speed Skating team and three of their children work at Tarry Hall.

Heather Niemeyer has been skating at Tarry Hall since she was five years old. She competed on the speed team with her mom for years, and is now bringing he own kids to practices as "3rd generation speedskaters". Heather's first job was working at the rink when she was 14 years old, and it was also her mom's first job when she was a teen!

Niemeyer and Steketee tell Fox 17 they were devastated when the rink was put on the market: "So many people have an attachment to this place. Memories growing up here, bringing their families here."

They didn't want to see the rink shut down and turned into something else, so the two formed a plan and now... Heather and her husband Dave have partnered with Jenny and BJ to purchase the rink!

Niemeyer and Steketee say it was a life long dream of theirs to own Tarry Hall, but one they'd never thought would come true.

In a message to the community they say:

Together these 4 owners would love for you to come out and support this family owned business where a partnership was formed out of the love of skating. It is truly our Happy Place and we are thrilled to be able to keep it functioning as a roller skating rink!

We are taking many safety precautions due to Covid, but want you all to know that we are OPEN FOR BUSINESS and would love to have you come skate with us! Leave us a comment of a favorite memory you have from Tarry Hall and we hope to see you at the rink!

You can find more information about COVID-19 guidelines and operating hours here.