From Senator Jake Ashby’s Press Release
On January 25th, Sen. Jake Ashby (R,C-Castleton) joined with Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey, NYS Community Preservation Bureau Director Kathy Howe, and local elected officials to celebrate Guptill’s Roller Skating Arena’s enrollment in the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry, a prestigious designation for which only the state’s longest-running community pillars are eligible.
“Guptill’s is iconic,” said Ashby. “Their blend of nostalgic Americana and modern production value is truly unique. The longevity is a credit to the Guptill family’s perseverance, top-notch customer service, and indelible connection to their community. They couldn’t be more deserving of this honor.”
“Roll on! The historic Guptill’s Arena has been added to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry. The registry is a dynamic place to spotlight New York’s local legacies—like a large, indoor roller-skating rink—that have been dedicated to their communities and local economies for generations. We encourage state elected officials to continue to make nominations to the registry, which now features over 200 businesses across this great state,” said Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons.
Guptill’s opened their doors on Valentine’s Day nearly 74 years ago. They are the longest-running family-operated, family-oriented entertainment business in the Capital Region. The Guinness Book of World Records proclaimed them the largest indoor roller skating rink on the globe. They’ve hosted generations of local families and drawn skating enthusiasts from all over the Northeast.
The Guptill family has served up tasty frozen treats at the adjacent Guptill’s Ice Cream for over three decades, and they operated Secrets, a singularly popular dance club for teens, for forty years.
“Families bonding. Making new friends. People even met their spouses here. What’s a better legacy than bringing people together? The Guptills won’t let us forget the importance of fun, of staying active, of real human connection, and we’ll never forget them for that,” said Ashby.
