06/30/2022
This is a tough one. It’s with a very heavy heart that I have to announce the sudden closure of the Rosy Bowl.
The reason is simple and not surprising: money. The city rezoned the area and property taxes went up by over 50% in 2020 and then doubled again in 2021. The increases, of course, were passed on to tenants. The bowl was a money losing venture from the start and that was OK to a point. However, staring down a 100% rent increase while my own business is still recovering from nearly being wiped off the map by COVID just isn't sustainable.
I’ll spare you all my personal sob story (holding out for a Netflix deal) but I haven’t felt much like skating the last couple of years, which sucks but we don’t always have control over how things play out in life. Some people escape from the world on a skateboard, I’m way too neurotic for that so when life get stressful, skating gets stressful.
I love skating, I love skateboarders (most of you anyway) and if this was my main contribution to the spart (see what I did there?), I suppose that’s something to feel good about.
I appreciate everyone who has looked after the bowl these last seven years (Perry, Zac, Mike, Chuck, Roller Dave, the list goes on) and of course, as much as I hate to give him any credit at all, Chris Mearkle.
If you want birch or coping or transition frames, please let me know. Not asking for money, but you’ll need to turn it around quick. Please know that I didn’t get much warning here and I don’t have a ton of say so as the rent situation was a tense standoff. But if you want to grab one last session come between now and Monday.
We had some great times and it was a privilege to be part of it all. Hope to see you next time I venture on the board and I swear I won’t ask you for $5 - but will gladly accept it for old times sake.
Disco Forever,
John Dicker