Every pizza is delivered to a business/residence or to a car in the parking lot by someone wearing a character costume, said Ashley Baumgarten, manager of Skateway.
“We wanted to give a little bit of fun during what really is a scary time,” she said.
MORE CORONAVIRUS: Living through coronavirus: Butler County couple’s wedding shrinks and moves home
It’s also a way to stay in business. Baumgarten said Skateway, which opened in 1960 and has been owned and operated for the last 31 years by Linda Rall, typically has 200 skaters on Fridays and Saturdays in the winter, its busiest season. Baumgarten said Skateway also depends on school and birthday skating parties.
Like other small business, it’s about survival at Skateway, Baumgarten said.
“This is scary,” she said. “There is no other way to describe what we’re going through. Hopefully the pizza can sustain life over here. People have to eat.”
MORE CORONAVIRUS: Coronavirus stay-at-home order: What businesses are considered essential?
So far, the community has responded, she said. Last weekend, Skateway sold “an incredible” 42 pizzas, Baumgarten said.
She started working at Skateway when she was 15 and now, at 37, jokes she never left.
“The support has been really incredible,” she said. “All the small businesses are struggling. We are trying to keep everything alive the best that we can. What we’re seeing in totally unprecedented. This is proof that people do care and they want to see you survive.”
Brenda Frisch said her children love going to Skateway on the weekend nights and hanging out with their friends and she knows they’re having “a great time” there.
MORE CORONAVIRUS: Coronavirus: Gas prices could drop below $1 a gallon this week
Frisch called Rall “the most kind and amazing person” that everybody knows.
“We all skated there and now our kids are skating there and love Linda and love skating,” Frisch said.
The pizza pickup and delivery is available from 6:30-9 p.m. every Wednesday and 7:30 p.m.-midnight Friday and Saturday. Pizza specials are $10 each. To order, call 513-422-7213.
TELLING YOUR STORIES
We’re looking to profile people throughout our coverage area about how the coronavirus is impacting your daily life. If you’re interested in sharing your story about how you’re affected or adapting to the situation, call Journal-News reporter Rick McCrabb at 513-483-5216 or email rick.mccrabb@coxinc.com.
About the Author