LATHAM — Guptill’s Roller Skating Arena, a longstanding community pillar, has been officially added to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry.
This prestigious statewide honor is granted to New York’s longest-standing community institutions, now including Guptill’s—the longest-running family-owned, family-oriented entertainment business in the Capital Region.
“We feel very proud to be nominated for the New York State Historic Preservation and to have our elected officials recognize it to the extent that they have,” said fourth-generation co-owner Charles Guptill.
“Just to be recognized like we have been gives us a great sense of pride in what we’re doing for the community,” he added.
Senator Jake Ashby, Albany County Executive Dan McCoy, Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey, and NYS Community Preservation Bureau Director Kathy Howe were among the local elected officials who attended the celebratory enrollment on Saturday, Jan. 25.
“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.”
Ashby advocated for the roller skating arena’s nomination into the registry. State-elected officials nominate businesses for the historic registry, which now features over 200 businesses across the state.
“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,” said Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons.
“To be in the registry, you have to be in business longer than 50 years,” said Guptill. “At 74 years, they joked that we made the cut!”
For the Guptill family, maintaining the arena for nearly 75 years has been about preserving memories of the past. They have kept the murals and artwork that capture the building’s authentic history.
“We’re very conscious to never lose the aura of nostalgia,” said Guptill.
Charles Guptill Sr. began constructing Guptill’s Roller Skating Arena with his own construction group in 1948. Inspired after visiting a roller-skating rink in Albany, Guptill Sr. sought to build one for his local community. The arena opened on Valentine’s Day in 1951 after construction was completed in late 1950.
More than seven decades later, and following the 40-year operation of their popular teenage dance club, Secrets, Guptill’s has become a legacy business. The Guinness Book of World Records recognizes it as the largest indoor roller-skating rink in the world. In addition to the roller rink, the Guptill family has also provided frozen confections at Guptill’s Ice Cream for over three decades.
“One of the most rewarding things is seeing the generations of people that keep coming back to Guptill’s,” said Guptill. “From the grandparents to the parents to the kids. It’s affordable family fun, and it’s always been an activity that families tend to do together.”
Guptill described how, with each generation, the “goodness” and “excitement” remain the same among loyal supporters who lace up their skates and step into the rink.
“Grandparents will introduce themselves to me, and they’ll remember when they came to the skating rink as kids and recall how they brought their own kids,” said Guptill. “And now they’re bringing their grandkids! It’s one of those family activities that has spanned the decades.”
“They’re always able to share and reminisce on the good times they’ve had over those decades,” he added. “That’s always been a wonderful feeling—that we’ve been able to do this as long as we have.”
