SUSO Skate Co., Canada’s premium roller skating company that turns empty mall spaces into pop-up roller rinks, has found a new space to callhome, Woodbine Mall and Fantasy Fair.
Bringing the joy of roller skating to one of the city’s most iconic former entertainment destinations, the new pop-up space will officially launch to the public on Friday, September 25. Reservations are now open, announced the company on Monday.
The launch marks the latest chapter for SUSO Skate Co., which has built a community around making roller skating accessible, social, and fun for people of all ages and abilities. By transforming underused and unconventional spaces into places to skate, SUSO Skate Co. continues its mission of bringing people together and getting them off screens through this new partnership with Woodbine Mall, it said.
“Woodbine Mall has always been a place with a strong sense of identity, and we saw an opportunity to build on that in a completely new way,” says Henry O’Brien, co-founder of SUSO Skate Co. “There’s a real nostalgia around Woodbine and what it’s meant to generations of Torontonians, and that’s what is so appealing about this space for SUSO. We’re developing something fresh and unexpected at the mall, while also tapping into the memories here. We’re excited to bring skate culture to Woodbine and encourage a new generation to visit for some offline recreation and community connection.”
Located on the lower concourse of the mall, directly opposite CinéStarz Deluxe movie theatre,the pop-up expects to host tens of thousands of people, giving new and experienced skaters the chance to step onto the rink, move their bodies and enjoy a fun, analog day out. As a bonus, the roller rink is adjacent to a movie theatre and Fantasy Fair, still in operation, making this pop-up an ideal full day indoor entertainment experience, especially in the colder months, said the company.
People can reserve a time slot and pay online in advance by choosing an available date on SUSO Skate Co.’s website: here. Skate rental fees include admission and wrist guards (from $18/hour), with a full protective gear bundle included for skaters 16 and under. Guests are also welcome to bring their own skates and pay just for admission ($12 for kids and seniors, $14 foradults 16+).
The pop-up will run for approximately one year.
Hours of Operation (Wednesday to Sunday)
● Wednesday and Thursday: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (All Ages)
● Friday: 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (Adult)
● Saturday and Sunday: 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. (All Ages)
“The biggest opportunity for us is the mall’s proximity to (Highways) 427, 400 and 401. Location aside, the mall is the ultimate nostalgia day out – The Fantasy Fair is Ontario’s Largest Indoor Amusement Park,” said O’Brien.
The concept has opened more than 15 pop-ups in vacant retail spaces across the GTA and welcomed more than 250,000 skaters since 2021.
“The biggest learning is that win-win relationships are key to any specialty leasing and entertainment destination. Specifically for SUSO, it’s important that we bring maximum value to the property owner through community engagement, footfall and increased dwell time. And in return, we secure flexible and reasonable lease terms, allowing us to fill a space that would otherwise sit empty,” said O’Brien.
“The retail landscape is certainly changing, with more and more people now shopping online. In our opinion, property owners and malls need to offer something that can’t be bought or clicked online. For us, that’s roller skating but the same applies to pickleball, bowling and many other eatertainment and entertainment concepts. In an age of algorithms, AI and deep fakes, it’s recreation-based concepts that will come out on top and will act as key tenants for malls now and in the future.
“For this Woodbine location, we’ll test a slightly smaller footprint for the first time. This will help us test the feasibility of smaller and longer-term leases in the future, for a new ‘learn-to-skate’ size format, 15,000-30,000 square feet.”
Landlords and retailers these days are using entertainment, recreation and community-focused experiences to attract people back to underutilized shopping centres.
“Each business and concept is different, so I wouldn’t say it’s a one-size-fits-all approach. That being said, I think every brick-and-mortar business should build an experience element into its operations. Something that makes their offering unique and difficult to replicate online,” said O’Brien.
“For example, if a store is selling leather belts, I think they should have someone in-house offering custom engraving or classes teaching others to engrave their own belt. Now that store is in the experience business and the by-product is belts. An experience that can be sold online and fulfilled in-person at the store.”
Woodbine Mall first opened in 1985 and quickly became a destination shopping and entertainment centre in the city. Known for its distinctive architecture and the iconic indoor amusement park Fantasy Fair, the mall was once a busy gathering place filled with major retailers, restaurants and families. Over the decades, Woodbine steadily lost much of the energy it had with the rise of competing shopping plazas and the rise of online shopping, reducing the mall’s role as a destination.
O’Brien and Janine Bartels, SUSO’s co-founders, recognized that history and opportunity, and jumped at the chance to bring new energy back to the space, introducing Woodbine’s legacy as a community gathering place to a new generation, with skate culture at the forefront.
Looking ahead, O’Brien and Bartels are continuing to expand SUSO Skate Co. through new experiences designed to bring roller skating to more people. SKATEVAN, which launched this summer, extends the SUSO experience beyond the rink, bringing mobile roller skating to community spaces, cities, BIAs, businesses and brands. This fall, the pair will launch the STEM Roller Recess program, combining skating with educational lessons on physics and movement to schools and youth organizations across the GTA. schools, businesses, and brands to bring the joy of offline recreation to people across Ontario.
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