Gliding throughout the curler rink of Cascade a minimum of as soon as has turn into a ceremony of passage of dwelling in Atlanta. What was as soon as simply 4 acres of land on Martin Luther King Drive has now turn into a cultural landmark treasured by locals and vacationers alike. From household birthday events and weekly skate nights to movie star sightings and the first location in a cult basic, individuals knew that when the well-known neon signal lit up throughout the lot, there was magic behind these doorways.
For 25 years, individuals throughout totally different generations have made Cascade one of the vital profitable skating rinks within the nation and a neighborhood hub middle that has seen individuals fall, stand up, spin, and fly. Founder and proprietor Greg Alexander credit the “serendipity of God” for this success story.
Serendipity, Skates, and Success
The center little one of 17 children, Alexander grew up in a Caribbean family in Manhattan. When his siblings would depart the home to go to the skating rink, Alexander used that as a second of peace to get misplaced on the earth of various books. By 16, he’d superior a lot that he spent his final yr of highschool at NYU finding out architectural drawing. That was the start of his serendipitous journey which led him from NYU to the Air Power to climbing up the job ladder on the Eastman Kodak Firm and doing building work on the aspect. When Kodak supplied him a place as a supervisor, he started to guage what he actually wished in life — to personal his personal firm.
With the assistance of his aunt in Decatur, the dialogue of Atlanta as a doable enterprise location, and his brother’s concept to open a skating rink, the seeds of Cascade started to bloom.
Within the early 90s, the metro Atlanta space had three main rinks: Sparkles in Riverdale, Golden Glide on Wesley Chapel, and All American in Stone Mountain. When Alexander visited Golden Glide a couple of instances, he found how run-down it was. He met the proprietor, Joe Baker, and some gives later, Alexander and his aunt purchased Golden Glide, the land, and its contents for $800,000 on February 5, 1992.
“I keep in mind that higher than I keep in mind the start of a few of my youngsters. That day is eternally imprinted,” Alexander stated. “After we closed on that rink, we have been within the automobile going residence, and we have been each quiet. And I stated, ‘Auntie Mary, you okay?’ She’s like, ‘What the hell did we simply do?’ And I stated, ‘Auntie Mary, don’t fear, we’re gonna make it work.’”
On the time, Alexander stated Golden Glide wasn’t even making $400,000 in product sales, and with no expertise in operating an organization and little clue of what he was doing, it appeared like an enormous feat. However one factor about Alexander: he was a sore loser.
“I don’t prefer to lose… I all the time had this want to all the time be primary or the most effective at no matter it’s I used to be doing.”
After renovations, extra choices similar to party packages, and the addition of a full kitchen, they made virtually $500,000 the primary yr. 4 years later, Golden Glide broke one million {dollars} in gross sales. Inside 5 years, they’d surpassed the gross sales of Sparkles, the rink he’d envisioned because the “900-pound gorilla” they needed to defeat.
That success led to constructing what he referred to as the “final rink.” In 2000, Cascade, a rink he designed because of the NYU architectural drawing class he took at 16, was born. With a 15,000 square-foot maple wooden skating ground, a second-floor lounge, a kitchen, and a top-of-the-line sound and lighting system, it grew to become a sacred house the place music, movement and reminiscence roll deep.
“I’m not a skater, but it surely doesn’t imply I can’t have the most effective rink on the earth. I first wished the most effective rink in Georgia. I first wished the most effective rink in Decatur, then the most effective rink in Georgia, then the most effective rink in the US, and now I obtained the most effective rink on the earth, primary.”
Cascade is now Atlanta historical past. However for Alexander, it was by no means concerning the recognition. At one level, he stated he’d most well-liked to be referenced as a supervisor and terminated individuals who revealed he was the proprietor because of his love of privateness. However he shared the story of a younger Black skater who refused to imagine Alexander might be the proprietor of Cascade as a result of he was Black, which modified his complete perspective.
“I used to be like, oh my God. I’m messing up. He’s saying, ‘I can’t do it both.’ They [his staff] satisfied me to do a video to inform a little bit little bit of historical past concerning the rink and now that video is proven on the TV while you’re coming within the foyer, and it’s on our web site.
“After I have a look at what I’ve achieved with out God, I by no means can be the place I’m. Primary, He’s every thing. And quantity two, sure, it’s laborious work, however I imagine that anyone who’s prepared to do what I’ve achieved can obtain what I’ve achieved. In order that’s nothing particular. That’s my perception, and that retains me grounded and it retains me humble as a result of I’m actually no person. I simply did some issues that different individuals didn’t do.”
Cascade’s Imprint in Well-liked Tradition
A roller-skating rink born from a child who grew up in Grenada and Manhattan and had no want to study to skate has now turn into an imprint in well-liked tradition and a frontrunner within the progress of skating tradition in Atlanta. It grew to become a hub for Atlanta’s rising hip-hop and R&B music scene and soared in reputation after events similar to Beyonce’s twenty first birthday in 2002 and occasions hosted by Magic Johnson and P-Diddy.
However what many might keep in mind probably the most is its characteristic in Chris Robinson’s movie “ATL,” which starred Atlanta natives T.I. and Massive Boi. Alexander shared that the well-known Cascade signal and the purple and black colours have been remnants of the movie; the brand earlier than filming was a circle, and the colours have been blue, purple, and gray.
“What these individuals did for my constructing has modified it eternally and forever.”
It’s not unusual to identify Cascade in a music video or spot a celeb like Usher casually collaborating in a skating session unbothered. Distinguished skaters have gotten their begin at Cascade, taking their abilities from the rink to the stage of the Superbowl Halftime Present or the runways of vogue week.
As a lot because it has been a spot for well-liked tradition, it has additionally been a spot for activism, neighborhood outreach, and fundraising. For 25 years, Cascade has cultivated expertise, created recollections, and has been a secure house for numerous individuals.
Above all, Alexander stated the chance to be a spot of sunshine in a child’s childhood, together with his personal youngsters, drives his ardour.
“All the things I do, no matter enterprise I’ve, It’s about creating recollections for teenagers, as a result of I don’t need any little one wherever to develop up and never have recollections.”
Skating Rolls Deep in Atlanta
The skating tradition in Atlanta’s Black neighborhood has continued to soar in reputation and vibrancy, creating an enduring legacy that’s embedded throughout totally different generations. What has died down in lots of huge cities has been nurtured within the metropolis’s rinks, and Atlanta has served as a beacon of expression and custom. Heather King, an avid skater since childhood, moved to Atlanta from Indianapolis in 2000 due to the quite a few skating rinks within the metropolis.
She noticed firsthand how Cascade constructed this multi-generational neighborhood of people that got here collectively to skate, have enjoyable, and be free. She stated she would skate each day if she might, and you’ll commonly discover her at one among Cascade’s skate nights. She’s handed down that keenness to her children and grandkid, the latter of whom began studying to skate at Cascade when she was three and is now ten.
“To me and my household, skating has all the time been our ardour. It’s simply what my children did rising up, it’s what my granddaughter does now, it’s what I nonetheless do. I’ll skate till I depart right here. I’ve even informed my youngsters to cremate me and put my ashes at Cascade on Wednesdays so I can hear the music,” King joked. “Cascade is a sanctuary, and I all the time say the doorways of the rink are open; gained’t you come and lay your burdens down? While you depart, you are feeling restored.”
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