Skate Shops
Unfortunately, there are few skate shops of any quality in New York City these days, especially compared to the glory days of the mid and late 1990s. There are just a few shops that cater specifically to skaters, whether they be inline, roller derby, or ice/roller hockey. Even worse, the sporting goods store chains have progressively been bankrupted by Amazon and have liquidated, leaving very few places to try on and buy even the most basic pair of skates. But perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel — a new inline shop opened in Manhattan in late 2025.
So unfortunately, much of what follows below is a sad litany about skate shops that have closed.
If you are looking for parts such as wheels and bearings, your best bet for a decent selection may be to buy on-line from somewhere such as Inline Warehouse or Thuro. Also, possibly on Amazon, but definitely do some pricechecking before you order anything from there.
The City
Blades Board & Skate
Blades was the city's best source for inline skate gear from about c. 1990 until c. 2003. At its peak around 1998, the chain had at least eight stores in the city as well as few more out of town. But Blades faded away. In early 2016 they were down to just a single store that didn't even sell inline gear, and that last store closed in January 2020. For those wondering about Blades West, the West 72nd St. store that was a hub of inline activity for over 20 years, that was the second to last store and closed in January 2016.
Dick's Sporting Goods
73-25 Woodhaven Boulevard, Glendale, Queens
www.dickssportinggoods.com
The big box sporting goods store chain has just one location within the city, in central Queens. The company website indicates they carry Rollerblade, Roces and Tour inlines, as well as a couple cheap-o brands, but store availability looks sketchy on the better models.
Five Stride Skate Shop
176 Bushwick Ave, East Williamsburg, Brooklyn
www.fivestridebk.com
Specialists in quad roller and especially roller derby gear.
Kinetic Expression
Sunnyside, Queens
keskate.com
Was for several years NYC's only inline skate specific store, and still probably has the best quality selection of inline goods in town. Opened June 2020 and is open only by appointment. Carries FR and Seba skate products. Please say hello to Sonic for us if you visit the store.
Mercado
107 Clinton St., Lower East Side, Manhattan
mercadonyc.co,
Instagram
Small shop that opened autumn 2025 just north of the Manhattan end of the Williamsburg Bridge. Their website only displays soft goods (shirts, etc.) for sale, but their Instagram page indicates they carry various Rollerblade and Micro models and possibly other brands, possibly with some emphasis on urban and aggressive gear.
NYC Edgemaster
East Elmhurst, Queens
www.nycedgemaster.com,
Instagram.
Paragon Sporting Goods
867 Broadway at 18th St., Manhattan
www.paragonsports.com
Large, non-chain sporting goods store that for many years carried the best inline skate selection in the city — which in a way was pretty damning of everyone else.
Unfortunately, Paragon also seems to have almost given up on the inline skating market. In summer 2018, the skates were hidden away in the back room of the basement level, where formerly they were only relegated in fall and winter. Since then they seem to have chiefly carred only Rollerblade inline skates, but have at times also carried K2 models. Rollerhockey skates are no longer to be found.
Panda Sport
9217 5th Ave. at 92nd St., Bay Ridge, Brooklyn
www.pandasportdirect.com
Carried some low- and middle-priced models, chiefly Rollerblade but also some K2 models.
Peck & Goodie
No longer exists. A small store that was located on Eighth Ave. in the mid 50s, Peck was a New York ice skating and then inline skating institution for 60 years (although as part of the Blades chain for the final decade) before closing in late 2003.
Roller Dynamic
Queens
rollerdynamic.com
Queens-based online inline skating shop, we believe in East Elmhurst. Although not indicated on their website, they are supposedly open for in-store sales but by appointment only. You can reach them by e-mail by clicking the Contact link on their site.
Skater's Edge
Pier 61, Chelsea Piers, 22nd St at West Side Hwy, Manhattan
chelseapiers.com
The current iteration of a skate shop at the Chelsea Piers sports complex. It's basically the pro shop at Sky Rink and is thoroughly ice-oriented. Probably of little interest unless you are looking for (roller) hockey gear.
Them Skates
Instagram
Apparently operates as a roving pop-up shop. They were selling skates (and coffee!) from a storefront on Essex St. on the Lower East Side in early 2025, then in September 2025 were open on the Bowery near Spring St. for a week.
Westside Skate & Stick
City Ice Pavilion, 47-32 32nd Place, Long Island City, Queens
www.westsideskate.com,
Instagram
As of 2025 seems to be an ice skating shop only, and chiefly ice hockey, but as recently as 2021 they apparently carried Marsblade rollerhockey frames. Westside originally opened in 2004 selling ice gear and services. In 2006, they expanded into inline and opened a shop across from the Flatiron Building in Manhattan, but in March 2019 they moved to the City Ice Pavilion in Long Island City.
Westchester County
Dick's Sporting Goods
45 Fitzgerald St., Yonkers
Maple Ave. at Bloomingdale Road, White Plains
www.dickssportinggoods.com
See comments above regarding the location in the city.
Hudson Valley Hockey Company
250 Mahopac Ave., Yorktown Heights
www.hudsonvalleyhockey.com
Big hockey shop near the Westchester-Putnam county line, including rollerhockey skates and gear.
Peck's Skate Shop
91 Fairview Park Dr., Elmsford
www.pecksskateshop.com,
Instagram
Apparently the descendant of a family-owned store that was located in White Plains for 80 years. Advertises as being the largest hockey dealer in Westchester, which means plenty of ice and roller hockey gear, but also carries some Rollerblade skates plus wheels and bearings.
Long Island
Dick's Sporting Goods
Green Acres Commons, Valley Stream
630 Old Country Road, Garden City
Sunrise Mall, Massapequa
Melville Mall, Melville
www.dickssportinggoods.com
See comments above regarding the location in the city.
Skate Safe America
182 Bethpage-Sweet Hollow Rd, Old Bethpage
ssa.hockeyshift.com
Sports complex with a pro shop. Carries gear that would be of interest to rollerhockey and roller derby players.
Wheelen Willys Skate Shop
3049 Merrick Road, Wantagh
Instagram
One of the oldest area skate shops we know of. Last we heard they were carrying (roller)hockey skates and gear, and some lower-end Rollerblade skates.