After three decades in business, Incredi-Roll Skate and Family Fun Center in West Allis has closed and been sold. Now its contents are being liquidated at auction.
The roller skating rink at 10928 W. Oklahoma Ave. had previously been home to Wisconsin Skate University.
Owner Cory Hundley told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel that inflation and a shooting outside the venue in February that injured a 13-year-old and an employee were the main reasons for closing the rink.
He added that the shooting led to a 40 percent decline in business, and that the property was sold earlier this week.
The auction, run by Grafe Auction, will take place on June 24 from 3-6 p.m. Bidders can register on the Grafe website.
"This is an incredible opportunity for anyone looking to purchase high-quality arcade games, food service equipment, laser tag gear, roller skating equipment and more," the site notes.
"The auction will feature a wide array of items from this popular family entertainment center, which is selling to the bare walls. Bidders will find a large selection of video and redemption arcade machines, a complete pizza kitchen setup, a full laser tag system, and everything needed to equip a roller skating rink including sound and lighting. This is a unique chance to acquire all the key components to launch a new family fun center business."
Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he lived until he was 17, Bobby received his BA-Mass Communications from UWM in 1989 and has lived in Walker's Point, Bay View, Enderis Park, South Milwaukee and on the East Side.
He has published three non-fiction books in Italy – including one about an event in Milwaukee history, which was published in the U.S. in autumn 2010. Four more books, all about Milwaukee, have been published by The History Press.
With his most recent band, The Yell Leaders, Bobby released four LPs and had a songs featured in episodes of TV's "Party of Five" and "Dawson's Creek," and films in Japan, South America and the U.S. The Yell Leaders were named the best unsigned band in their region by VH-1 as part of its Rock Across America 1998 Tour. Most recently, the band contributed tracks to a UK vinyl/CD tribute to the Redskins and collaborated on a track with Italian novelist Enrico Remmert.
He's produced three installments of the "OMCD" series of local music compilations for OnMilwaukee.com and in 2007 produced a CD of Italian music and poetry.
In 2005, he was awarded the City of Asti's (Italy) Journalism Prize for his work focusing on that area. He has also won awards from the Milwaukee Press Club.
He has be heard on 88Nine Radio Milwaukee talking about his "Urban Spelunking" series of stories, in that station's most popular podcast.
