By Jordan Maxwell in Art & Creativity — Apr 23, 2023

Black-owned Roller Wave extended through summer in New York

Roller Wave, a 24,000-square-foot venue, has been developed into one of the hottest spots in New York City by Harry Martin and Jennifer Scott.

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A Black-owned skating rink in Brooklyn has been extended, keeping the business open through the summer, according to a New York Daily News report.

Roller Wave, a 24,000-square-foot venue, has been developed into one of the hottest spots in New York City by Harry Martin and Jennifer Scott. And news of the extension could mean big business for the company during the upcoming season.

“The news about the extension is truly amazing,” Scott told the Daily News. “They’ve been a good partner for us. We’re looking forward to being here as long as the demand continues.”

Roller Wave offers a skating rink, arcade games, a food hall, an art exhibition, and a bar with live music.

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Skating helped co-founder tackle depression

For Martin, roller skating was therapeutic as a youth. A former tour manager for punk rock band Ninjasonik, the Crown Heights native went through long bouts of depression after the group disbanded, according to the Daily News.

“While I was going through my depression, I took up jobs as a personal trainer, a yoga instructor and an avid marathon runner. I was working out every day, but none of that wasn’t helping; it was kind of just like a pacifier,” he told the Daily News.

Then he attended a roller skate party in 2015 and realized the void he’d been feeling. For the first time since his early years, he laced up his skates at Brooklyn's renowned Empire Roller Rink, feeling nostalgic and happy.

“There’s something spiritual about it,” he told the Daily News. “You feel like you’re floating when you’re on those wheels.”

From there, he opened Roller Wave with Scott, who manages their food and beverage program and connected with Martin through a mutual friend from their punk rock days.

Together, they want to push the brand beyond its current location through a number of initiatives, such as youth programmes sponsored by the NYPD, regular art shows, and a recently introduced free entrance program for A students, according to the Daily News.