ROCKINGHAM — When Mary Kate Lambeth stepped into the building that would become Rock N Roll skating rink, she saw more than a place to skate. She saw possibility — a way to blend her creativity, community spirit, and lifelong connection to the space.
Lambeth, who grew up skating there and later brought her own children for birthday parties, is now the rink’s owner. For her, it’s not just a business — it’s a place where memories are made and the community comes together.
“The community is 100% why I did this,” Lambeth said. “People may think I’m in it for other reasons, but I really get so much out of seeing people happy and the experience they have here.”
Her journey to ownership came after years of dreaming. She and her husband have operated a chicken farm for 16 years, later adding cattle, while she stayed home with their children. But Lambeth always knew she wanted to create something of her own.
“My husband and I have operated a chicken farm for about 16 years. He also works another job, and for me, I’ve stayed at home for so long. I just kind of waited it out for what he calls ‘my turn’ to basically do something,” Lambeth said. “I’ve been dreaming of ideas for 20 years, and I’m filtering all of these dreams and ideas into this place.”
The opportunity came quickly. When the rink went up for sale, she told her husband she thought they could take it on. At first, he thought she was crazy. But within weeks, they were under contract.
“I know the previous family that owned this,” Lambeth said. “They listed it one time and I thought, ‘I wish somebody would do that.’ And then the second time, I told my husband, ‘I’m really thinking we can do this.’ A couple of weeks later, we’re under contract on it. It kind of happened really fast.”
Though rink ownership was new territory, Lambeth’s background prepared her. She worked as a dance teacher starting at age 14, taught sociology at the high school, and spent time in construction and nonprofit work. Those experiences, she said, gave her both the creativity and practicality needed to reimagine the rink.
“I guess after us being kind of a self-employed family for so much, I never felt the need to be creative and this really gives me a lot of opportunity for that,” Lambeth said. “I’m promoting physical and mental health because skating is wonderful for that. If I want to teach dance here and there I can do that. I’ve prayed for a long time for something — the right thing to come to me — and I feel like this is just the perfect fit.”
Part of that fit includes maintaining the rink’s legacy. The Hines family owned it for 63 years, giving generations of Richmond County residents lasting memories.
“If I was trying to open a brand-new rink, I don’t know how well that would have gone over,” Lambeth said. “Thanks to them, people have such great memories here. I grew up skating here.”
Lambeth has already put her creative stamp on the space, from preserving old mismatched skates as part of a community project to dreaming up future expansions. She envisions new uses for the basement, additional activities and themed nights, from Taylor Swift to Halloween.
“I have way bigger plans than what’s just going on upstairs,” Lambeth said. “We can have everything everybody else has and give a place for clean, healthy fun.”
The rink has also become a family effort. Her husband and children pitch in regularly, with her kids helping out at events and working shifts.
“They work here, so that has been special to watch,” Lambeth said. “My husband’s here with me today. We try to still have our time when we can. We’ve been used to a really hard schedule for years with being a farm family.”
Lambeth said her mission goes beyond skating. She wants the rink to be a safe, encouraging place for kids and teenagers—something she feels the community needs.
“If I have a mission for this place, it’s almost like a ministry,” she said. “We need to be doing something to create that village again for children. That’s what was missing during COVID.”
Already, she’s seen glimpses of that. She recalled a teenage boy who came to skate alone one afternoon. With few people around, Lambeth had time to teach him how to skate backwards. Soon, he was offering high fives to younger children on the floor.
“I have a rule here that they cannot leave this building until their ride is here and then I walk them out on the porch and I wave at mom,” Lambeth said. “Because they hear me say that, they hear me believe in them. They’re going to want to come back here and they’re going to develop that relationship with me.”
Looking ahead, Lambeth hopes to add educational field trips that tie skating into science and math lessons, connecting with schools in North and South Carolina. She also wants to see more beginner skaters gain confidence and to continue welcoming families from both inside and outside the county.
“I think what has been lacking in Richmond County is a place that not only children can go, but families as a family and have family entertainment,” Lambeth said. “It’s full circle for me, and I’ve loved every minute of it.”