LAUREL, Del. -- After four decades of serving the Laurel community, the owner of Skateworld is now selling the business.
With no other skating rinks in the area, Skateworld quickly became a beloved community staple and gathering spot for people of all ages after owners Debbie Slatcher and her late husband Rick opened it in 1980.
"We love skating and we were having to go to Dover or Skateland," Debbie Slatcher, known as Mrs. Debbie by her Skateworld family, told WBOC. "It was our love of skating and just to have a place for the local community to skate and have fun."
Since then, Mrs. Debbie and Mr. Rick have shared their love for roller skating with thousands. From teaching toddlers to skate to training Junior Olympic roller skaters, Mrs. Debbie and Mr. Rick's influence spans across generations.
"People who were teenagers when we opened it in 1980 are now bringing their grandchildren back to skate," says Mrs. Debbie. "We've had weddings here, receptions here, proposals here, you name it."
However, when Mr. Rick died in August of 2021, Mrs. Debbie realized the business was too much to handle on her own. On Monday, Skateworld officially went up for sale. Mrs. Debbie shared the news through a post on the Skateworld Facebook page and instantly received messages from people expressing their gratitude for Skateworld and their disappointment to see Mrs. Debbie go. Sallie Morris, who learned to skate from Mrs. Debbie when she was just three years old and is now a manager at Skateworld, shares simililar feelings.
"It's a little sad, but she's been doing it for so long. She's put her time in," Morris says. "I'm just praying, a lot of the community praying that they'll just keep it as a roller skating rink. This is a safe place and all the kids love coming here."
Mrs. Debbie says she's sad to leave the memories and fun behind after so many years, but knows it's time for the next chapter. In four months, she will celebrate her 70th birthday.
"I've served my community," says Mrs. Debbie. "I feel like I've served my purpose that God's put me on the face of the Earth for."
Her hope, like others in the community, is that the next buyer continues Skateworld's legacy and uses the space to continue serving Laurel as a roller rink.
"My ideal is someone in the entertainment business or someone who grew up skating here or somewhere else, who wants a nice little mom and pop business," says Mrs. Debbie. "That's who it needs to be handed over to, and I fully intend to sell it as a roller skating rink."
For more information about the property, contact Sharon Daugherty at (410) 430-4004.