The Hub Employees - memories of Frank Randall

As one who worked at the Hub for several years, I could probably recall a handful of names of some of the employees.

The last time I was at the HUB must have been in the early 60's. I did go back to that building on Harlem Avenue in 1976 and then it was called The Axle. Not much had changed, the Pipe organ was still sounding as good as ever, although Leon was no longer the the organist. In 1976 I did not go there to skate, just to see who was around that I knew.. Well I do not recall seeing any of the old crowd or employees.

I did go back again in 1995, only to find the roller rink was gone and an electronics store in the same building. I stood outside in parking lot and I could almost hear the sound of that Wurlitzer still reverberating through those walls..

There were so many nice folks who worked there..

Most were part timers, unlike myself and some other maintenance types. I was the Skate room manager and fixed and custom built skates. I maintained all the rental shoe skates and the Clamp on skates that were available with the admission to the rink. Of course putting them on was trickie, that is why we had Francis. He also was a full timer who did maintenance work and during the sessions, put on and adjusted skates. Francis was a nice older man with an Italian accent which fit right in with the type of crowd that skated at the Hub.

Carl was my sidekick in the skate room, a part timer who filled in on my day off and helped out on weekends. He was one of the few that worked in that rink that never put on a pair of skates. I had another young fellow helping out, he was a college boy named Bob. I remember him well since I thought he was crazy when he drove up in a New Corvette one day and said, yup he bought it.. we are talking about $5,000 back then and it took me 2 years just to earn that kind of money! Wonder what ever happened to Bob! Wonder no more.. Bob continued working in the skate room, for quite some time.. He turned up at the 1999 Reunion at the Orbit with his lovely wife Mona (Ramona).. He is doing quite well for himself and can still skate circles around some of those young dudes..(and their straightline skates)..

Bob still loves those patents, he used to make them when in the Hub Skate room, and probably could still provide that service if you are interested, in the patents or the parts..

About that Corvette, it is long gone, too bad Bob, it is a classic now, but then so are you..