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Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace Launches In London
The legendary Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace opened a flagship location in London, England, and celebrated the occasion with a star studded launch event, Nov. 9.
Originally opened by Ian “Flipper” Ross in West Hollywood, CA, in the late 1970s, the legendary roller rink returned in 2022 as a new venture from Liberty Ross and Kevin Wall, in partnership with Usher at The Rink at Rockefeller Center in NYC (seasonal) and Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace Pro Shop in Channel Gardens at Rockefeller Center (year-round).
Today, Nov. 11, the first flagship location outside of North America launches in London. A launch event on Nov. 9 was attended by co-founders Ross and Wall, as well as some of the biggest names in music, including Dr. Dre, Jimmy Iovine, Mary J Blige, and Usher, who arrived on skates himself.
Central Cee, SPINALL, Äyanna and Nasty C, General Levy, Kaytranada, and more performed live. Guests were also treated to a menu sampling from Flipper’s Hot Dogs and Caviar American diner, free-flowing drinks, and a food pop-up by Eminem’s Detroit based restaurant, Mom’s Spaghetti, which served up their signature meatball pasta.
Known as “a place where eccentrics, outsiders and punk-rockers would come
together for uninhibited fun,” by Flipper’s own admission, Ross, Wall and Usher are now bringing this unique brand of skating to London, where the team observes a “growing subculture of British street skaters.”
The venue housing Flipper’s Roller Boogie Palace in London is an old Victorian engine house, Exhibition London, restored, developed and operated by Broadwick Live. The 3,000-capacity venue spans two floors and over 1,200 square metres of flexible event space, with removable staging infrastructure and a state-of-the-art sound and lighting infrastructure.