Manager keeps on rolling

Roller-skating rink boss makes center family-friendly

Kristen Hankla
The Post and Courier

Terri Halter (right), manager of Hot Wheels Family Skating Center on Folly Road, and Marcelus Roberts tuck the laces into rental skates before returning them to shelves.

Kristen Hankla
The Post and Courier

As manager of Hot Wheels and daughter of its owner, Halter wears many hats, including that of deejay. Here, she leads young skaters in a game of Wipe Out.

The scent of a roller-skating rink — a mingling of resin, hot dogs and leather skates — permeates Terri Halter's clothes.

"My house smells like a skating rink," she said. "I bring home the smell."

As manager of Hot Wheels Family Skating Center and daughter of its owner, Halter spends many hours there. She does a little of everything from manning the admission counter to doling out skates and creating marketing campaigns. Sometimes she's "the french fry lady" and, more often than not, the disc jockey.

To the kids who want a certain song, she's "Ms. Terri."

But no matter how respectful they are, or how many times they ask, she's not going to play "Soulja Boy" in this family-friendly environment.

The mother of three has age-appropriate playlists ready for each session. Preschoolers get Disney tunes and other "happy music"; adults get everything from '70s to Top 40.

On this particular day, she's leading a game of "Wipe Out." The last youngster to stop skating and drop to the ground when she says those two magic words is eliminated. Most of the children are regulars, and she calls them out by name.

Her 12-year-old daughter, Brittany, glides effortlessly over the varnished wood floor. She doesn't win, but comes close.

"My children grew up in here," Halter said.

Halter started working at Hot Wheels in 1994. She became manager in 2004, when her mother, Sheryl Benton, purchased the business.

These days, Halter's parents, husband and cousins work at the rink on Folly Road. Benton's philosophy for the business is "children come first," and her family is working to continue the kid-friendly environment that previous owner Randy Talbot brought back to the 31-year-old rink, Halter said.

In fact, teens who sit too close or hold hands, or who are too sullen, risk getting squirted with a water bottle.

"Fourteen (years old) is it," Halter said. "They're usually not in here after that. We keep it so wholesome, most of 'em don't want to be here."

Halter's mother's concern for children and giving them a place to go is one reason admission hasn't been raised in some time, Halter said. Individual admission and skate rental ranges from $3 to $8, depending on the day. On Sundays, a family of five can skate for $12.

"We're definitely not making hand over fist," Halter said. "My mother doesn't care about cash."

Halter, who was born and raised on James Island but now lives on Johns Island, works at the rink about six days a week during the summer and four days a week during the school year. When she's not there, she's cutting grass for her husband's lawn-mowing company.

"I just like being here," Halter said. "It's not a drag to be here from 1 o'clock to 9 or 10 at night. It's an experience, being here with the children."

Reach Kristen Hankla at 937-5548 or khankla@postandcourier.com.