Plans are underway to bring an outdoor roller rink this summer to Seaport Village, just steps from the Embarcadero.
The new attraction will mark the second location for Ringer’s Roller Rink, which has been operating on Federal Boulevard in the Encanto area for the last six years. While much smaller than the original rink, the Seaport Village location still has enough room to accommodate 50 skaters, plus a small retail shop, rental area and snack bar, says owner Nili Goldfarb.
It will be located on the east side of Seaport Village in what’s known as the Lighthouse District. Ringer’s retail shop and rental equipment will occupy a building formerly home to Indian Trails Gallery, which has been relocated to the west side of the shopping center near the carousel, where it had preferred to be, according to the Port of San Diego, which oversees Seaport Village.
The open-air rink will sit behind that building in what has been an open area with picnic tables for the last several years. Seaport Market had occupied the site but it was razed and relocated following a fire in 2020 that caused substantial damage.
“We’re ripping out the old concrete pad and putting in a new pad with super smooth concrete,” said Goldfarb, who at one time was a competitive roller derby player. “We will have shade sails over the top, bench seating on one side, and behind it will be a mural wall that will be done by a local artist. Ringer’s is known for its color and murals.”
Goldfarb’s plans for the building she’s taking over include turning the front half of it into a retail area that will have T-tshirts, sweatshirts, lifestyle apparel like handpainted jeans, and a small selection of skating gear. The back half of the store will house rental equipment, including skates and protective gear.
While it’s Goldfarb’s hope to open the rink ahead of the summer season, the exact date will depend on the time it takes to secure all needed permits, she said.
Goldfarb had not been looking to open a rink in Seaport, but was approached by the broker who works with the Port of San Diego to lease space in the bayfront center.
“She contacted me on Instagram, and then showed me the space, and I thought, ‘Wow, the energy, the light and the air.’” Goldfarb said. “I think visitors to Seaport Village now will get a little taste of living like a local, and this will also be a place where people will stay longer and go to other business in Seaport.”
Goldfarb, who says her investment in the project will be about $1 million, said she was able to secure a five-year lease with the port, which will collect minimum annual rent that starts at $146,400 and climbs to $164,774 by year five. On top of that, the port will be entitled to 6% of sales revenue once it meets a monthly threshold of $175,000.
Seaport Village, a longstanding waterfront destination, is part of a long-planned, $3.8 billion redevelopment project that envisions 2,050 hotel rooms spread across seven properties, 215,000 square feet of retail and restaurant space, 220,067 square feet of office space for ocean research, 159 boat slips, 16 acres of parks and open space, and 2,250 parking spaces.
There is no guarantee that Ringer’s could remain should the project become a reality, which is still years off. Goldfarb acknowledges she’s a little concerned about what the future holds for her business at the end of her lease, given the money she is investing.
“My hope is that when they redevelop this place,” she said, “we are going to be considered such a valuable part of this community that we can end up being an even larger rink once they build out the place.”