Rolling Rock grew from Switzerland’s 1990s skateboarding boom

Aarau’s Rolling Rock indoor skate hall grew out of Switzerland’s 1990s skateboarding boom and has since expanded to include several other activities, SRF reports.

Simon Eichenberger and Thomas Georg, both 28 at the time, founded Rolling Rock in 1996. It was a pioneering project and one of Switzerland’s largest indoor skate halls.

Neither founder had much experience with skateboarding. “I could never really skateboard,” Eichenberger, who remains the facility’s managing director, told SRF. After the opening, he bought inline skates and still enjoys using them.

During the 1990s, skateboarding was gaining popularity in Switzerland. Jim Zbinden, founder of the Skateboard Museum in Geneva, described the period as the sport’s “golden era” and said skateboarding had been a symbol of freedom.

The decade also saw tensions between skateboarders and inline skaters. Zbinden said there was a real feud between the two groups. Conflicts initially also existed between rock and hip hop skateboarding scenes, but they joined forces to oppose inline skaters, he said.

Rolling Rock’s skate area remains its centrepiece, but the facility has added a pump track, climbing area, dance room, trampoline area, parkour course and beach volleyball hall. It also offers courses, including inline skating classes for adults, and rents out stand up paddle boards that can be used on the Aare.

Freestyle kickboards became another trend in the 2010s and have remained popular, Eichenberger said. Younger children now mainly use kickboards, while children aged 12 and older are also seen on skateboards. Inline skaters come from mixed age groups, he said.

Eichenberger said facilities such as Rolling Rock were important because smartphones had changed society and people needed places for personal interaction. Around 15 employees work at the facility alongside operations manager Micha Schmid.