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Rolling Ahead With Plans for New Roller Rink in Cadillac

Michelle Froehlich and her sister owned Skatetricity in Cadillac from 2008 to 2013. Froehlich worked there since she was 14.

Then the business burnt down in 2017.

“When it burnt down that was one of the worst days of my life,” says Froehlich. “I’m to the point where I can talk about it without breaking into tears. It’s my dream. It’s my dream to have that back.”

It took a few years, but now she is hoping to revive the rink in a different way.

“It used to be ‘The Spot’ years ago and then it was Skate On and then Skatetricity,” Froehlich says. “When we were Skatetricity we were ‘the spot to get your skate on.’ We did a play on words. A lot of people, whether it be two generations ahead of me or one generation ahead of me they knew it was ‘The Spot.'”

The Spot will be everything we imagine a rink to be. Northern Maple Hardwood floors, novelty goods and a fun atmosphere for all.

Froehlich says it’s a feeling of nostalgia, having a roller rink. It’s a feeling she’s missed greatly.

“It was a place where no matter what was going on in life, whether I was having a rough day at school or a rough day at home, I could go there and it was just the spot to be. It was Skatetricity,” she says.

In December, Froehlich told her husband she was going to go ahead with her dream. Initially, she didn’t want to try it fearing the backlash and the fear of asking for help to fund it.

“One person doing this and not having much on my end, personally, is very difficult and asking for donations and asking for funding is very difficult for me to do,” she says. “That was one of the things that kept me from doing it so I need help.”

Froehlich will be holding an online auction Saturday at 3 pm to help with the $830,000 cost to finance the project.

“As long as I can continue to get help, even the smallest amount, will go a long way,” she says. “Donations are huge right now. That is what I need at least to get to the point where I have capital to give to the bank and say this is what I’ve got can you help me with the rest.”

Froehlich is working on getting investors and drawing up a business plan. She already has an Employer Identification Number and DBA (doing business as) established.

“I need help from the community and the surrounding communities because it’s not just for Cadillac it’s for everybody else around here,” says Froehlich. “The closest roller skating rink is over 40 miles and I know that can be difficult for some people to make that treck, so if you only have to go 20 miles, great.”

The next step is to find a piece of land. She has one in mind, but is waiting to make a site plan which requires permission from the present owners.

Despite the challenges of starting a new business, Froehlich is very excited to have her dream come true.

“It has been fun honestly fun so far and scary, but it’s started and I hope that for a lack of better words it just keeps rolling,” she says.

To follow Froehlich’s project and find out how to donate, go to The Spot on Facebook.

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