Chicago New Planet Roller Rink Washed Cotton Ballcap

PRE-SHAPED BALLCAP HONORING THE NEW PLANET ROLLER RINK IN CHICAGO

History: In the late 1930s, with the country headed towards another world war and still reeling from the Great Depression, roller rinks began to be built across the US, with the epicenter in Chicago and the Midwest. A decade later, it seemed like every town in America had its own glowing rink. It was a respite from the stresses of the time. A place to strap on skates, fall, laugh it off, and keep rolling. From the early pre-war days to its peak popularity in the late 1950s and on through its revival with '70s disco, the roller rink was a beating heart of the neighborhood — a town square with a waxed floor.

Our founder Jerry Cohen has spent years collecting vintage patches from long-standing roller rinks around the US, and this collection of ballcaps is inspired by those old designs. Made from unstructured, garment-washed cotton twill with a pre-shaped brim, this hat honors the New Planet Roller Rink located on Racine Avenue in Chicago, which by the '40s and '50s was a city teeming with neighborhood rinks and passionate skaters.