Foothill Skate Inn
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Mike & Robyn Howard

There’s no mistaking what goes on inside the Foothill Skate Inn in Sacramento. That giant roller skate perched above the roadside does the advertising all by itself. With its high-top boot and four wheels, this marquee brings back memories of rental skates, birthday parties, and a few wobbly laps around the rink. No plain little shopping-center panel here. This place puts its best skate forward. 07-11

The sign has had a little work done over the years. Its original roller-skate panels were made of painted plywood, with plastic replacements installed in 2007. Fortunately, the big skate kept its place above the street. A change of materials, but still the same idea: let passing motorists know where the good times roll.

Foothill Skate Inn
Sacramento, CA
Photo courtesy Mike & Robyn Howard

Signs shaped like the merchandise used to be a familiar roadside sight, whether it was a giant shoe, an ice cream cone, or a bowling pin. Here, the roller skate gets the starring role, standing tall while the real skating takes place inside.

UPDATE: Foothill Skate Inn continues to advertise public skating sessions, classes, and private parties. The giant roller-skate sign remains a recognizable Sacramento roadside sight, still pointing the way toward another trip around the floor. 10-26