VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — After more than five decades of birthday parties, school fundraisers and packed weekend skate sessions, Haygood Skating Center is closing its doors.
Owner Brandon Stokes announced on Facebook that this weekend will be the rink’s last, bringing an end to a community institution that has operated since 1974.
“For over 52 years, Haygood Skating Center has been a home for unforgettable moments,” Stokes wrote. “With heavy hearts, we share that this weekend will be our last weekend open for business.”
The skating rink, located at 1036 Ferry Plantation Road, has long served as a gathering place for generations of families in Virginia Beach — hosting everything from limbo contests and “shoot-the-duck” races to roller hockey, speed skating events, birthday parties and school PTA fundraisers.
Stokes has owned the rink for more than eight years, but his connection to Haygood runs much deeper. He said he was hired there as a 15-year-old, a full-circle moment that later allowed both of his children to work their first jobs at the rink as well.
“It was always my dream to buy the rink that hired me as a kid — and I did it,” Stokes wrote. “Even more special, both of my kids had their first jobs here, just like me.”
In his post, Stokes reflected on the rink’s long history, noting that when Haygood first opened, minimum wage was just $2 an hour — yet the joy of skating remained unchanged through decades of cultural and economic shifts.
“That’s because Haygood has always been, and will always be, special,” he wrote.
Stokes also thanked several people who played key roles in the rink’s legacy, including Ray and Cindy Chaput, who previously ran the rink, and Dana Chaput, who sold the business to Stokes. He gave special recognition to longtime staff members, including his mother, Robin Stokes, who has worked at Haygood for more than 25 years as a manager, cook, office staffer and even a DJ.
“This decision was NOT made easy,” Stokes wrote. “I promise I tried my hardest over the past two and a half years to keep it going. But sometimes God has different plans.”
The rink will host its final skate sessions this weekend, with hours from 2 to 7 p.m. Saturday and 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday. Stokes encouraged longtime customers and former skaters to stop by — even if they don’t plan to skate — to walk through the building, take photos and reflect on memories made there.
“Even if you don’t skate, please come by,” he wrote. “Know that we all share incredible memories here that will never be forgotten.”
Stokes closed his announcement with a message of gratitude and humor, thanking the community for decades of support and reminding everyone that Haygood’s legacy lives on in the memories created on its floor.
“From the Stokes family — take care of each other, be kind,” he wrote. “Come skate with us one last time and help us celebrate 52 incredible years.”
