Former South Loop big-box store transformed into roller skating rave space
A former T.J. Maxx store in the South Loop has been turned into something completely different in a unique solution to empty storefronts in the South Loop.
The sprawling T.J. Maxx store used to be located at 1008 S. Canal St., along a corridor dominated by large chain and big-box retail. It closed in January 2024.
A giant red and white T.J. Maxx sign remains on the wall in the store. But the merchandise is long gone, replaced by what had been a ghost town of so many plain white support columns and drop ceiling tiles — until it was transformed into something radiant recently.
"To be honest, the first day that we were here, it looked like a movie," said Santiago Acevedo of the Chicago Vintage Festival. "Everywhere you turned, it looked like a scene from a movie."
Organizers from Chicago Skate Social and Chicago Vintage Festival filled the void left behind by the shuttered store — with a pop-up roller rink experience.
Roller rinks — we don't hear about them in Chicago the way we used to.
The Rainbo Roller Rink on Clark Street near Lawrence Avenue closed and was torn down 20 years ago. The Riverview Roller Rink on Belmont Avenue outlasted the famous amusement park to which it was attached, but nevertheless burned down more than half a century ago. There are others still roller rinks around in Chicago — The Rink on 87th Street in Chatham and the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Park & Family Entertainment Center in Englewood, to name two.
But new roller rinks? Those are scarcely heard about at all — let alone roller rinks that completely overhaul a sterile space like a vacated big-box retail store.
But at that old T.J. Maxx on Canal Street, that is exactly what happened — with all kinds of colorful, mesmerizing lights transforming the space.
But indeed a new roller rink has been set up on a pop-up basis at that T.J. Maxx on Canal Street. It has been transformed with colorful, mesmerizing lights into the site of Chicago Skate Social's next skate rave — drawing partygoers to an unconventional rink.
"I love the floors, actually," said Cortny Blake of Chicago Skate Social, "because as a skater, the floors matter."
The raves have featured hoop artist Perkulator, an Elvis impersonator on skates, music from DJs, and vintage clothing vendors.
"I was really pleasantly surprised when we got here and found out how large space was," said Juan Lucero of Chicago Skate Social. "Not only that, but the beautiful the view that we have through the windows."
Organizers said the pop-up skate rave has been getting a lot of traffic.
"So I've had people just walk by, look in the windows, and then come ask me, 'What's going on here?'" said Lucero.
Many empty storefronts remain in Chicago, but there's room for optimism
So how many empty storefronts are there in Chicago? A report by Stone Real Estate showed the Loop retail market is improving — the vacancy rate dropped slightly from 30.13% in 2023 to 29.78% last year.
But the report said still, one in three storefronts is vacant.
There is, however, reason for optimism. The National Retail Federation forecast last month that retail sales will grow this year between 2.7% and 3.7% despite some consumers' economic concerns.
The skate rave has been sizzling at the old T.J. Maxx since February. There are only three more skate raves set to be held there, of which the next is on Thursday, May 8.
The Thursday event features DJ Booger, spinning Latin house, cumbia, reggaeton, and deep house. An AcroYoga class precedes the skating event.
Tickets are available for purchase, with organizers offering a select number at no cost.
After they're done at the Canal Street space, organizers will roll on to their next plan, ready to transform another space.
"But in the meantime, Chicago's going to have a skate rink right here, in the city, in the South Loop," said Lucero.
