History of the Ambassador Roller Rink
The Ambassador Roller Rink, a Clawson landmark for more than 60 years, was the home of many championship skaters, birthday parties and local events for skaters of all ages. Owned by only three families in its 65-year history, we at Leon & Lulu are proud to keep the memories alive and maintain the proud heritage of one of the area’s favorite places.
- Early 30s
- John Salagian, also known as Johnny Stone, owned the Ambassador Ballroom located at the building on the southwest corner of 14 and Main on the second floor. On Wednesday nights he opened up the Ballroom for roller-skating night. It was such a big hit that he decided to build the Ambassador Roller Rink.
- 1941 to 1965
- The Salagian family continued to run and manage the facility. In the late 40s, twenty-five feet was added to the rink to accommodate competitive roller-skating.
- 1965 to 1980
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John Brondell purchased the rink for strictly investment purposes, Pete Owens was the general manager and ran day-to-day operations.
- 1980 to 2005
- Richard Gagnon, a competitive roller skater from Boston who placed 8th in Nationals in 1968, purchased the rink. He trained local skaters to compete at the national level.
- 2005-2006
- Mary Liz Curtin and Stephen Scannell purchased the Ambassador Roller Rink and convert the 15,000 square feet into a furniture, gift, and accessory shop named Leon & Lulu, after the finest members of their family.
- April 1, 2006
- Leon & Lulu opens to rave reviews, happy shoppers and lots and lots of fabulous product.
The Ambassador Roller Rink
Part of the charm of the store is the building itself. The Ambassador Roller Rink is a local landmark and still boasts the original floor, hockey scoreboard and over three hundred pairs of skates, which are used in displays throughout the store. Leon & Lulu has a warm, welcoming feel that encourages shoppers to linger. The space is viable for upscale destination retail and effective for hosting large charity events while retaining and respecting the history of the roller rink. 
Did you used to skate here?
Check out the "I used to skate at the Ambassador Roller Rink in Clawson,MI" Facebook Group