COLUMBUS, Ohio — After three months without having customers, Skate Zone 71 is excited to be open for business.
"We just want to be better. And this is just giving us a real opportunity to fine-tune and really concentrate on improving every aspect of our operation," said Jim Dvorak, CEO of United Skates of America.
A recent order signed by Doctor Amy Acton gave clearance for many entertainment centers to reopen this week.
With that news, many centers are looking at how to revamp their businesses to stay within guidelines provided by the Department of Health to keep customers safe.
"We're really busy here cleaning everything off really, really well, making the facilities look spik and span. We just can't wait to get people inside tomorrow," said Jennifer Jones, Event Manager Skate Zone 71.
Customers will notice some changes inside the facility on Evanswood Drive in north Columbus.
Employees will use an electronic scanning thermometer to check each customer's temperature upon arriving.
There are hand sanitizer stations located throughout the building.
Employees will also be wearing masks and gloves.
"We have x's on the floor from where people should stand when they're attending and ordering from the cafe to when they're picking from the shop," Jones explained. "And our games have been rearranged in the facility as well to be within that social six-foot distance, so it's all over the rink versus kind of all together in one spot."
Initially, the business will only allow small, private groups for skating. Each group of 15 or less will get to skate for 90 minutes.
"We are going to then shut down after an hour and a half we're going to clean and sanitize again for half an hour, and then we're going to open up to another group," Dvorak explained.
They plan to start back up with public skating in three to four weeks.
"We're going to start it out very slow. just because we don't want to have crowds there. we just want to have people get used to skating in small groups," Dvorak said.
"I mean - we obviously want people to come in but we want them to feel safe being here. And as Jim said, it's all about clean, fun, friendly, and safe - which is our motto," Jones echoed.