The Roving Eye:
Darrell Satzman
Remember clip-on roller skates? They’re back, 21st century style.
Manhattan Beach-based Skechers is aggressively marketing a four-wheeled roller skate that uses the design of some of its sneakers.
While they are intentionally reminiscent of those metal clasp-on skates of another era, 4 Wheelers are built as part of the shoe and feature sparkling polyurethane wheels and front and rear brakes.
“They’re old school. It’s the retro-’70s look,” says Patrick Gallagher, manager of the Skechers store on Melrose Avenue. “The young kids like them but the older guys like them too.”
Since releasing the line on a limited basis this summer, 4 Wheelers have sold briskly, and Skechers has helped fuel the buzz by sending complimentary skates to high-profile celebrities. “Cameron Diaz absolutely loves hers,” says Skechers spokeswoman Kelly O’Connor.
By December, Skechers will be selling 10 different models of 4 Wheelers for men, women and kids for between $85 and $90, as well as a “designer” model for $125.
“It’s definitely the 12-24 set that’s buying the most, but they’ve been popular among adults too,” O’Connor said. “There’s a lot of moms and dads out there that remember skating on quad skates.”
Now that most teens wouldn’t be caught dead on a push scooter, Skechers believes 4 Wheelers have arrived right in time to fill the void. And while Skechers wouldn’t mind a 4 Wheeler craze on the order of the scooter madness of 2000, O’Connor said the company is looking at the long-term picture.
“There’s a difference between a fad and trend that’s long-lasting,” O’Connor said. “We think (4 Wheelers) are more than this year’s hot item that will be gone by the spring.”
Darrell Satzman
