Bees Knees Roller Skating Shop: Building a sense of fun and community
Written by Greta Cross, photos by Greta Cross
Twitter/Instagram: @gretacrossphoto
Bright colors and lively patterns welcome customers who visit Bees Knees Roller Skating Shop, a new addition to the Commercial Street Historic District.
The shop, located at 301 E. Commercial St., retails roller skates and roller skate accessories.
Springfield native Kelsey Baker, owner of Ink Ink Tattoo & Piercing Studio across the street and 3ninetyeight Hand Dyed Yarn in Branson, opened the roller skate shop this August.
During spring 2020, many found themselves sourcing outdoor activities, such as roller skating, to get out of the house and spend socially-distanced time with friends.
After a series of roller skating TikTok videos went viral in April 2020, the “resurgence” of roller skating became popular.
Baker said she thinks roller skating is making a comeback because of its outdoor accessibility and the sense of nostalgia it creates, which she wanted to mirror when designing Bees Knees.
“(The shop has) this very ‘70s retro feel,” Baker said. “When I started designing it, I wanted (the shop) to be very southern California, not like roller disco but skating the boardwalk.”
The name, “Bees Knees,” was also created to invoke nostalgia. Baker said the name plays off retro tube socks and scuffed knees.
Baker eyed what would become Bees Knee’s current building for nearly a decade and knew Commercial Street was right because of her family’s connection to the neighborhood. Baker, her husband Kyle and their four children — twin 9-year-old daughters, a 4-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter — have lived on Commercial Street for nine years.
Often, Baker is asked how she manages time between work and family, but she said business is what her family does for fun.
“My twins are here as often as they can be,” Baker said. "They were here when we didn’t have air, didn’t have a bathroom, didn’t have lights. They were price tagging all the socks, all the wheels. If it’s a weekend, they ask, ‘Can I go work at the skate shop?’”
The twins can be found helping sell about 20 different roller skate sets, with brands like Golden Horse, c7skates and Angel’s Skates. Popular accessories include tube socks and protective gear — knee, elbow, and wrist pads and helmets.
Baker said the shop carries women’s shoe sizes 4-13 and will carry kids’ sizes soon.
Bees Knees also carries handmade products, including adjustable roller skate leashes, used to carry skates, suede toe caps for decoration and Better Bearings chrome steel bearings, sourced from Australia.
Bees Knees does not carry derby or inline skates.
“We want you to get outside and skate with your family, skate with your friends, so that’s really what all of our wheels and accessories are about,” Baker said.
Along with roller skates and accessories, Bees Knees will soon offer customizable shoe skates.
Customers will be able to choose from a selection of Vans, plates, wheels and other accessories to create a pair of personalized shoe skates. Baker said shoe skates will be available in a few weeks.
Baker said the importance of roller skating is “different for everybody,” but for her, it's about helping others.
“I don’t spend a ton of hours in my skates because I like business more,” Baker said. “I personally get more enjoyment from helping others find their perfect pair of skates and helping them find joy in this. The investment in my community, employees and spreading things I love is more important to me than getting tattooed … or skating myself.”
Bees Knees is open Wednesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For Bees Knees updates, follow the shop on Facebook and Instagram @beeskneesrollerskate. All of the shop’s products can also be found on the Bees Knees’ website.