The bottom line: it's ice, it's close (to me), and it's where the CAPs practice! I'm here a lot these days and enjoy my time at free skates, hockey practice, and the other ice events. The skate shop is fast, skilled, friendly, and cheap for sharpening and they recently attached and adjusted my helmet cage without a thought, bonus points! i enjoy the RHL community, but wish there were a simplified breakdown of all the teams and variations. I also wish there were a way to pay for frequent parking because it seems silly to use the machine each time for a dollar. Overall, love having this facility nearby--I once even got to help Peter Bondra move his bobble head to his car, so coo (just wish I ran into more CAPS). read more

Extremely disappointing customer service. I rarely leave negative reviews, but after more than two months of trying to resolve a simple issue, I feel compelled to share my experience. In May, I emailed the Director of Skating, Brianna, to request cancellation and a refund for my two children's summer camp because our family would be traveling out of the country later this week. I sent several follow-up emails over the next two months and never received a response. In early June, my husband visited the Iceplex and spoke with the front desk, who said they would leave Brianna a note. Again, no response. Since we still hadn't received any communication when camp started this week, we sent our children on the first day because we had no idea whether our cancellation request had been processed. Unfortunately, the camp turned out not to be a good fit for my older son, as all of the other children in his group were much younger, so we brought both kids home. When I followed up at the front desk, I was told that Brianna had not received my emails. However, I confirmed that I was using the correct email address because my most recent email generated her automatic out-of-office reply. More importantly, the Iceplex has both of our cell phone numbers on file, yet no one ever attempted to contact us over the past two months. The front desk then advised me to contact the Front Desk Manager, Zachary. After I emailed him, my husband returned to the Iceplex and was told that Zachary was also out of town and that nobody was currently in charge. As I write this review, we are scheduled to fly out of the country later this week and are still waiting for a response. The issue isn't simply the refund--it's the complete lack of communication and accountability. For over two months, there was no response from the Director of Skating, no backup when she was unavailable, and even the Front Desk Manager was away with no one designated to handle customer issues. We have been sending our children to MedStar Capitals Iceplex camps for several years, which makes this experience especially disappointing. I hope this issue can be resolved promptly and that the Iceplex will take steps to improve its communication with families going forward. read more

Don't go when the figure skaters are in there!! There are no signs announcing, but I was asked to move along because I had no business being there? read more

Came here to watch one of the Capitals practices. It was difficult to find the entrance and there was limited way finding signage for pedestrian access, so we found ourselves asking a delivery driver for help. The facility is nice inside complete with a ticket counter, snack/coffee bar, and a gift shop. There is plenty of parking as the complex sits ontop of a parking garage! read more

MedStar Capitals Iceplex - Inside seating - Skating Rinks Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

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If you're into figure skating or ice hockey, this is your spot in the Arlington / DC area! Note: there is great parking, but to get up here, you will need to go up a spiral ramp which can be dizzying for some! If this isn't for you, I advise finding street parking and taking the elevator up on the corner of N Randolph Street and Glebe. There are a good amount of public skate times, but be sure to check the schedule. Most times are either mid-afternoon from 2-3pm Monday through Friday and a varying start time between 6-7pm until 7-8pm from Monday through Saturday. Most of the events on Sunday are hockey related. Note: don't bring your phone on the ice during public skate. This part low key makes me sad since I want to be able to film my progress, but I cannot... Haven't seen the Capitals play here yet, but this is their arena. There's a Capitals gift shop on the lower level and a pro shop on the upper level. Learn to skate classes for adults are pretty affordable too considering that they give you free public skate passes for every lesson you have (as I speak, they do 7 lessons per learn to skate level, so 7 free public skate sessions are included) Customer service on phone is hit or miss. I've had some snarky calls and some helpful calls. It'd be nice if a "thank you" or "have a great day" is said before hanging up. Not sure the etiquette or mannerism they're teaching nowadays if they're teenagers picking up calls. read more

We had an unfortunate introduction to ice skating here. The format seems to be form over function, it's a bit of an assembly line of lessons. There's little to no communication between the coaches and the parents, not even a hello or goodbye. My 3 kids were new to skating and we were eager to have them learn - which is an investment. It's also an investment of time to get them signed up - first registering and paying for a skating number for each kid and then signing up for the lessons. Ultimately 7 lessons later, none of my kids have learned enough to pass to level 2. Additionally we found out at lesson 7 that 7 open skating sessions were included in the package per kid. This would have been a nice thing to be advised from the outset by the coaches lesson 1. They say it's in the emails - half the time it's referred to ambiguously as skating passes (which I assumed meant ice access for the lesson). In one email that I missed it's spelled out clearly. When we emailed to check on the status of our 21 skating sessions, we were told they were expiring at the end of this week. This is unfortunate customer service - first in neglecting to advise parents of the passes and second in recognizing the mistake of the coaches not telling us (which costs us hundreds) and essentially saying "too bad" My advice would be, go elsewhere. We are. read more

The only ice rink in town so you really have no choice. Full of teenagers working at the front desk. One teenage girl named MARCELLA needs to work on her attitude. Very rude and condescending. She needs to learn some respect and would benefit from behavioral training. read more

It's very nice and new. Parking is only $1 . The building is very beautiful. People in the front were very nice. Will be back read more

MedStar Capitals Iceplex - Skating Rinks Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

The Medstar Capitals Iceplex is the home of various youth teams and leagues as well the home of the Caps. I only found out about this place as a good friend of ours is a huge die-hard Caps fine, and this was one of their pit stops while visiting NoVA. They were able to watch the Caps do some practice rounds, as well as do some shopping in the pro-shop for various collectibles and gear. The place also offers public ice skating, so check their sites for specific days/hours. Parking is limited, with restricted metered parking as well as a paid garage. +has a pro-shop for the Caps +garage and limited metered street parking read more

This is a great place to learn to skate. Parking is really cheap, and it was a nice facility

Nice place but not for kids learning how to skate. Came on vacation and was staying at a hotel nearby. We purchased our tickets online and then after we arrived noticed they have nothing for kids to hold onto. This is very uncommon for most ice rinks but I understand the marketing tactic since they provide lessons. The lady at the front desk could not refund us even though we didn't skate she gave me a email to the financial department on a sticky pad. See photos. Overall, we were excited but I think they should make it clear they don't have anything for kids to hold onto. Almost everyone here on the ice seemed to know how to know how to skate at some degree. I emailed them and will update the review when they reply and give a refund. read more

MedStar Capitals Iceplex - Skating Rinks Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

Busy, but the nicest facility in the area overall. St James is a close 2nd, but their tiny tiny locker rooms and the sound bleed from ice sheet to ice sheet knock St James to a close 2nd. Medstars ice is on the softer side, and the volume of activity there can take a toll on it. Not that it's bad, just not as nice as some other spots that have time to run multiple ice cuts between skating sessions. Nice and well maintained it's nice even after 20+ really busy years. read more

Location: I never would've known this complex was here had it not been for an invitation from one of my student's parents. There are two Ice rinks separated by a concession stand and stairs. We came in through the parking lot on level G5 not knowing that the parking lot went all the way to the top of the roof. Anyway we took the elevator to level G8 and walk around the first ice rink to get to the other ice rink where my student was playing. Event: I was happy to watch my students get on the ice and play for a little while (about 5 minutes worth). The look on their faces was totally with it. Its pretty cool knowing that the Capitals practice here. I hope to come back and watch the Caps play one day. After the game I saw a lot of kids getting ready to get on the ice so I guess it's open to the public as well. I've never ice skates before so I can see myself coming back here. Service: I guess the people at the concession stand are there to hel those who need it. I didn't interact with them so I can't comment to the service. There is a swag shop where Capitals gear can be purchased. read more

MedStar Capitals Iceplex - This is the Capitals training facility. Pretty cool - Skating Rinks Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I have been taking my 2 children to figure skating classes for multiple years now. getting their first pair of skates at the Medstar capitals Iceplex. watching how much more advance they are getting with these classes but the spiral ramp is not for the weak!!!if you know you know... read more

Megan, the women at check in is very brash and rude. I suggest you go to the front desk to ask any questions.

There's a lot under one roof here. We haven't experienced the hockey side of things, but have had positive experiences with the pro shop and private lessons on freestyle ice. The (pre-Covid) public skate sessions are always jam packed and may be frustrating for less experienced skaters. The Covid-era freestyle sessions have been run incredibly well and we always feel safe with our daughter skating on the sessions. Staff is friendly and it's our biased opinion that the skating coaches are among the best in town. Fellow skaters have good 'ice manners' and seem supportive of each other. But I will always hate this parking garage. Nothing's perfect! read more

This review is for the INOVA Blood Drive on 3-1-14 rather than the entire Kettler Capitals Iceplex. The Kettler Center is a great venue for the Capitals blood drive since it is also their practice location. Inova does a great job organizing, publicizing and managing the blood drive. When I entered the facility signs directed me upstairs to the event. At the top of the stairs a friendly and uniformed boy scout directed me to the registration table. There was no wait to confirm my appointment and registration to the event and the desk volunteer provided me with the required Red Cross blood donation questionnaire, a pen and a clipboard. She directed me to the preliminary waiting area so that I could complete the paperwork. Within 5 minutes of returning the documents I was called back for the personal interview where a worker checked by blood pressure, iron levels, and temperature. She also made sure that my arms were free of needle marks. All of the workers and volunteers that I encountered were friendly, polite and considerate. After a short wait, I was escorted to the recliners to for the actual donation. The phlebotomist was kind and empathetic, easing my anxiety and putting my fears to rest. I had a great view of the practice ice below and it was fun to watch the ongoing youth games. It was also a great people watching spot. Once the donation was complete I was encouraged to help myself to complimentary juice and snacks before checking out and receiving my participation thank you gifts. At this even the gifts were a Nicklaus Backstrom bobble-head doll; however, the bobble-heads were unavailable due to a shipping and customs delay but they rewarded me with a voucher for the bobble-head, a Caps hat, T-shirt and hat. I left tired but happy. Washington Capitals, thank you for sponsoring and supporting this event. It is such a help to the community and very well-attended due to your success on the ice! read more

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Nice facility. Took a star off because the public skate was recess on ice. Plus, people were practicing figure skating on both ends of the rink, which left a small circle in the middle for people to skate around, causing the greatest number of collisions and falls I've ever seen. The ice monitors did nothing to control flow, redirect figure skaters to the center (not sides), or redirect those skating opposite the flow. I'll try adult swim next time. Btw if your child needs to hold an assistive device to skate, I didn't see them here. read more

Weeeeeeeeee! What fun! This place made me feel like a kid again. Maybe it was the fact that I was chaperoning a gaggle of 12-year-olds. Maybe it was lacing up those ice skates and circling the public rink until my ankles hurt. Maybe it was the giddiness that bubbled up as we watched The Caps doing skill drills in their practice rink. Or the puck that ricocheted of the Plexiglass directly in front of us with shotgun-like intensity, scaring the daylights out of my coworker and providing me a good belly laugh. Whatever it was, this place is good old fashioned fun. Can you name a Capital other than Ovechkin?, husband asked me before the field trip. No. But there's something to be said for the sheer excitement of being *that* close to any professional athlete practicing their craft. Not a whole lot of other places where you can get so near you can make eye contact, wave like an idiot, and get an autograph afterward (for the kids, of course). Public is more than welcome to watch practice -- for free -- from the observation deck whenever the Caps are there. The public rink is good-sized. The free-skate schedule changes, but the hours can be found on the Kettler website. It's $12 for adults, $11 for kids, or $8 per person for a group of 10 or more. There's a snack bar serving typical snack bar fare, locker rooms, lockers for rent, a pro shop, and a Capitals store. I wish I'd known about this place sooner. I lived in Ballston for 3 years, passing through Ballston Mall twice daily on my commute, and I never had any idea the Kettler was 7 storeys above me. But I'll be back now! read more

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Easily some of the best ice I have been on in the DC area. Two rinks with clean ice, a capitals store and pro shop, cozy locker rooms, and close to the metro. The two level designs reminds me of my favorite rink, Sharks Ice in San Jose minus having an awesome ski chalet style bar on the top level. Bundle up too, I am usually comfortble at ice rinks with leggings and a t shirt but even racing around I was pretty chilly. My friend decided to visit the pro shop to look for skating tights. The staff was super friendly, but had no idea what she was talking about. So note that the pro shop is more hockey oriented. Only downsides, it is hard to find the elevators to go up to the eighth foor for the rink (hint: exit towards the parking lot). They use the goal buzzer to get people off the ice, it is borderline heart attack inducing to hear. They offered a reduced price furlough day skate for Feds for which I am greatly appreciative of. It was not crowded at all and I meet some fun people. read more

I recently attended a birthday party here for a first grader (6 and 7 year olds) and had an EXCELLENT time. It was fantastic to have an instructor help the children whose parents couldn't help them skate (although I didn't pass up the opportunity!). The rink is extremely professional and clean, wide open space and lots of seating. It's easy to see how this is used professionally by the Caps. I was nervous to go out with my 6-year-old at first but after all of 5 minutes, we got the swing of things together and had a blast. While we only attended this party, I would highly consider hosting one myself in the future. read more

MedStar Capitals Iceplex - Shirt given to the birthday girl as part of the party - Skating Rinks Near Me - Arlington, Virginia

I was actually pleasantly surprised by this ice rink (and I've been to a fair amount since I used to go ice skating every week when I was a teenager). Importantly, I was surprised how few people were there and how large the rink was given that the rink is in the middle of Ballston mall. Because of the manageable number of people and large size of the rink, the ice stayed smooth for almost a half hour. That was nice, especially since I wasn't there at the very beginning of the session. Accordingly, that meant they didn't clean the rink in the middle of session, so I actually got a full 1.5 hour session without interruption. There are some downsides though: -You need to pay for parking in Ballston mall and there's no parking validation from the rink. It's only $1 to park for 3 hours, but it's kind of the principle of it. -The price to use the rink was higher than I'd like ($9). Even the Sculpture Garden in DC (which is in a better location and much more scenic) is a bit cheaper. -The rink is indoors. Yes, that's great when it's raining or 80 degrees outside, but in the winter, I like skating outdoors. -The food at the concession stand is terrible. I personally did not order the food, but a friend of mine did. She said she got the bottom of the soup pot, so it was old, gloopy, and extremely salty. She said even the egg sandwich was pretty bad. (Should I be impressed they managed to mess up an egg sandwich??) So overall, I'd come back if I was in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way to go to this rink. read more

Unique city ice rink atop the 8 floor of a parking garage in the shopping district of Arlington. Nice wide open space, two rinks, they offer public skating (check their schedule). Lessons, too. You can rent your skates or bring your own. The ice was really well groomed, makes for a much better experience. All ages welcome. Nice little cafe with sandwiches, snacks, drinks. This is where the Capitals practice! read more

Spent a wonderful afternoon ice skating at this ice rank, which is located on the top floor of Ballston Quarter (formerly Ballston Common Mall), in January 2019. Skates were easy to rent and the rink is large and fun to skate on. We spent a good 2+ hours out there, skating, after trekking through a snowstorm to get there and back. We had a nice time and the ice was clean (and thankfully, zamboni-ed at the appropriate time, before it became too chunky). The music they played was fun and it wasn't too crowded when we visited. I had a wonderful time and have great memories of that afternoon. I will certainly visit again in the future! read more

I don't ice skate or play hockey, but was here to catch the Wounded Warriors hockey team play. I've not really used the facilities or bought any snacks here, so I can't review much. There are two ice rinks. The two times I've been there, I've seen kids have skating classes, regular and figure skating. The other rink is for hockey games for players of all ages. The side for classes doesn't have much seating and the other has bleacher seating on one side. Everything seems to be kept up well and the garage parking is only $1. This place is centrally located to all kinds of eateries so don't feel like you have to eat at the iceplex. Will I be back to do my own skating? Probably not, but I'd be back to support the Wounded Warriors hockey team. read more

Review for the Pro Shop only: Went there yesterday to pick up some Stanley Cup and #ALLCAPS shirts and just a little warning, this tiny shop was packed! Packed with fans and shirts. If you are looking for shirts with the players names on it, you'll be SOL. You might be better off ordering from FansEdge, everything was wiped out clean. They dumped all the Stanley Cup shirts on 3 tables. Meaning, you have to look for your size. Other than that, the cashiers are nice there. It's slim pickings there but glad that I went. I don't live in the area but will return to watch them practice. TIP: park on the 8th floor. We didn't, lol. read more

Upon arrival, I was greeted with somebody lending out skates who asked if I was a man or a woman. I was wearing pink, and holding hands with my boyfriend, so does that automatically make me a woman? I have never felt so embarrassed and disrespected in my entire life. That ruined the experience for both my boyfriend and I because we were humiliated. read more

Public skating sessions are *packed*, which really made it unenjoyable. Plus, they're really short (60 minutes), so they're not a good value. I was also disappointed that they don't offer make-up sessions for group lessons. read more

Broomball Rocks!!! Every once in a while, Kettler Iceplex opens up an ice rink for pick-up broomball games. Generally, this happens on Saturday nights from 10:30pm to 11:30pm at $10 per person. If you're unfamiliar with the sport, then think about playing hockey with sticks while wearing tennis shoes. Broomball is tricky. The essential skills include sliding, blocking, pass, and standing up. That's right, "standing up" as in not falling. Ball control is beyond many pick-up players so the better strategy is to keep making short passes towards the goal. Most of the game involves scrums of players batting away the rubber ball (puck) or deflecting a long pass. The remainder of the time is about laughing at your fallen teammates when they maneuver too quickly (it hurts). Here are some general tips: 1. Bring your own helmet (bicycle, hockey, skateboarding, etc.) because it'll be a lot more comfortable than the communal helmets at Kettler Iceplex. 2. Keep a low center of gravity. It'll help you extend your reach whenever needing to deflect or block a ball. 3. Use your hand, feet, and body whenever necessary to stop a ball. Kicking is okay to keep the ball moving. 4. When you fall - and you will - try to fall on your side (along shoulder and hips) or with your arms tucked (along your forearm). Do not try to break your fall by using your hands or locking your arm because you could break your wrist. 5. There are several bars at the street level of Ballston Mall. Alcohol will help numb the pain afterwards. [Original Visit: Feb. 21, 2009] read more

This is a review of the learn to skate program. It was a great fit for my son and he's now learning to play hockey there. But my daughter tried the parent-and-kid beginner level class, and we didn't even finish the session because by week 5 they were doing "assessments" and my daughter literally couldn't do a single skill. If your child can listen to instructions and has some skating experience, it might be ok. But our teacher basically just called out skills in a "fun" voice but didn't teach anything and had no idea how to make it engaging for a kid who wasn't totally into it. It varies a ton by kid and teacher, and we had a great experience with my son. But I'm so disappointed in the lackluster instruction this time. If you have very litttle ones, beware. Also, their refund policy is pretty much nonexistent, so you're out over $100 whether it's a good fit for your kid or not. read more

The ice rink here is fantastic. The Iceplex is not even a year old and it just smells "fresh". The Washington Capitals practice here and they have a Capitals collectible/merchandise store at the front entrance. They have two rinks (one for private hockey/figure skating practices and one for everything else). It's surprisingly big. I didn't know the parking garage was this huge. They have a lot of space outside the rink for people to sit and watch people fumble around on the ice. That being said, it wasn't crowded at all. I wonder if it was due to the "newness" of the place. It only cost $10.00 to skate and get rental skates. Not too shabby. The only problem is that there is something funky with the skates. Not that they smell bad or anything. The fit was just off so my feet hurt like crap at the end, but it was all worth it. I wish this place a little bit closer so I could visit more frequently. read more

Pretty awesome place. Reasonable skate rentals, two full sized rinks, and tons of parking right next to it. I came here for a skate event thrown by the washington capitals for season ticket holders and had a blast. After initially not properly following the garage signs i was able to come up to the top floor and park right next to the rink. Inside you have a very roomy rink that is well set up. There are even stands here that you could sit in and watch one of the rinks. I know that during the season sometimes you can come and watch the capitals practice (although i havent before). In the summer this is a great place to come and beat the heat. There is also a great pro shop here and you can buy all your capitals gear as needed :-) read more

We went for the public skate session. The schedule varies so you need to check with the iceplex. The cost was 7.00 plus 3.00 for skates. If you have 10 or more, the price drops to 6.00 for everything. The place was not to crowded and everyone seemed pleased to have a newbie like me skating for the first time. The iceplex is located on the 8th floor of the Ballston Commons parking garage. If you take the elevators from the mall, you must walk all the way around the ice rink to get to the main entrance where you can pay and get skates. If you drive, you can park on the top level and enter directly into the iceplex. They have lessons and team practices too. read more

One problem I have with my reviews is that sometimes I show heavy bias and am unable to be impartial in any way, shape, or form. This is one of those times. I've played adult league ice hockey once a week at Kettler for years now, it's like a second home. The staff is very friendly and have always been helpful, whether it be the hockey department, the pro shop, or whatever, I've always had little to no issues with doing business at Kettler. As a hockey player, the pro shop is decently stocked and I've bought more than a few items from there. While I could go online and buy some of it for cheaper at wholesale prices, I always like supporting the pro shop because you just never know when they are really going to save your ass when you leave a piece of gear at home. The Caps also practice here, and all practices are free and open to the public. Pretty cool for a major sports team to be so open access in terms of that and player availability to sign autographs. I'm not an autograph hound myself, but I see a lot of kids there who are and it's pretty cool the rink allows fans to do that. I play for a C league team on Friday nights, so again, the place is like a second home. I hope it remains such for a long time to come. read more

This is a great place to go ice skate any time of year. During hockey season, you can watch the Washington Caps practice. Even now with weather close to 90 degrees outside you need bring jacket for nside the rink. It's located on top floor of Ballston Commons Mall. Just one thing that is a bit annoying is that they don't tell people to keep it moving. Anyplace else I been skating always they tell you keep going, not just stand there. The last few times I went to KCI there were groups of teenagers just hang out in clusters of 3 to 5 against the boars but on the ice. Makes it difficult. Other than than, this is a great place! read more

What a beautiful new rink! I grew up on Cabin John ice rink, and in recent years, I've just been getting my annual fix at those pop-up rinks that show up between November and late February, so it was great being able to skate at an ACTUAL rink with regular scheduled zamboni maintenance for that smooth ice. It's not hard to see why this is the official Capitals' practice spot! I DO wish that they would validate parking though. Luckily, it's only $1 for 3 hours, which is more than enough for a public skate session. read more

The 2018-2019 house ice hockey league at the pewee level has spiraled down to the point now where the medstar iceplex hockey program is accepting kids who can barely skate. It is painful to watch sometimes. There is a serious imbalance in the skating skills of players who meet the minimum skating skill requirements set by the program and a significant number of participants who have not complied with the minimum skating skill requirements the program specifies in order to sign up. The house league has skaters who at best shuffle around the ice during games which ruins the enjoyment of ice hockey for the kids that successfully completed all the required prerequisite skating classes. Money grab alert! It is pathetic watching kids try to skate in the games when it is obvious the house league program just needed the money from unskilled hockey skaters and let the skating skill rules slide. Go to another rink if you want to have your kid play in a ice hockey house league that maintains skating skill requirements in order to let kids participate. read more

Unbelievable facility for the Caps and local hockey in the DC area. Located on the top of the Ballston Mall parking garage in Arlington. Really like the accessibility to Capitals players here with being able to watch practices, morning skates, and to get autographs. The layout of the facility makes meeting players a breeze. The Pro Shop has a solid selection of Caps gear too with reasonable prices. If you're looking to meet specific Caps players, not all of them come to the gate in the rink as they're going off the ice. Your best bet is to walk around the different levels of the parking garage and meet other fans who are looking for the same signatures as you are. Had success with meeting and talking to big-name players such as John Carlson, Braden Holtby, and TJ Oshie briefly after morning skates in the past. read more

Pro shop management does not seem to care about their customers. More often than not the staff is friendly and will help you find what you need, but they shouldn't take special orders if they're not gonna fulfill them. I ordered a stick in JULY 2010 and when I called today, 5+ months later, they said they didn't order it. I have no reason to go back here. I want to support local business but I can't support this one. I'll drive to another rink before I buy something from the pro shop here again. The rest of the rink is okay. read more

A really great location and nice facilities. From the word in the news and the word around town, the hockey program is going downhill quickly. They just don't seem to care anymore. My Kettler gift card was rejected and I can't seem to get anyone in their office to pick up a phone. Dismal. I was there on a busy day recently and found long lines, surly staff who were nonplussed by the concerns of their customers -- right down to the vacant staff member who handed me a rental skate with no laces. I'm taking my hockey business to Reston. It's further away (I live in Arlington) and not as new or plush, but they have everything I need. read more