Department of Skate

Department of Skate

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Department of Skate supplies the DC Metro Area and the rest of the world with roller skate gear.

Owned and operated by the inimitable Velocityraptor, Department of Skate is DC's one and only full-service skate shop. From casual street skating to international competition, we've got you covered. And it's worth mentioning because it's rad: Our phone number is 202.642.iSk8.

04/05/2026

Cool find of the day: an original limited run of wheels by Dan Miller and using Revolver hubs on vintage Fomac Premiers with microbearings. These basically never come up for sale and are truly rare birds. Thank you JT for this really cool opportunity!

Photos from Department of Skate's post 11/12/2025

A love letter to Venezuela:

Skates have a way of bringing you back to your zero. The focus it requires, the lightness it brings, it centers you. These beauties put us straight on a plane to this skater’s heart. The triband flag colors of course, decorating the Mérida Cable Car, the highest and second longest in the world connecting the city of Mérida and Espejo Peak. The national symbols of the gorgeously fragrant orchid Flor de Mayo, and the araguaney tree, a stunning deep yellow as on the flag. The bright and cheery Venezuelan troupial and the scarlet macaw. And of course the beautiful beaches. you have outdone yourself. ¡Que chévere!

Una carta de amor a Venezuela. Patinar tiene la capacidad de transportarte a tu esencia. La concentración que requiere, la ligereza que aporta, te centra. Estas bellezas nos llevan directamente al corazón de este patinador. Los colores de la bandera tricolor, por supuesto, decorando el Teleférico de Mérida, el más alto y el segundo más largo del mundo, que conecta la ciudad de Mérida con el Pico Espejo. Los símbolos nacionales: la hermosa orquídea Flor de Mayo, de fragancia exquisita, y el árbol de araguaney, de un amarillo intenso y deslumbrante, como el de la bandera. El alegre y vistoso turpial venezolano y la guacamaya roja. Y, por supuesto, las hermosas playas. ¡Qué chévere!

ID: stunning embroidered skates celebrating the national symbols of Venezuela

Boots and plates by
Design and graphics by
Wheels to come by
Inspiration by 🇻🇪

10/24/2025

Pink, as the bing on your cherry
Pink, ‘cause you are so very
Pink, it’s the color of passion
‘Cause today it just goes with the fashion

ID: Pink dyed sneakers with a pink plate and pink wheels and pink bearings on a wooden background.

Photos from Department of Skate's post 06/16/2025

Do you love skating so much that your car is also a skate? Me too. Here are a few of the ones built over the years!

04/02/2025

It might be cherry blossom season here in DC but I’m not feelin it. Black on black on black on black.

Setup and ID: black boot, blackout version of course, on a black Spider plate, all resting on a black pillow.

03/10/2025

These were genuinely enjoyable to build. I had such a smile the whole time. Check out this awesome Linea frame on these beautiful boots! Take a skate, now make it ✨art✨

ID: white skate boots with a gold inline artistic frame with white wheels. The frame has a tiny Italian flag on it.

Photos from Department of Skate's post 10/24/2024

“Hey I want a Ring plate.”
Aren’t they so awesome? Such a shame they discontinued them but as the sneaky ones say… I got a guy.
“I run a 140.”
Oh you mean The Size That Didn’t Exist! You KNOW I love a challenge.

Mission accomplished. Thanks you’re the best.

ID: three photos of a silver plate on a black and white boot. The plate is the Roll Line Ring which was discontinued, in the extremely rare size 140, which was never commercially offered in the United States.

08/07/2024

On Wednesdays, we wear pink.

ID: Pink Riedell 336 boots on a gold Arius plate with pink Boxer wheels and on a black background.

Photos from Department of Skate's post 01/20/2024

What do you do when you want to take your skates to the rink but also on the ice… on the same day and back again?? This absolutely one of a kind pair does just that. Yes, this specialty build can actually remove the roller plate, pop on the ice blade, and back again. It took a little engineering, a LOT of triple checking numbers, and a big leap of faith, but it works.

ID: Picture 1 shows full custom black skates. One boot has an Arius plate and the other has a .ice Eclipse Dance blade. Picture 2 is another view of the two. Picture 3 is the complete roller setup on fibers wheels. Picture 4 is the complete ice setup on blades.

11/02/2023

Continuing in the grand tradition of getting snacks to places that don’t have them, we are proud to deliver DC’s very own along with these Moss stunners. Although just one bottle was requested, we feel that this household should get to experience each variety from sweet to heat. Mambo sauce goes on everything, pretty sure we’re gonna have to do a mambo sauce skate decor theme.

Photos from Department of Skate's post 09/24/2023

We dropped a hint a few weeks back … new boots! The Diplomat and the Ambassador, made right here in the USA by are ready to raise your game from your home rink to to to and beyond. Check em out!!

05/03/2023

These skates have a bit of a story. One of my favorite families has two kids who are very into skating. Big Sister has been rocking her rainbow skates for a while and Little Brother wanted to get in on the action. Great! What’s his favorite color? Blue sparkle. Kiddo loves his sparkles. Only problem is that kids at school have been making fun of him for it. His amazing mom has made sure to set aside all the time and space she can at home for him to be as sparkly as he wants (best mom). His skates choice? Blue sparkles. Unfortunately, my go-to option for blue sparkle skates has been discontinued but buddy wants blue sparkle skates? Buddy gets blue sparkle skates.

So we popped on some Glow wheels to these Prostars and I whipped out the Glitterlites. With the glossiest sealant, obviously.

Never don’t sparkle, buddy. We got you.

Image description: Blue roller skates with blue wheels sitting on a glass table. The skates have been painted with silver glitter. The sun is warm on a cool day.

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Washington D.C., DC