Intro: Roces' Keith D'Entremont Interview with the Inline Planet

Intro: The Roces Interview

Roces USA's president talks about where the inline skate company has been and where it's going

By Robert "Living With Orcs" Burnson

I started inline skating in Roces boots ... and I didn't even know it!

They were purple and plastic. They came in a Rollerblade box. And they were emblazoned with the Rollerblade name.

But now I know the truth: The only thing about those skates that was Rollerblade was the frame (which eventually cracked!) ... The boots and liners -- in other words, about 75 percent of the skates -- were pure Roces.

Anyhow, that's the first thing I learned in my recent conversation with Keith D'Entremont, the president of Roces USA.

But Keith didn't only tell me about Roces' unheralded past as Rollerblade's boot maker. He also talked about the state of the inline industry, the challenges facing skate makers, and why he's confident Roces will survive the current slump.

I spoke to Keith from his office in Peabody, Massachusetts.

So here it is, the Planet Interview with Roce's Keith D'Entremont. ... And thanks again, Keith!

Discuss:

Talk About this Article ...