Jen Goldstein, a 1990 graduate of Penn’s Wharton School, has put her undergraduate degree to work. Five years ago she opened up the first in-line skating shop in Philly, Bladin’ Action, at the Bellevue Sporting Club, where she still teaches and offers free skate rentals. This summer, Goldstein opened a second store, off South Street (506 S. 5th; tel. 9-blade-2), where she rents, sells and services in-line skates.
“It’s like a total car service center,” explains Goldstein, who reports that business is “tremendous.” Goldstein, who grew up in Florida, says she has thousands of customers, and sales have increased one hundred percent each year she’s been in business.
Goldstein was the first female certified in-line skating instructor on the East Coast and was featured in the October issue of Working Woman. (“I fought for the cover, but Cybil Sheperd got it.”) The enthusiastic entrepreneur, whose senior thesis was titled, “The Development of a Product: In-Line Skates,” also appears from time to time as a guest lecturer at Wharton. Goldstein, who skates to work, points out that in-line skates are great for transportation, recreation and fitness. She’s now looking into the possibility of opening a skating rink.