Deeply unsettling but still a little glamorous, the Disco Ball Rite Aid was something of a local landmark, but unfortunately, it has now been demolished.
The Disco Ball Rite Aid building had a long life before becoming a Rite Aid.
For years, the land that the lot resides on belonged to the prominent Meserole family, who arrived in Brooklyn in 1663, according to Brownstoner. The Meserole Theater was constructed on that land in 1921 and remained that way for over 50 years. Swept up in the 1970s’ roller disco craze, the theater closed and opened as a roller rink in 1979, which lasted until the mid-1980s.
In March 2020, the Rite Aid closed and was set to rebrand as a Walgreens.
Earlier in 2021, Greenpointers reported on how residents pushed for the building to be recognized as a historical landmark, though those efforts were unsuccessful as a developer purchased the space.
As for the fate of the lot?: “A developer plans to partially demolish the former roller disco turned pharmacy, a two-story building at 723-725 Manhattan Ave., to make way for a five-story development that will include a daycare, retail space and 50 residential units, according to records from the city’s Department of Buildings (DOB).”