Comments

1. 

   We got our first dog at Animal Crackers in Village Square. Every time I tell the story I have to preface it with “Do you remember when that was an indoor mall?” Some of your memories I’d forgotten (Houlihans, Roth Carpet), but I still miss the Ground Round! And do you remember when Olive Garden was Grisante’s? Time marches on and the only thing that stays the same is change.

2. 

   Great story that should continue.

   I recall having a nice lunch at the Kaufmann’s South Hills Tic-Toc (where the Galleria is).

   And the ultimate in childhood entertainment – Bimbo’s for pizza and a pie in the face if it was your birthday. It was located where Primanti’s now is.

3. 

   Horne’s uptown Mt. Lebanon, papa GoGo’s in the mall, Spencer’s, NRM

4. 

   Dudt’s bakery where cvs now exists on Cochran Road .they had a terrific “Ice Box Cake “.that probably was mid 1970’s or Isaly’s on Beverly or uptown on Washington Rd across from Jos Horne department store which is now an optical business and A Pizza shop .

5. 

   Before Houlihan’s was the Joshua Tree at one corner of Washington and Fort Couch and, long ago, was the MOO Shoppe where the CVS is now. Gammon’s was across the street where the banks are now (which was before they moved to the “lowlands” on McMurray Road, Gammon’s became The Shenandoah before it became Outback Steak House.) There used to be a Par 3, 9-hole golf course where the hotel is now; St. Thomas More was a small metal-clad church and, of course, across the street was the sheep grazing pasture of Gilfillan’s farm. The world as we knew it used to end at Fort Couch and Washington Roads.

6. 

   Hills! Who could forget the smell of popcorn and hot dogs on the roller rack as you entered Hills Dept Store on the lower level of Village Square Mall (now Home Depot). Or Toys R Us. The ponds inside South Hills Village that homed ducks. Foodland where PetCo now resides on Ft Couch Road. The Potato Patch inside the mall….Telaropa inside the mall. So many “once were’s” with great memories to coincide. Great article, Cathy!

7. 

   Buying candy at KK’s in Castle Shannon!

8. 

   Some things that are not there anymore:
   I remember having a milk shake at the Moo Shop at the corner of Fort Couch and Rt 19. They had a sign with a cow who had huge googly eyes.
   I also had dinner many times at the Joshua Tree where Walgreen’s is located today.
   My parents shopped at Foodland where the sport card store is today on Highland Rd.

   1. 

      Jeff,
      It’s your old neighbor Greg Smith.
      I was just thinking about the Moo Shop. Hope you are well. Glad we’re both alive!

9. 

   I remember driving all the way out Route 19 towards Washington PA to have a special dinner at Red Bull Inn. I seemed so far away. It is not there anymore and traveling out to shop in Washington, PA, doesn’t seem that far anymore, either.

10. 

    I moved into my house a stones throw away from all of these above mentioned places many years ago 1966. Yes I remember them well. South Hills Village was just finished being built. My kids would cut through the woods near the nursing home now to go to the village passing where Giant Eagle is now and coming up behind what what the old hotel. There was no Village Square as it is today. Oh what memories this article brought back and also made me realize how old I’m getting.

    1. 

       C’mon folks, lets crank it back a bit farther and remember the Hot Shoppe, located at ft couch and ft 19.(currently Walgreens). Back in the 60’s and 70’s, it was always a tossup to decide which one to eat at, either there or at the Moo Shop. Hot Shoppe featured Pappy’s fried chicken and boy was it good! Great times, great memories!

11. 

    There used to be a restaurant off of 19 before the Galleria, it was an old house I believe. Very fancy, does anyone remember the name?

    1. 

       Diane-
       The Living Room?

12. 

    I think I know the tall guy on the right in the phar/more photo. I graduated st clair in ‘96. I think he was in my class. I used to get comix , video games nags and nudie mags at the news stand at station square. I also got a tie blue dyed shirt with a mushroom on it, from the hippie stand upstairs:) anyone remember the Rueben and pickle from Ernies at the mall?

13. 

    Was there a baked potato spot to eat at in the food court ever & if so what was the name of it?

14. 

    Does anyone remember name of restaurant/bar that was in South Hills Village. People threw their peanut shells on floor. Back in 70s. On a corner near entrance to mall.
    Thanks in advance

    1. 

       Judy
       That was The Grog Shop. It was owned by Stouffers that had the restaurant upstairs across from WPnC bank

15. 

    Does anyone remember what restaurants were in the building that the Olive Garden is now in? I think one was a Mexican restaurant and the other might have been Italian. I don[t think either one was a chain. A memory is such a terrible things to lose….Anyone that can remember, please respond

    1. 

       Barry – I ended up here looking for the name of the Mexican restaurant. With some help from my family, we identified it as Casa Lupita.

       Some further Googling seems to confirm. Below is from an April 1987 page of the Pittsburgh Press (typos are from newspapers-dot-com OCR conversion). The address in the text is the address for where the Olive Garden is now.

       Sunday Brunch: An Unlimited Feast. Casa Lupila’s Sunday Brunch is an unlimited international buffet. It’s fresh fruits and juices, rich pastries, fluffy omelettes, delicate crepes and flaky waffles made to order and Mexican specialties like Chilaquilles. It’s all you can eat and anything you could want. Every Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Come join us. Adults, $7.95.. Seniors 60 plus, $6.95. 5-12, $3.95. Under five, Free. Casa Lupita Mexican Restaurant Bar 6000 Oxford Drive, At the Village Square Mall, Bethel Park 835-4200

       P.S. Someone had the name of the Italian restaurant (Grisante’s) in one of the older comments on this article.

16. 

    Hot Shoppes Jr. was also at Fort Couch and 19. I remember a fizzy orange drink there.

17. 

    The Odd Chair Playhouse was wonderful. It was in the parking lot of the original South Hills Village. Then they expanded and knocked it down. Awesome kids playhouse.

18. 

    Wesley
    Odd Chair was in the parking lot behind the Sheraton. Worked there the summer of my freshman year at BPHS . Saw Hair there! Nude scene and all!! LOL

19. 

    I see a few people here around my age group here. No one has mentioned so many places I remember in SHV. What about Castro Convertibles, A Shop Called East, B & G’s Restaurant, Sun Drugs that also had a restaurant inside, Ernie’s Deli, Stouffer’s Restaurant, No Name, Misc., Maggie’s, Foxmoor, Baker’s Shoes, the first and best Lerner’s, Miller’s, Harvest House, Woolworth’s 5 & 10 and their restaurant? What about the talking parrot, Eric, that entertained everyone in the two-story bird cage in the center of the mall, and that huge oil lamp, also in the center? Then at the back behind Sear’s, the Giant Eagle and I think Kroger’s were located? I can go on and on and on.

20. 

    I remember the two story bird cage and the hug oil lamp. When I was very young, I liked going over the
    bridge and throwing pennies in the water. Also, I loved where you could get pictures taken at the
    photography boat. My grandfather worked at a church and the church was given one of the old boats for the kids to play on. I played on it. When I was 8 or 9, my most favorite memory is my grandfather gave me money and I bought at Sears a blue 45 record case, The 45 records of Dancing Queen and Little Rich Girl. I did not even know the songs. Lol. I picked them out by the titles. I love both of the songs to this day. I loved going into Woolworths and explore. As a teenager, I loved Foxmoor, No Name, Baker’s Shoes, Lerners, Spencers. I remember Sun Drugs and Pharmor.

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