Keeping up with past and present happenings in a remarkable small town.
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
Main Street in the '60s ~
Photo: Paul D. Johnston Jr.
12 comments:
Anonymous
said...
All in ruin because of Sam Walton and greed. Sure miss those days. Drive to Bon Aire,around the drive in back down around the courthouse and back. Simple fun,gas at 23 cents a gallon. Give ne 50 cents worth and drain the hose.
let's not forget the 7/11 and those places that put the mom and pops corner stores out of business. Everyone is against Walmart for opening on Thanksgiving - Kmart opened early,best buy and Why don't people just stay home and not shop. That could hurt them..... NOW what about the "big" theaters that WILL be open on Christmas Day.
How I miss seeing the big Woolworth's sign when I walk downtown. Really,the decline began when Monky Wards moved to New Castle Road in I think 1969. In just a couple of decades all of us that remember the "magic" that was downtown Butler will be gone. The younger ones won't miss it because they never experienced
I think you are right. Butler Mall was there long before Walmart. Anyone remember the Christmas decorations that were drapped across the street. I loved the look of main street at Christmas.
I remember Main Street before Butler Mall, before Clearview Mall, when the only "mall" was across from Armco on Rt. 8 South--Gaylord's and Friedman's and smaller shops. Butler in those days maintained it's own identity despite being just 30 miles north of Pittsburgh because Rt. 8 had all those lights and the Interstate really didn't take you to Pittsburgh; we weren't a Penn Hills, a Churchill, a Mount Lebanon, all sort of bedroom communities of Pittsburgh. Going downtown in those days was exciting for a child; Troutman's and Honse, the wooden floors at Woolworth's; Montgomery Wards on Main Street where Penny's located later and I even remember a W.T.Grant and more. All gone, of course. AB Mann for glasses; Miller and Ralph's for shoes; Blatt's as you can see; the Workingman's Store for Carharts (still there, I think). Lloyds for stationary at one end; Tracy's at the other. Cumming's; the hardware across from Phillip's Gas (I've forgotten).
Remember Murphy's 5&dime---it was the 50's---walk uptown and the Christmas lights were drapped across the street. Walk into Murphy's--rush of warm air and the smell of roasted cashews. I remember buying a bottle of Blue Waltz perfume (pretty little bottle) for 12 cents.
I recall when the K-Mart was built out at the Point shopping center and people said that would be the end of down town. I think that might have been 64 or 65. My father sold the hardware store on Main Street that had been in our family since the 30s in 62 or early 63 as he saw the writing on the wall. I too recall the Christmas decorations that used to go across the street, would love to see a photo of that. Also recall the Christmas parades. We moved in 66 so most of my memories are as this photo shows, but have been back a few times over the years and know much has changed. But then again, time rarely stands still. The little town we moved to in Virginia in 66 is now a part of the DC suburbs and is definitely nothing like it was back then.
Question... Speaking of downtown Butler, PA in the '60s. Does anybody have any color photos of the Penn Theater or any colored photos that may contain the Penn Theater within it? Mainly ones with the neon on. If I can recall, and from what I heard: The Penn might have still had the original lower marquee up (you know... The one with the labels and movies showing and stuff) at the time.
If I can recall correctly; the Penn Theater went under a MAJOR renovation during the early 1970s, 1972-'73 to be exact, that included a cosmetic overhaul of the lower marquee with what we see, or saw before the Penn Cinemas closed in 2001. If anybody can dig up any photos of the Penn, mainly ones in color; please let me know and send it to the new owner of the Penn Bryan who is working on restoring and renovating the theater. I'll also leave a link to the official Penn Theater website below:
www.thepenntheater.org
You can also contact them at 724-256-5684. Thank you and we appreciate it!
12 comments:
All in ruin because of Sam Walton and greed. Sure miss those days. Drive to Bon Aire,around the drive in back down around the courthouse and back. Simple fun,gas at 23 cents a gallon. Give ne 50 cents worth and drain the hose.
Bob Dorcy
What ? It's Sam Waltons fault gas isn't 23 cents a gal ?
Bought alot of car parts at Blatts.
Good people and easy to deal with
let's not forget the 7/11 and those places that put the mom and pops corner stores out of business. Everyone is against Walmart for opening on Thanksgiving - Kmart opened early,best buy and Why don't people just stay home and not shop.
That could hurt them..... NOW what about the "big" theaters that WILL be open on Christmas Day.
How I miss seeing the big Woolworth's sign when I walk downtown. Really,the decline began when Monky Wards moved to New Castle Road in I think 1969.
In just a couple of decades all of us that remember the "magic" that was downtown Butler will be gone. The younger ones won't miss it because they never experienced
I think you are right. Butler Mall was there long before Walmart. Anyone remember the Christmas decorations that were drapped across the street. I loved the look of main street at Christmas.
I helped put those decorations up one Christmas as part of a Boy Scout project. George Snyder
I remember Main Street before Butler Mall, before Clearview Mall, when the only "mall" was across from Armco on Rt. 8 South--Gaylord's and Friedman's and smaller shops. Butler in those days maintained it's own identity despite being just 30 miles north of Pittsburgh because Rt. 8 had all those lights and the Interstate really didn't take you to Pittsburgh; we weren't a Penn Hills, a Churchill, a Mount Lebanon, all sort of bedroom communities of Pittsburgh. Going downtown in those days was exciting for a child; Troutman's and Honse, the wooden floors at Woolworth's; Montgomery Wards on Main Street where Penny's located later and I even remember a W.T.Grant and more. All gone, of course. AB Mann for glasses; Miller and Ralph's for shoes; Blatt's as you can see; the Workingman's Store for Carharts (still there, I think). Lloyds for stationary at one end; Tracy's at the other. Cumming's; the hardware across from Phillip's Gas (I've forgotten).
Remember Murphy's 5&dime---it was the 50's---walk uptown and the Christmas lights were drapped across the street. Walk into Murphy's--rush of warm air and the smell of roasted cashews. I remember buying a bottle of Blue Waltz perfume (pretty little bottle) for 12 cents.
Funny, I remember main street being dead way before Wal-Mart ever came.
I recall when the K-Mart was built out at the Point shopping center and people said that would be the end of down town. I think that might have been 64 or 65. My father sold the hardware store on Main Street that had been in our family since the 30s in 62 or early 63 as he saw the writing on the wall. I too recall the Christmas decorations that used to go across the street, would love to see a photo of that. Also recall the Christmas parades. We moved in 66 so most of my memories are as this photo shows, but have been back a few times over the years and know much has changed. But then again, time rarely stands still. The little town we moved to in Virginia in 66 is now a part of the DC suburbs and is definitely nothing like it was back then.
Question... Speaking of downtown Butler, PA in the '60s. Does anybody have any color photos of the Penn Theater or any colored photos that may contain the Penn Theater within it? Mainly ones with the neon on. If I can recall, and from what I heard: The Penn might have still had the original lower marquee up (you know... The one with the labels and movies showing and stuff) at the time.
If I can recall correctly; the Penn Theater went under a MAJOR renovation during the early 1970s, 1972-'73 to be exact, that included a cosmetic overhaul of the lower marquee with what we see, or saw before the Penn Cinemas closed in 2001. If anybody can dig up any photos of the Penn, mainly ones in color; please let me know and send it to the new owner of the Penn Bryan who is working on restoring and renovating the theater. I'll also leave a link to the official Penn Theater website below:
www.thepenntheater.org
You can also contact them at 724-256-5684. Thank you and we appreciate it!
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