If you’ve lived in Beaver County long enough, you are bound to have some fond memories of local businesses, restaurants, and other landmarks that are no longer with us.
Whether it was buying a tuxedo, eating a sandwich, or swimming your summers away, we all have those favorite places that we love to reminisce about and remember just like it was yesterday.
I did some research and asked locals from all over the county what we should include for this fun “Lost Beaver County” series. We’ll be doing ten at a time until I run out of fun places…which will hopefully be never!
Please feel free to comment and let us know some of your favorites so that I can add it to our running list!
Here are the first ten, and some of my personal favorites:
Kane Road Drive-In, Aliquippa
Drive-in Movie Theater
If you’re from Beaver County, you know that you didn’t want to cross that Allegheny line to go to Dependable. So you went to Kane Road, and you LOVED IT!
Since 1954, this was THE place for your drive-in movies, and where you spent a majority of your summer in front of the big screen and under the stars.
Kaufmann’s, Rochester & Center (Beaver Valley Mall)
Department Store
The other day my husband came home and said “I got this new shirt at Kaufmann’s.” I looked at him quizzically and said, “you got that new shirt where?”
Even though there hasn’t been a Kaufmann’s in years, it’s still on everyone’s brain! Between the location in Rochester and the Mall, they employed hundreds of local residents and gave us pleasant shopping experiences every single time!
Skyline Market, Patterson Twp
Grocery store
Patterson folks like myself, remember when you didn’t have to go out to Chippewa, down to Beaver Falls, or over to Rochester to get your groceries? I do! Skyline was the best, and they had this magical dried beef lunch meat that I have yet to find anywhere else.
The building now houses the Patterson Twp. Police, but every time I drive past it (which is often because my in-laws live next door) I have very fond memories of shopping there with my parents after church.
Boot’s, Bridgewater
Restaurant
This was the real Texas Roadhouse before Texas Roadhouse even existed!! Barrels of peanuts where you could throw the shells on the floor, GIANT steaks, fantastic views overlooking the river. This was where everyone wanted to go for their night out to dinner!
The OLD YMCAs, New Brighton & Chippewa
Family Fitness Centers
Remember before the GIANT Beaver County YMCA took up residency next to Hanks? That also presents me with a problem because any time I would finish exercising I would immediately stop off for tacos and frozen custard.
Anyhoo, it used to be located on the main street of New Brighton in one of the historic brick buildings. I’m pretty sure my Dad still thinks that’s where it is…
Zeiden’s- Beaver Falls
Men’s Formalwear
I went to church with Rich and Marilyn who owned Zeiden’s and they might possibly be the nicest people in the entire world! My Dad, husband, and brother all used to get their suits and tuxedoes down there. Family owned business at its finest!
Hills, Rochester
Discount Department Store
Before it was Big Lots, Hills was the hot spot for all of your shopping needs. Since it was a “discounted” department store, it’s where your parents tried to take you first, and if you couldn’t find what you needed, then you’d go to Kaufmann’s.
The entire Hills chain was acquired by Ames in 1999, and we miss it terribly!
Waite’s, Patterson Twp.
Restaurant/Shop
In my article 10 Signs You Might Be From Beaver Falls, Waites got a lot of love from our readers, so I wanted to be sure to get it in this first spotlight.
Located in what is now the parking lot for the Patterson Township Fire Hall, Waite’s used to be the place to go for penny candy & ice cream. It was a HUGE deal when your parents trusted you enough to let you walk there. And a burger and a coke was only a dollar! Oh the good old days…
Monaca Water Slides, Monaca
Water Slides/Public Pool
Forget the local swimming pools, the water slides in Monaca were where you really wanted to spend your summers! Filled with JUST enough water to actually get you down to the bottom safely, these freezing cold monstrosities were typically dry enough that you could stop yourselves mid-slide, wait for your friends, and all go down together. (Only necessary because they would only let you go one at a time… and really, who does that?)
So many great memories at this place!
Well there you have it! Our first list of places that we miss dearly and wish we could have back. We’ll be putting these out regularly so that we can all reminisce together about some seriously great times that we’ve had.
Remember to let us know some of your favorites so that we can add them in.
