Bucks County Mall Christmas Shopping 1970
Bucks County, Pennsylvania - December 2, 1970
Vintage Christmas Santa newspaper ad (with Christmas Gift Guide) for Bucks County Mall, where there's "a world of shopping values all under one roof!", with "50 stores to serve you in 72-degree mall comfort."
I really dig this ad--from a time when retail was a lot more fun and innocent. Remember that?
posted by Keith @ 12/11/2006
72 Comments:
Interesting choice of anchors. Reading the store list, I see A & P, Acme Market, and McCrory's as the only anchor stores.
If I'm not mistaken, this mall has been torn down. The only store I know of that's on the site is Michael's Arts & Crafts. Does anyone know anything else about this mall?
Wait a minute...where was this mall? And when was it built, then torn down? Cause I live in Bucks County, PA...right around where I suspect that this mall might have been.
I couldn't read the ad too well, but I think I read "Route 1" and "Street Road" on the ad's map. That is considered Trevose, PA. I live only a few minutes from there.
In my town of Feasterville-Trevose, there is a shopping center/strip mall called Bucks County Plaza or something similar. It is L-shaped, with Acme and TJ Maxx on one end, and a Michaels and Dollar Tree on the other. Value City and a former Gordon's Furniture holds up the center of the L. Value City and Gordon's used to be a Clover and Kiddie City, respectively. Was this strip mall an enclosed mall at one time?
Then again, there is also the nearby Neshaminy Mall...perhaps this was called Bucks County mall at one time?(doubtful though)
Or, was Bucks County mall a completely different shopping center? I'm really curious! Someone with answers please respond.
Bucks County Mall was a different mall indeed. Bucks County Plaza that you're thinking of is the old Bucks County Mall, although "de-malled".
Yes I spoke with my friend Mark, who grew up within walking distance of that mall. He confirmed for me that yes, it was an enclosed mall at one time that later became "de-malled" or "turned inside-out" as had happened to many small local malls during the late 80s/early 90s. He seems to think that the nearby Franklin Mills outlet mall killed business. At the time that Mark rememebers this mall(early 90s), there was a stand-alone Acme where a Chinese restaurant resides now. There was a Kiddie City anchoring one side of the mall(now a Michaels), next to a Clover(perhaps that used to be a McCrory's?). The TJ Maxx was still there on the other corner. He doesn't remember there ever being an A&P, so it probably closed before he remembers.
It's interesting that there were so many malls in such a small(10sq.mile or less) area. Bucks County Mall, and then 5 mins away was Neshaminy Mall. 5-10mins up Route 1 from Neshaminy Mall brought you up to Oxford Valley Mall in nearby Langhorne. In the Southward direction from Bucks County Mall, was the Woodhaven Mall(also de-malled), which was only 2mins away from Franklin Mills, which opened in 1990. Oh yeah, there was also the open-air Levittown Shopping Center(with Pomeroys, later Boscovs) in Bristol...this has since been demolished completely and now sits a Home Depot and a Taco Bell. So interesting how many malls there were at one time! Most of them have been de-malled or closed down. :( But Oxford Valley and Neshaminy are still going strong...for now, at least.
McCrory's woulda been way too small to become a Clover. Maybe Clover was added, or maybe one of the stores in the listing scanned (translation: a name I can't make out) became the Clover. Or maybe Clover just wasn't there at the time.
A McCrory's would've been about the size of a Michael's from what I've seen (15K-25K square feet)
OK thanks for the info. Here is what Mark and I collectively remember of this mall in the early 90s(I've been to some of the stores back when it was a mall, but I don't think I ever went into the mall interior):
- Clover(next to Kiddie City; currently a Value City these days)
- Kiddie City(up the ramp from Clover, where a Michaels is these days)
- Acme(a stand-alone store next to the mall, where a Chinese place, beer store, and laundromat are located now)
- TJ Maxx(on the opposite side of the mall from Michaels/Kiddie City; still there)
I do not know what existed where the Acme stands now? Mark claims that where the Acme stands, there used to be main entrance doors to the mall. Just the other day, I noticed a doorway next to the TJ Maxx...It looks like it might have been a side exit to the mall part? Now it leads to a small tutoring center.
So tell me...what did this mall look like on the interior? Was it bright-lit, or dim-lit? What kind of crowd did it generally attract? Does anything exist in the mall part of the complex today? I drove around the back of the complex and noticed that a good distance of it is barracaded with a tall fence...is this because part of the mall interior has been demolished? One last question...were there stores on all 4 sides of the mall, or just along the sides that are open w/ store fronts today?
Ah, I remember the Bucks County Mall from my childhood. It was a little mall with a huge ceiling. You could yell down one side of the mall and hear the echo down the other side. The Acme was originally on the Bustleton Pike side of the shopping center which wasn't part of the enclosed mall and the other side of that shopping center was the Kiddie City. Inside the mall on the Street Road side was the Clover (a Strawbridge and Clothier discount store). The other end was an A&P at one time but it later changed to a Thriftway and eventually to a TJ Maxx. Right above the entrance into the mall from the A&P were huge steps that ran up to the public restrooms and the mall offices. Other stores inside the mall were the Thrift Drug, Hornberger's Bakery, a shoe repair shop, Fifth Avenue Card Shop, Bertolet's Stationery, Perkins restaurant, Barry's Pretzels, a sit down eatery in the center of the mall called Peter's, AMC Colonial 2 Theatre, Santarian's children's clothing, Global Bookstore, Sound Design which later became an optical shop, and a jeweler's shop. In the center entrance to the mall was Trevose Federal Savings and Patricia's Flower Shop. There were a lot of stores that came and went after Korman bought up the mall and waited for the leases of the stores to expire before closing up the inside of the mall and allowing Acme to remodel and occupy most of the space. The current makeup of the shopping center called "Bucks Crossing" is the TJ Maxx, Acme, Value City, and a few smaller stores on the Street Road side. There is a Hong Kong Buffet, Michael's Arts & Crafts and a few other small stores on the Bustleton Pike side there in Feasterville.
When I was a kid my parents looked into starting an upscale women's clothing store on the corner store on the flower shop side. That never took off, but we spent MANY hours in this mall. I never remember it being busy.
McCrory's had a little old-fashioned lunch counter which was always a treat. When you walked into the mall McCrory's was the store right in front of you on the far side of the mall.
I believe Clover was an addition to the original mall. Since my mom was a Strawbridge & Clothier employee, we did all our discount shopping there to get an extra 10% employee discount. This was in the pre- Walmart days.
There was also a little coin collecting store stand on the Clover side of the mall. I spent much babysitting money there.
Before it closed and was renovated. I used to teach various art classes at Art, etc, which was next to Global books.
Barry's pretzels were my absolute favorite. They moved to outside the mall, but the formula seemed to change and taste just like everyone else's.
It was a nice little mall and I was sorry to see it turn into a giant Acme.
Wow, now there's some memories. I grew up in Feasterville. Lived at "Top of the Hill" apartments before they were even finished building them. Street Rd was 2 lanes. There was the bowling alley, a Sunoco, Mister Grocer, Arbys and that's about it. I remember when they built the mall, and when WFIL was out there with the Boss Mustangs and Boss chicks for the grand opening. I used to fish across the street from the mall while cutting 3rd grade (went to what was Poquessing school), now its a sea of asphalt. I forgot all about the coin dealer, used to window shop there all the time. Remember those steps! Remember popping balloons at McCrorys to find out how much my banana split would cost!
Does anyone remember Gerenser's Exotic Ice Cream right under the huge stairs? It was right outside of McCrory's. I think they're only in New Hope now.
This also brings back a lot of memories for me. If I remember correctly, the Bucks County Mall was the main mall in the area before the Neshaminy Mall opened. My mother used to drag me to Santarians to buy all of my clothes and I was also a huge fan of Barry's pretzels. This was, of course, before different flavored soft pretzels became popular.
I also saw a ton of movies in the Colonial Theater.
Wow, what a blast from the past. I used to work in McCrory's. It was great to see this ad. The mall opened in 1967 and I worked there for 3 years. Pete got the history right. Select Jewelers is still the only original store there, although in a different location, but they are the original store and owners are still the same. I still go there.Thanks for the memories.
What a neat post! When I was in high school a friend of mine used to work at Global Books. This was in the early 90’s The mall was a ghost town then. The owners waiting till the leases ran out so they could “de-mall” the mall. I remember Clover, McCorys, the Card store, Peters (the Greek eatery) Art Etc. (to the right of Global Books) and there was a gift store to the left of Global Books. And to the left of that gift store was the Colonial Theater - all closed up.
The people that ran the gift store had keys to the Colonial Theater as it was used as a massive storage room then. I remember going in and it was like going back in time. Beautiful red plush seating and walls. Plush carpeting. The candy counter still stood with the hint of art deco decor. The rest of the theater was ruined as a main water pipe had burst due to lack of heat however it was still neat nonetheless!
What ever happened to barrys pretzelS??? I grew up eating them and would love to know that he opened another store some where
Wow! We spent so much time there. I recently found a bookmark with Global books advertised on it. There was this huge circle in the entrance where Acme is now. There was a flower place in it? You stepped down into it. The McCrory's was pretty much opposite the main entrance when you walked in. They used to have Bingo in the basement in this side entrance area. In later years, Weight Watchers had a location there. The stand in the center called Peter's was the best for pizza. This mall was similar to the Village mall in Horsham and Mcadad mall down in Ridley.
I grew up visting the Bucks County Mall from the late 60's until I unfortuntley moved to California in 1975. I freakin loved the place !!!
Joe
I used to ride my bike as a kid from Huntingdon Valley up Philmont Avenue and then over to Bustleton, up to the mall. I remember the soft pretzels at Barry's- still the best in the world. Guy's Bikes was right down the street. I spent many hours there as a kid walking around. It seemed like such a big place until Neshaminy Mall opened, and then it seemed small. It started to get tacky, a little down and out. Thanks everyone for sharing great memories.
This is awesome. When I first moved to the area from NE Philly, I remember being dragged to the TJ Maxx and Clover by my mom VERY late in the mall's life (I think part of it was already closed) and I was young enough that up to this point all I've ever known about it was these vague memories. Every time I asked someone about it I either got a blank stare or a "um, yeah maybe".
Would the original author and the previous commenters mind if I post this ad and information on Deadmalls.com? It's absence saddens me.
BTW, as I recall, the interior was dated but not as much as other buildings I see still open, and it was surprisingly bright and airy.
This is bringing back alot of memories! amazing to think this was the hangout for many teenagers thru the years (or outside around the back). I remember all those mentioned, and also a hoagie place, which had the best hoagies (Peppi's?) and DR Pets
i live in bensalem, born in 1993 (so right around when this mall closed) and i have been into value city and acme. i had no idea this was even a mall at one point until recently. I would kill for some interior pictures, or even a formal write-up somewhere.
I do know that my great grandmother (a German immigrant from Trevose who died a few years ago) told me a story about a trip to "the mall" around 1965-66, and something about good ice cream, which may have been Gerenser's. I assumed she meant Neshaminy Mall until I realized that wasn't built 'til 1968.
And as for how many other malls there were around, I hear there was an even smaller mall about 2 miles down Bustleton Pike called the "Leo Mall". Today it's a Home Depot, but since I know very little bout BC Mall, I kno absolutely nothing bout Leo.
I remember when they put in the current "Leo Mall" and I think it's "Hendrix Center" signs in the early 90's and I don't think it was a mall in the most recognized sense. I'm pretty sure it was an outdoor arcade type mall almost like the Roosevelt Mall at Cottman and the Boulevard. There was a movie theater where the asian food place is (if thats even there still). I can't really remember what else was there, but I do know the Burger King was always there. There also used to be a Grossman's hardware across the street where Eckerd is. That, Heckinger's and Channel is where my dad used to get his tools and supplies before Home Depot put them all out of business.
Yeah I remeber Heckinger's, they were everywhere. Franklin Mills, Oxford Valley, Feasterville...
I had no idea about Leo Mall, so thanks for that.
I grew up in the 90's, so I missed out on all these baby malls. My dad tells me about Bucks County, Woodhaven, Lincoln Plaza...and I've found references to a Clover Mall in Montco, a Cinnaminson Mall in NJ, at least two "Village Mall"s, and some more in Delaware. Does anyone know of a site that sums up lost Philadelphia-area malls?
Barry's moved up near the Acme and finally closed in the last five years. There were yellowing photos of the old Mall tacked up in at the newer Barry's. It was surprisingly moving.
There was a strange stairway at one end of the Mall, by Barry's little stand. There were no stores up there. By the early 80s, there was a Smurf Store, a sort of Fluff and Stuff with a specific theme. There was a drug store and a nail salon down that way, in addition to a dry cleaners. There were benches that enclosed large rectangular planters, filled with plants. And kids like me would reach in at the little round white pellets in the dirt. (Unaware it was poisonous fertilizer!)
By the mid 80s, the place was starting to go downhill. EVen though they built a huge wing for T.J.Maxx, the movie theater where I saw Breaking Away, The World According to Garp, and even Return of the Jedi had closed. A tie store(!) moved in briefly, and a comic book store had moved there from across the street (where Neshaminy Stamps and Coins had relocated - now that's a Girl Scouts store and a Subway!) stayed just a bit longer. Wall to Wall sound closed and later became a Karate studio, which was outrageously exotic. Global Books held on - I still remember finding a Penthouse in with the Dungeons and Dragons stuff. When you're 8, that sort of thing stays with you. Peter's was both a restaurant (which is now a PetCo or some such chain pet store). They also had a little satellite stand in the center of the mall. I used to get hot dogs at the stand, and I learned there that I was supposed to tip my server. I think the hot dog was 95 cents, and I left the nickel for the high school girl behind the counter. Pretty lousy tip! There was a Payless shoes for a bit. A travel agent. A bank near the front. Briefly there was "Bun Boys" which was a Cinnabon clone in a crescent shaped island. The name seemed avoidably ridiculous. Bertolett's office supplies had the first photocopy machine I ever saw (or smelled!) They had a poster near the copier of a police officer holding an injured child, and it had the caption "And some people call him Pig." Weird. Anyhow, they closed. The mall started to seem dark and slightly dangerous... so many stores had closed. Then even Clover closed.
There was a photo of Bucks County Mall in the 1960s hanging at an Italian restaurant in Newtown - I think it was called Lorenzos - that had been their first location. There were cars parked inside, as though it was a car dealership. Weird.
The mall was never torn down, it was converted from a mall into a shopping center. I remember that there used to be a Clover store (my sister worked there as a cashier in high school) where the Value City store is currently located. There was a two screen movie theater called the colonial and a pretzel stand that sold the tastiest soft pretzels around. McCrory's was located at the center point of the mall. There was also a bank, a haircutting salon, a candy store and a shoe repair to name a few. TJ Maxx opened up sometime in the 80s and was located at the opposite end of Clover, and is still there today.
I rode my bike from Greenridge development in Lower Moreland down County Line and then up Bustlelton. Even then I rode mostly on the sidewalk due the traffic. I don't think I would even want to attempt that ride now.
Good memories posted here. I also remember finding my first Asteroids game there in the really cool glitter housing in the mid-70s. At the outrageous cost of 25 cents a game I really had to think carefully about spending my money.
I also remember Barry's Pretzels was cutting edge with their cheese pretzel option!
This was the FIRST mall in the burbs, and was a big deal. I lived in Southampton, and we shopped there all the time. Neshaminy Mall opened a few years after, and it had Sears and Wanamakers so it killed poor little BCM. Still remember the Kiddy City, and especally across the street, the Gino's resturant, first place to have KFC.
Have no idea how I came across this thread...but it brings back a lot of memories. My dad managed the Clover store in Bucks County Plaza for 17 years and the first 12or so of my life. It was kind of a family ordeal; we used to go help out during their holiday sale. I think they did charity gift wrapping there.
My dad, George, always said that he was going to work there the rest of his life. It was long hours, but there was a great community feel and the customers and employees were so loyal.
IHOP was next to Gino's. I remember seeing movies at the Colonial theater. Porky's, An American Warewolf in London, and many others. We moved out of PA in 1983.
I thought Kiddie City was in a different location. Off of Bustleton rather than Street RD.
Does anybody remember what was in the Clover store before it became Clover. I was thinking it was Kiddie City before they moved to where the dollar store and Michaels is now. Great reading about the mall. Worked there as a teenager and had great times.
Before it was Clover it was a Gaylords (similar to Two Guys). My granny worked there for awhile.
I grew up in F-ville within walking distance to the "Great Bucks County Mall."
-Ron Young
Every day now I walk past a photo from 1968 of me in a blue dress that was bought at Santarians. My first bike was from Kiddie City. I remember walking up the stairs to an office (eye doctor maybe?) and thinking that was so cool. We used to eat at the diner just up the street past the mall that had the best rice pudding. Lived in Churchville then. Is Longitano's pizza place still around? Always went there after the mall. Thanks for the memories!
In the early 70's a pinball place called "The Cave" was put in. Down the end by the steps. Then the mall really became a hangout. Barry's was right down that end. So was Pizza Boy with Carlo selling slices. Gaylords was down the other end. Sort of like a K-Mart type store. Also Jerry's Records was in the mall. It was a record store and a Head Shop with parafernalia. There was also a big round fountain in the middle by McCrory's.
Can't believe that this forum exists. I wanted to make sure that Peter's Restaurant in the Bucks County Mall proper received its due. I once applied to be a dishwasher there when I was just 16 years of age. Before I could even be interviewed by the Peter's staff I was hired at The Fountain restaurant on Street Road in Bensalem.
Some years later, perhaps a dozen or so, I was a young married fellow living with my Wife and Daughter in Feasterville, PA. Peter's became our after-church destination on Sundays for the best breakfast in Bucks County, bar none. The staff was very competent, friendly and loyal to Peter's. The owner, of course named Peter, greeted everyone warmly and made all feel as family there. It was an oasis in the midst of the hustle and bustle on Street Road and I miss it so. I favored their ham, bacon, onion and cheese omelets and could not get enough of the delicious coffee which they brewed there. I have no idea as to how long Peter's was there. No idea as to when it closed but I would guess that would be sometime in the early '90s. Sad to have to see an institution with the integrity of this establishment close it's doors. Feasterville, PA lost a treasure on the day that Peter's grills and coffee urns went cold. We all lost something of intrinsic value on that day.
There were times that I alone, or with my family, would encounter Peter out in public after the closure of his namesake eatery and he still maintained the same outgoing and courteous manner of his. I hope that he and his family are doing well, may God grant this, wherever he is, and they are, now.
My interest is in the Neshaminy Mall. As a child I visited my grandmother on the "Friends Hospital Farm" - location Bensalem, PO Trevose. I have spent many hours riding around the mall and have found the area where the tunnel was built under Rt. 1 since the farm was on both sides. A lane off of Neshaminy Rd and the back lane off of the Old Lincoln Highway. I believe the farm contained about 365 acres. The old tunnel would have been behind "Starbucks" on the lower side of the complex which seems to be named "Horizon." Any information you might have in those 70 some years would help complete a part of my story growing up.
I am looking for the name of the restaurant in the hotel/motel/motorlodge located on Lincoln Hwy (Rt. 1). Northbound in Trevose, PA, between Street Road and Neshaminy Mall. I used to go to this restaurant with my parents around 1975?? Great times. I can't remember the name of the motel or restaurant. Was it the Neshaminy Motor Lodge? I seem to remember stacked stone columns near the entrance. It was torn down years ago.
It's driving me CRAZY!
Does anyone remember???
Arlene
I am looking for the name of the restaurant in the hotel/motel/motorlodge located on Lincoln Hwy (Rt. 1). Northbound in Trevose, PA, between Street Road and Neshaminy Mall. I used to go to this restaurant with my parents around 1975?? Great times. I can't remember the name of the motel or restaurant. Was it the Neshaminy Motor Lodge? I seem to remember stacked stone columns near the entrance. It was torn down years ago.
It's driving me CRAZY!
Does anyone remember???
Arlene
I am looking for the name of the restaurant in the hotel/motel/motorlodge located on Lincoln Hwy (Rt. 1). Northbound in Trevose, PA, between Street Road and Neshaminy Mall. I used to go to this restaurant with my parents around 1975?? Great times. I can't remember the name of the motel or restaurant. Was it the Neshaminy Motor Lodge? I seem to remember stacked stone columns near the entrance. It was torn down years ago.
It's driving me CRAZY!
Does anyone remember???
Arlene
sorry. My enter key got stuck.
Arlene
In response to Arlene, the name of the motel was The George Washington Motor Lodge. This location was a part of a small chain as there was another out near King of Prussia and one in Allentown. Now you can Google, as I did, to your heart's content. ;-)
The key feature with the motel near to the Neshaminy Mall was in their having a waterfall which ran down the face of the stonework. I recall it when the water was running as my Father pointed this out to me whenever we'd ride past. In later years the water was turned off and the motel seemed to have lost some of its charm then.
Best wishes.
Another great childhood hangout when the mall was in full operations. Forgot all about the A&P and Gaylords, some of the original tenants. Does anyone recall a large bird cage in the center of the mall in front of McCory's? All I can remember was the brown wooded cafeteria to the right in front of Global bookstore. Any information greatly appreciated. By the way, enjoyed reading other testomonials.
Ok, I'm sure this is the mall I was dragged to as a little kid along with Nashamini (Sp). I moved out of PA in 1970 so it's pretty hazy. Was this not the mall with the 4 or 5 animated scenes built into a wall covered with a glass window, that would take turns coming on? Kind of old scenes (like maybe Washington's crossing) with puppet type figures. There also was a huge round fountain by an enterance.
I've lived in the vicinity of the Bucks County Mall since 1970. The A&P was where the TJ Max now is. Clover was where Value City was, which was replaced by a discount book store that is now also out of business. Acme supermarket used to be where the Chinese buffet restaurant now is. Acme's current location occupies the same space as the main part of the old mall.
McCrory's was on the east end of the mall where A&P was/TJ Max is. Back in the early 70s, Gerenser's, the ice cream shop in New Hope, had a satelite stand there.
Clover was a chain of discount department stores that was part of Strawbridge & Clothier, a local department store chain in the Philadelphia area. Clover was modeled after Target, which originated as a local Chicago-area chain. Prior to Clover, the space was occupied by Gaylord's, another discount department store chain that went out of business in the mid-70s. Gaylord's was in an early 70s addition to the mall on its west end, the main part of which was built in the late 60s. I think Kiddie City was beyond Gaylord's/Clover, and was not originally attached to the mall.
The side entrance near TJ Max that another poster refers to was the mall's original east entrance. The main entrance was where the Acme's main entrance is now. There used to be a twin movie theater just beyond the main entrance. I also remember Jerry's records, Spain's gifts, Bertolette's stationery, Global book store, Perkin's restaurant, and optician whose son was in my class. Morton Jewelers is still there, the only original store left (and how on earth do they stay in business?)
It was de-malled in the late 80s, early 90s, but its last days were sad...most of the stores went out of business a couple of years before the mall actually closed, so it was a ghost mall.
Having read the previous testimonial, I do recall Kiddie City where Michaels and Dollar Store presently stands. The original site for Acme was where the Chinese Buffet/David's Bridal also sits, as well. Can still recall the high powered vent blowers whenever entering/exiting Acme market. Every customer would get a fresh shot of either warm/cool flow of air from the floor up depending on the season you were in. Never could understand why they were put in place that way even as today. In addition, was a great hangout as a young teen to make quick money in asking shoppers if needed help carrying groceries to their car.
someone said the mall was the first shoppinc center in that area but that is wrong. we moved to holland pa. in 1966 and we shopped where heckengers was, behind burger king and we ate lunch at woolworths lunch counter. there were quite a few stores in that center,music store a bank and a bunch of others.
there was also a small center at street rd. and busselton that had about ten stores.
I found this old post about the Buccks county Mall.
I am the original jewelery store in the ad from 1968.
we are now located in the stockade Plaza across the street from the post office.
I have alot of info of the old mall.
email me at astorejoe2@aol.com,and I would love to answer any questions that you may have.
i hope to see more posts here.
The Golden Horse inn and the old Robert Hall Mens store was near the US1 entrance of the turnpike
I grew up in Trevose/Feasterville in the 50s and 60s. No Bucks County Mall. Just a field and a church. Across Street Road Near Bustleton was the main "mall," which had a Food Fair market and a Woolworth's, near the Leo theatre. Went to school (first grade only) at the Old Feasterville School (remember that?), which was where the Burger King is now on Bustleton. Left Trevose in 1965 for sunny California.
WOW! I must know half of you people, especially the ones from Huntingdon Valley! My mom used to buy me Buster Brown's at Santarians in Hatboro - now we're going back to the late '50s. My godfather, Carl Rumbaugh, was one of the designers of the Bucks County Mall. I used to bus tables at the GW Motor Lodge in Bensalem & operated the night switchboard at the GW in Willow Grove. Trying to find out when the Bensalem in GW closed. Neshaminy was a BIG thing when it opened! So much excitement. Anybody else remember Woolworth's? I remember the first McDonald's opened in Hatboro and 7-11s starting selling Slurpees. Lived in HV when Justa Farm was justa farm. It was all woods and farmland back then, & thanks to Pitcarin, a lot still is. Joe Mortimer - what was the name of that jewelry store? I think I still have some jewelry from it. Thanks for the walk down Memory Lane. I needed it today!
To the person asking about Leo Mall...
In the late 1960's to the early 1970's, A supermarket was built called Pantry Pride...East of the supermarket, and attatched tomit was a store called JM Fields...
In 1973-74, they attatched a Small indoor mall to the north side of the store and called it LEO mall...it had a fountain in the middle and 1 co ed restroom...
Aside from the anchor store, it had a book store, sound odyssey, A vacum cleaner store, a state liquor store, bassetts ice cream, House Of Bargains clothing for kids, Quality in field services, and a Rite Aid...Jm fields later closed and became the dry goods...in the late 90's early 2000's, after several years without an anchor store, they closed and knocked down the mall, and converted the store into a giant K Mart....After that closed, the land was sold to home depot, whom demolished the whole thing and built a new home depot store that faces Bustleton Avenue..
For more, check out the facebook group, Remember the Bucks County Mall: https://www.facebook.com/groups/rememberbcm/
In 1964, Ramon L. Posel (1928-2005), an art-cinema proponent, real estate developer and attorney, opened the Leo Theatre, his first theater, on Bustleton Avenue in Northeast Philadelphia. In 1980, the Leo became the Leo Mall Twin when AMC Cinemas (AMC Theatres since 2002) acquired the property. The Leo closed at the end of 1990. A Chinese buffet had occupied the space for a while. At the end of 2012 and after extensive renovations, it reopened as the Four Seasons Diner, Bistro & Bakert.
There is an article on Acme Style about the Feasterville-Trevose Acme Sav-on, and how it started as the Bucks County Mall: http://acmestyleblog.blogspot.com/search/label/PA%3A%20Feasterville
Well I'm 45 now and my friends and I would hang at the mall and across at the bowling alley every day of our lives around 12-18. Roy Rogers next to the bowling alley down the big metal steps. Paradise rock behind arbys up to the mall. My friend AJ lived behind the mall down from Greg Longs gym. Remember running the mall and getting in big fights every year during the mall carnival and outsiders tried getting tough lol. Good days some of my friends from then are since gone but not forgotten just like the good old days hanging out smoking weed and eating Barry's pretzels and playing video games for hours.
My favorites from this great mall growing up: Barry's Pretzels
Jerry's Records
McCrory's
The Cave(great arcade)
I worked Part time at the Bucks County Mall in 1968 at a clothing store called Cranes Mens Shop, my first job in the apparel category. They were a small old style mens clothing store, part of a chain of about 40 stores that were based in New York. The manager was this old guy named Mr. Pechter, and his wife worked there as well as a sort of cashier/tailor. It was located to the right of the main entrance, on the right side as you walked towards Gaylords. It was adjacent to 5th Avenue Card & Gifts.
I worked at Wall to Wall Sound in the mall as a teen. Next to the eye exam place in the Clover end across from Peters. My dad was best friends with Don Bertolet, the stationary store owner. We ate at Peters all the time, went to the colonial theatre and spent way too much time in the arcade call "The Cave" Great memories.
I worked at Wall to Wall Sound in the mall as a teen. Next to the eye exam place in the Clover end across from Peters. My dad was best friends with Don Bertolet, the stationary store owner. We ate at Peters all the time, went to the colonial theatre and spent way too much time in the arcade call "The Cave" Great memories.
Oh wow, I remember hanging out in Bucks Mall as a teenager in the 80's. We used to be able to smoke cigarettes inside - ha! I remember there was a pizza parlor on the right as soon as you walked into the entrance by TJMaxx (which I saw in the picture is bricked-up but you can see the outline). When I was little, they had a Christmas bazaar in the middle of the mall and people would sell their crafts. I remember Clover, and Kiddie City around the corner of the building, where Michael's is now. And Acme is where David's Bridal is now. There was a leather store inside (Wilson's?) and an arcade. I also remember me and my friends sneaking up to the roof of the mall from the upstairs office area. Gosh, I haven't been back to Feasterville to see the new shopping center but I like to keep the indoor mall in my memories.
I used to go to that mall a lot. I think vestiges of it are still there. Impact Thrift is on that location now. There was a soft pretzel kiosk right across from McCrory's where I tasted my first soft pretzel with cheeze on it. YUM. I think there was a Santerian's too, before or after it was in Hatboro. I always preferred the smaller, inside-out malls where each store had its own door.
I was afraid of those steps. The bathrooms were there. There was an arcade. I think it was called the wall. I also bought a kiss album at Jerry's Records.
Trevose doesn't belong in Feasterville.
In the lifetime of bucks county mall, was there ever a Woolworths? As far as I recall, there was only a McCrory’s.
That is Neshaminy Mall, and the historical scenes are still there.
Bucks County Mall was on Street Rd. east of Bustleton. There was a Bowling alley across the street.
Where Acme is now, the whole expanse, left (TJ Maxx) former A&P food store, to the right Liberty, former Gaylord then Value City, is where the original Bucks Co. Mall was. Premier Movie Theater and all. The 1st mall in Bucks County. Circa 1965
I forgot to mention Clover. An offshoot of Strawbridge & Clothier dept.store one of which was located at the newer Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem circa 1967.
Woolworth's was at the Feasterville Plaza with Sun Ray Drug store, Plaza Bar, Angelo's Pizza and Food Fair Supermarkets.
Oh man, I'm gonna love this. That ad was from 1970, I was 6. I spent a lot of my childhood in that mall. The main entrance was pretty much centered right where the Acme is now. When you entered there was a fountain that spent most of its time out of order. But it was really cool when it did work. There was a pet store immediately to the right as you entered. Some apperall store filled in the corner that I can't remember the name of. To the left side of the fountain there was a store or two that slip my mind right now. Most likely grown up type stores that had no appeal for me. Right behind the fountain in between it and McCrory's was a kiosk called Barry's Soft Pretzel's that cost around .15 straight outta the oven. Going left toward the only other exits that were accessible from the mall, was a Thrift Drug's that gave you S&H greenstamps with your purchases. Next came a big favorite of mine, an arcade called the Cave. Past that you entered the A&P grocery store which is now TJ Maxx. In between the mall exit doors and the entrance to A&P was an ice cream store call 100 exotic flavors r something like that. On the left side of the exit doors going back again toward the fountain was an MAB paint store and a shoe repair shop. I forget in which order they were. Starting back at McCrory's and heading toward the right was Santarian's children's clothing store that I'd been in a million times. They sold a lot of Carter's stuff, so of course, i wore a lot of Carter's stuff. Oh well it'll come t me. Next in line was another favorite, the Colonial movie theater, which started out as a single but morphed into a double later on. I saw the original Posiden Adventure like 10 times in that place. Next came Bertolet stationary that wasn't a big favorite because shopping there usually meant school was starting again soon. The next store I can remember on that side was Harry Klien's variety store. That place was so cool to a kid like me. You could find all kinds of odd stuff that had appeal mostly for kids. I almost forgot in front of Santarian' was a kiosk, it sold gag gifts. I forget what it was called. Me n my friend Ray got these shock books from there when we were 11. The books had conductive outside covers on them, they had faux pages that concealed an electromagnet inside that delivered one hell of a shock when it was opened.🤣 ! Oh back t Bertolet's after that was some kind of science store r something akin t that, the name is lost on me though. The there was The Wall, a sound store that sold high end stereo equipment. We like the place cause it had a a water dispenser us kids would raid being thirsty after terrorizing the mall. That place was really tolerant. Across from that another kiosk called Neddick's. It was a a short order munchie stand surrounded by anchored stools. At the far end of the mall was the entrance to it's major anchor store the first of which I remember was Gaylord's department store. That closed and the became a Clover. I saw a post claiming it became a value city at some point but I have no memory of that. On the opposite side of the mall if you were leaving Gaylord's and heading back toward the fountain, was Perkins Panckes restaurant. Owned by a guy named Pete. I know this cause my older brother worked there. He also owned n operated the Neddick's stand. After that I'm pretty sure was some kind of women's apperral store. Can't remember it's name, go figure🤔. Anyway next in line was a favorite as I got older Jerry's records where they also had t-shirts that you could have a print put on from a large variety that was on display. The Michael's area use to be a Kidde City but that was never accessible from the mall. Oh yeah, n Select jeweler's started in there. That was the last store before rounding the corner heading back to the main entrance. So anyway, I hope anyone interested enjoys the walk I just had down memory lane as much as I just did!
Sincerely,
FJ Jones
Yeah, he did. After the mall closed up he ended up on the Bustleton Rd side next to what was then the beer store. I don't think he made it there much into the 90's. He's long gone now
The first store there that I remember was Gaylord's
Yeah, it was called Neddick's. It had stool type seats surrounding it anchored to the floor. I dated a girl who worked there in like 88 r so. The place was actually owned by the owner of Perkins Pancakes. Which later became just Pete's
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