Thursday, May 17, 2012

West Erie Plaza Map 1971 Dipson's Theatre

The West Erie Plaza was full to capacity when this map was published in the Erie Press on May  8, 1971. The Boston Store had a free-standing annex near West 12th St. Halle Bros. Dept. Store anchored the plaza on the West 12th St. end. 

Working northward, the stores included: Nobil's Shoes, Nuway Cleaners,  G. C. Murphy Co., Loblaws, Singer Sewing Center, Ed Parks Sports, Sherwin Williams, Carter's Shoes, Benson's Women Wear, Palace Hardware, Paperback Book Store, Richman Bros., Lord Befwick Restaurant, Rea & Derick Drugs, Osiecki Music, Western Provision, First National Bank of PA, John Filip Jewelry, Christine's Card Shop, Erickson Hearing and Dipson's Plaza Theatre. 

Putt Putt Miniature Golf was on the Pittsburgh Avenue border of the West Erie Plaza. Mobil Gas was on the corner of 12th & Pittsburgh. The Plaza was marketed as a "Safe Place to Shop" in this ad.

Dipson's also had a theater in the Eastway Plaza: Eastway Plaza.

Enjoy more fun facts and photos of Erie, PA at: Old Time Erie

5 comments:

  1. OMG, I remember every single one of those stores! I used to live on Beverly Drive, which is only three blocks east of the plaza, and walked to that wonderful old plaza all the time. Before it was Rea & Derick, I believe it was Brown-Jones Pharmacy. I could have sworn the Boston Store came later than 1971, but I'm obviously wrong. Oh, to have a round of miniature golf at the old Putt-Putt again! Thanks for posting this wonderful trip down Memory Lane!

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  2. Very interesting that the plaza had all those stores..I was born in the early 90's but i remember going there by the mid 90's..It wasn't doing to hot then..correct me if im wrong,but it seems like the 90's was the start of the decline of the plaza..I wonder if it had a negative impact on Downtown shopping back before my time? can anybody tell me the impact?

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  3. The start of the West Erie Plaza's decline was in late '74 when the first few stores opened in the Millcreek Mall. As the popularity of multi-store shopping under one roof grew, strip plaza shopping declined. I grew up on Ohio St (eight blocks or so from the WEP) and remember stores not listed here. Remember Christmases there? From Thanksgiving to Christmas Eve the parking lot was packed! Prior to Putt-Putt, that location had a trampoline center and a fishing pond! Good times and better memories....

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  4. The Boston Store opened here in 1967 or 1968, I think. Later, Trask's/Carlisle's opened a branch at the corner of 8th & Pittsburgh, if my memory is still intact!

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  5. I too can remember these stores too. As a little girl my dad had taken me to the WEP one time and this guy had a pony in the parking lot and had my picture taken on the pony. Does anyone know the name of the farm that the WEP bought it from? A friend of mine is trying to remember who the original owners were or name of the farm.

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