July/August South Hills Living

July/ august 2015 a free Bimonthly publication

Heinz History Center’s secret treasures Valley Brook’s gateway to the past The beginning of Bethel Bakery

Senator John Heinz History Center Curator Emily Ruby

#TheNostalgiaIssue

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contents

july - August 2015

features

14

22

Tom’s Garage Take a trip back in time inside – and outside – this Peters Township gem.

Preserving History Find out how the Heinz History Center acquires and preserves artifacts.

4 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

in every issue

10

Photo Album

30

Neighborhood Spotlight

34

Historical Flashback

6 From the Editor 8 Calendar of Events 28 Neighborhood Favorites

from the editor I katie green

#TheNostalgiaIssue I admit it – I am absolutely fascinated with local history. Every issue of this magazine, I look forward to compiling our Historical Flashback, and in The Almanac each week, getting new submissions for our Looking Back photo and picking which one to use is one of my favorite tasks as editor.

So, when the idea came up for an entire issue of South Hills Living centered around a nostalgic and historical theme, I was super excited. One of my ideas was to source memories from our readers, and detail them, with photos, in a feature. Much easier said than done.

For example, several people, including Rita DeDillippo George and Michelle Bametzrieder told us via Facebook about a live bird that used to call the inside of South Hills Village home. We aren’t talking about a random robin that accidentally flew inside. Through some research, I found that the bird’s name was Eric, and he could actually speak his name – and he did, to many shoppers. Finding a photo of Eric, however, proved to be impossible.

Other memories that came in via The Almanac’s Facebook page (facebook.com/ SHillsAlmanac), included going to the Crest Movie Theater in Peters Township (courtesy Leslie Gulla Charney), hanging out at the Spinning Wheels roller rink in Castle Shannon (Anne Dittoe and Christina Battung Frankert) and the now-closed VIP in South Park (Erin Soudan Bigneli).

So, while that idea didn’t pan out – as sometimes what seem like great ideas don’t – other ideas did. Check out David Singer’s story on page TK about a vast collection of old cars, signs and artifacts housed on Valley Brook Road. The story is fascinating, and the photos even more so.

On page TK, Suzanne Elliott talks with Senator John Heinz History Center curator Emily Ruby about the Center’s collections – an array of antiques and local historic pieces that might never make it into a museum exhibit, but are being preserved regardless.

Finally, Bethel Bakery is celebrating 60 years this fall. We took a look back at its beginnings on page 35.

And if you happen to have a photo of the infamous Eric – or other relics of our past – please send it my way to kgreen@thealmanac.net.

Published bi-monthly by Observer Publishing Company South Hills 2600 Boyce Road Plaza, Suite 142 Upper St. Clair, PA 15241 724.941.7725 Washington 122 S. Main Street Washington, PA 15301 724.222.2200 Greene County 32 Church Street Waynesburg, PA 15370 724.852.2602 PUBLISHER Thomas P. Northrop DIRECTOR OF NEWS Lucy Northrop Corwin EDITOR Katie Green ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Matt Miller Contributors Suzanne Elliott, Adam Milliron, David Singer

On the cover

Here’s to looking back – and forward,

Editor

Emily Ruby photographed by Adam Milliron at the Senator John Heinz History Center.

6 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

what’s happening I calendar of events 7.17 Twilight in the Tropics Benefitting St. Clair Hospital Foundation St. Clair Country Club 412.942.2465

7.17 Summer Beer Festival Trax Farms 412.835.3246

7.18 Galleria Uncorked: A Wine & Spirits Festival The Galleria of Mt. Lebanon 412.561.4000

7.18 2015 Kids Triathlon Benefitting Habitat for Humanity South Park Wave Pool 412.531.0512

7.19 Yugo-Slav Annual Bike Run Benefitting Joey Fabus Childhood Cancer Foundation Jugo-Slav Club, Bethel Park jfccf.org

7.20 18th Annual Summer Swing Golf Classic Benefitting St. Clair Hospital Foundation St. Clair Country Club 412.942.2465

7.24-26 Blues Fest 2015 Benefitting Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank Hartwood Acres 412.460.BLUE

7.25 Timeless Treasures Flea Market LeGras Parish Center, Upper St. Clair 724.941.5128

8 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

7.26 Rev ‘em Up for Kids Car Cruise South Park Fairgrounds 412.831.6800 ext. 730

7.26 OpenStreetsPGH Benefitting Bike Pittsburgh Downtown, Strip District, Lawrenceville bikepgh.org

7.27 10th Annual Marcus Ruscitto Charitable Foundation Golf Invitational St. Clair Country Club ruscitto.org

7.27 Southwinds 14th Annual Charity Golf Outing Southpointe Golf Club southwindsinc.org

7.30-8.15 “Outside Mullingar” Little Lake Theatre littlelake.org

8.3 33rd Annual Verland Open The Club at Nevillewood 412.741.2375

8.7 First Fridays Mt. Lebanon mtlebanon.org

8.7 Party for Paws Benefitting South Hills Pet Rescue Salvatore’s Events & Catering 412.951.2856

8.17 ACHIEVA Million Dollar Golf Outing Valley Brook Country Club 412.995.5000

8.20-9.5 “A Little Hotel on the Side” Little Lake Theatre littlelake.org

8.22-23 Corks & Kegs Festival The Meadows Casino corksandkegsfestival.com

8.22 Dog Days of Summer Fundraiser Benefitting Pittsburgh Aviation Animal Rescue Team Allegheny County Airport nodogleftbehind.org

8.28-9.13 Sidewalk Sale The Galleria of Mt. Lebanon 412.561.4000

8.28 Collier Derby Benefitting Friends of Collier Parks and Recreation The Club at Nevillewood gneustadt@comcast.net

9.10-26 “Dead Accounts” Little Lake Theatre littlelake.org

9.12 Bethel Park Community Day Bethel Park High School bethelpark.net

9.14 Almanac/VFW Golf Classic Fort Cherry Golf Club 724.949.1208

9.18 Ninth Annual Charlie Ross Memorial Golf Outing Benefitting Mainstay Life Services Lindenwood Golf Club 412.344.3640

photo ALBUM Photos by David Singer

Peters Township Community Day June 27 was almost a wash out with near-constant rain, but Peters Township’s 37th Annual Community Day persevered. Sponsored by the Peters Township Chamber of Commerce and the municipality, the day of games, live music, vendors and more was capped off with fireworks at dusk. “Overall, it was very successful considering the weather,” says Chamber executive director Brian Schill. “The folks who showed up had a great time.”

George Suhon

Balloon artist Rebecca Kanar

Elsa and the Ice Queen from Disney’s “Frozen” flank Max and Erma from the namesake restaurant

Michael Peters, 3, with Batman

Matt and Kristal Hartman with their children, Logan, 7, Lukas, 5, and Claudia, 2 10 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

Police Chief Harry Fruecht with Michael Peters

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Tom’s Garage Blink and you might miss the throwback buildings, signs and even a caboose tucked off of Valley Brook Road Text and photos by DAVID SINGER

R

“It has to be gas-powered.

Everything with gas or oil.”

– Tom Robinson

unners and bikers can see the brick buildings from the Montour Trail, with 1950s-era gas pumps and oil signs suggesting it was once a legitimate service station – but it never was. The buildings that sit off of Valley Brook Road in Peters Township house just a fraction of Tom Robinson’s extensive collection of classic automobiles, bikes, toys and other vintage collectibles that share one common theme.

“It has to be gas-powered. Everything with gas or oil,” says the 61-year-old businessman, who owns and operates T.A. Robinson Asphalt Paving and T.A.R. Storage. Tom shares more than just a resemblance with former “Top Gear” host Jeremy Clarkson – he has a passion for hot engines and sleek metal.

A 1985 Kennywood shuttle bus purchased in March is the latest addition to Robinson’s collection. One of the men from his mini-army of in-house mechanics, John, had just finished staining the rails on the bus when Robinson pulled in to his new “public” parking lot.

“We’re keeping the lot here open to the public for trail goers through this summer as the Montour Trail Council works on finishing a bridge and other repairs,” he says. Even before the lot opened, those along the trail have seen Robinson’s largest and perhaps most iconic possessions: a 1940s-era caboose and train car. Robinson’s excitement was palpable as he showed off the partly refinished interior.

“We’re still working on this tiny bathroom, and this storage here – I want to make it a wine cabinet – and we’re going to hook the air horns back up to it,” he says. Some of those horns sit atop one of the building’s chimneys, blasting a scare into any soul within 100 yards when Robinson tugs on the horn’s chain.

“This isn’t going anywhere – not in my lifetime. We had to get the caboose here in three pieces – 58,000 pounds.”

16 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

Tom Robinson stands beneath the doorway and cupola inside the caboose train. All of the wood has been refinished or replaced.

Robinson grew up in Dormont and eventually moved to Peters Township. The site on which he stores his valuables used to be a coal mine power station. He bought the property in 1995 and when he ran out of room for his ever-increasing collection, he built another brick building in 2005 to look like it was an original from the ’40s. In that building, he keeps some of his most prized selections – and a second-floor party room only the most privileged eyes have seen. Before heading upstairs, he pulls back cloths covering several trucks and bikes.

“The most fun to drive? Definitely the 1971 Jaguar. Just the feel, the sleekness, the tightness of the driving. It’s a race car, basically;

as close to a sports car as I’ll ever get,” he says. Robinson didn’t show off that one, instead revealing what he says is the rarest in his garage: a 1949 Dodge Powerwagon.

“Once the guy saw we reproduced the bed and you couldn’t tell the difference, he wanted to buy it back,” he says.

Dodge produced the original Powerwagon models through 1980, and online re-sellers list the make and model year that Tom owns between $10,000 and $20,000. And those are for models that aren’t guaranteed to run. As for how much his is worth – or any of his collection – he won’t say.

“How much did I pay for this?” he asks rhetorically, pointing to July / August 2015 SOUTH HILLS LIVING 17

a 1950 Federal. “Too much,” he says of the defunct brand truck.

“How many do I own?” he repeats after he’s asked, “Too many,” he says, though he concedes he owns over a dozen vehicles.

“Thing is, this is just a bit of it.

I have vehicles, signs, pumps and other stuff at my home in Peters, at a site in Oakdale, at my mechanics’ houses; everywhere,” he says.

As for Tom’s strategy or method for finding and ultimately buying rare items, he admits there is none, saying “I look for whatever catches my eye.” That’s how he got the ’85 Kennywood bus, when he went down to Moundsville, W. Va., to pick up a 1960sera British telephone booth, still smooth with the original red paint. Part of his ne’ertell policy on buying prices, he says reality 18 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

T.V. has made it harder to haggle. “‘American Pickers’ and ‘Pawn Stars’ caused this business to skyrocket, and not in a good way. You can’t buy anything! You buy junk for what you paid good money for back in the ’90s,” he says.

Still old school, he doesn’t peruse eBay

or flea markets, just usual buyers he’s kept in touch with, auctions out in Hershey – and sometimes – bankruptcy sales.

“That’s how I got this in 2005, off the City of Pittsburgh when they were going through bankruptcy,” he says, pointing to a 100th anniversary Pittsburgh police motorcycle made in 1957.

Sitting next to it are a 1948 Indian and a 1970s-era Triumph, a British-made motorcycle.

“I’ve taken the cop bike out twice,” he says. And that’s sometimes the most his autos see.

“With the wind, the heat and getting them running, it’s a job. So, I don’t take them out much.” Some he’s just able to get running and idle outside, despite their sterling, road-ready condition – like a 1926

1926 Mac chain-driven engine truck. “I want to stack wine barrels in the back, make this thing look prohibition-era authentic,” he says with a laugh. But he again says the likelihood of driving it more than once is a long shot.

Like most collectors, it started with models as a kid. Robinson, naturally, gravitated toward race cars. He says he’s running out of space for real cars, though, but might be making room soon.

“I want to build another mock gas station just beyond this building. And it’ll do more than look the part.”

Until then, he keeps entertaining close friends and family in a posh private party hall above his garage, replete with more collectible tin toys from the ’60s and more and more gas pumps and defunct oil company signs. Overlooking the hall, he says it’s used no more than six times a year for big gatherings and parties.

“Everything has been recycled. The radiators came out of the

Masonic hall; the table, beams, the floor – all made from wood taken from Joy dog food buildings. Some pieces are whole 20-foot boards that haven’t been split.”

He insists, like the collectibles themselves, that this room is for him – for him to admire what he’s amassed over the years.

“Nope. None of it is for sale. People call all the time, ‘Can we trade? Can we sell?’ People call me a professional hoarder. I call it the bank,” he laughs.

The 1976 Keystone Oaks grad knows comedy, or at least the kind he likes.

“Sat next to Dennis Miller. He wasn’t funny then, wasn’t funny now ... but my oldest son (39), he’s a real comedian,” he says.

“He tells me he’s going to say when I’m dead and laid out, he’ll be at the front door, ‘You here to see Tom, or are you here for some equipment?’” n

July / August 2015 SOUTH HILLS LIVING 19

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“I was always interested in history and did not want to teach.” – Emily Ruby

preserving history

I

t was one of those “Oh, wow,” moments for Emily Ruby, a curator at the Senator John Heinz History Center in the Strip District.

The telephone call had come out of the blue from a woman from the West View area of Pittsburgh. She did not know what to do with an elaborate, hand-carved miniature amusement park made by her great uncle. The project easily stretched over 10 feet and was taking up too much room in the woman’s shed.

Heinz History Center curator Emily Ruby is responsible for the region’s amazing artifacts text By suzanne elliott photos By adam milliron

“The man carved it for his son during the Depression,” Ruby says.

The focal point of the intricate display, made from wooden fruit crates and discarded machinery, is a lighted Ferris wheel, which moves and stands about 18 inches tall. Each of the wheel’s cars has passengers, also hand carved with a pen knife by Frank Salisbury for his son, Walter, Ruby said. (The Ferris wheel can be viewed at the center’s Discovery Place on the third floor).

Salisbury’s creation, based on the former West View Park, inJuly / August 2015 SOUTH HILLS LIVING 23

The gray wool uniform still has dirt and grime from a baseball game played more than 70 years ago.

The uniform, with red piping and “Mt. Lebanon” on the front, is from the 1940s and was worn during an American Legion baseball game, says Emily Ruby, a curator at the Senator John Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh’s Strip District. What makes the uniform significant is who was on the other team, Dick Groat, the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star shortstop and the National League 1960 MVP. Groat, from Wilkinsburg, never played in the minor leagues and began his career with the Pirates in 1952.

Ruby said what gives the uniform, donated by Ed Harmon, its credibility, is that it has never been cleaned.

“Don’t try and clean or fix something,” says Ruby, who wears white gloves to handle the uniform that dates back to Franklin Roosevelt’s first presidency.

“We have professionals who do that.”

cludes a twin track roller coaster, an airplane ride, dance pavilion, carousel, bumper cars and whip, as well as figurines of parkgoers.

Salisbury worked on his amusement park for 18 years, and each ride was operational.

“It’s my favorite donation,” Ruby says.

Then there are the gowns created by Charles Frederick Worth, a Paris-based designer who is considered the inventor of haute couture. He designed gowns at the turn-of-the century that bore his name and were designed specifically for each customer, including wealthy Pittsburgh women, many of whom were married to steel magnates.

The center’s collection of Worth gowns includes three silk gowns from the 1880s from the estate of Rosalie Spang, who died in 1932.

Rosalie Spang’s grandfather, Henry, started the Etna Iron Works.

There is also a silk evening wrap from 1905 worn by Mary Elizabeth Bradley Perchment, whose father, Alexander Bradley, was in the iron business, and a Worth dress from 1922.

“Gorgeous gowns,” Ruby says.

No day is ever the same for Ruby, 34, who has been at the History Center for eight years. Sometimes she is meeting with people who want to make a donation to the center, other times she is planning or updating an exhibit, writing reports or dressing mannequins.

“I was always interested in history and did not want to teach,” Ruby says.

But it is the items and the story behind each one of them that fascinates Ruby, a Turtle Creek native, who has a graduate degree in history with an emphasis on museum studies certification from the University of Delaware.

“I field all of the calls we get and I am usually the one that goes to meet the donors,” she says.

Objects accepted by the History Center must have a connection to Western Pennsylvania, but depending on the circumstances, Ruby will accept items from as far north as Erie and as far east as Altoona.

Ruby says donations are not accepted from Ohio or West Virginia.

24 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

Overall, the center has more than 40,000 artifacts in its collection.

“I have gone to Philadelphia and New York for items, but I mostly travel in Western Pennsylvania,” she says.

Sometimes donors will come directly to Ruby. Once, a man showed up in the lobby with what looked like a fur bouquet, she said. It turns out they were samples from Azen’s, a Downtown Pittsburgh furrier, for customers to select a fur that they would like a coat made from. Ruby accepted the donation.

“I usually, however, try and encourage people to make an appointment first,” she laughs.

And three or four years ago, Ruby received a telephone call from a family who discovered a doctor’s chest dating back to the 1850s in their barn. The chest contained the doctor’s diaries, documents and a perfectly preserved body of a little boy, who the family had dubbed “George.”

“They wanted to know if we would take it,” Ruby says. “And they wanted to keep the collection together.”

The catch, however, is that the center does not accept dead bodies, she said. A compromise was finally reached. The center kept everything but “George.” He ended up being accepted at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. “The donors were happy,” Ruby says.

Ruby is currently working on items donated by the Pittsburgh Police Historical Association. This donation includes old police badges, truncheons and old handcuffs, as well as a trophy from the 1930s awarded to Rex, a police dog. She wants to get these items ready for display by August, when a Fraternal Order of Police convention is scheduled.

“I still need to research the 1900s,” she said.

Ruby says the biggest mistake people make when they make a donation to the center is that they first clean, or try and fix it. The center has people who can make these repairs, she said.

“The worst thing you can do to a photograph is laminate it,” she says. n

“Don’t try and clean or fix something.

We have professionals who do that.” – Emily Ruby

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LA GOURMANDINE offers the elegance and true ambiance of a French Bakery. Each dessert, pastry and loaf of bread is hand-crafted and baked onsite everyday. And the use of butter is no sacrilege!

300 Cochran Road, Mt. Lebanon www.lagourmandinebakery.com • 412.200.7969 Tuesday - Friday 7am - 5pm • Saturday 9am - 4:30pm • Sunday 9am - 2:30pm

The chic sophistication of the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Southpointe guarantees a first class wedding. The ballroom and outdoor garden are the perfect settings to express your creativity and originality. Every detail of your wedding will be considered and every expectation exceeded at the Hilton Garden Inn Pittsburgh/Southpointe 1000 Corporate Drive, Canonsburg, PA 15317 • 724.743.5000 www.pittsburghsouthpointe.stayhgi.com

The SpringHouse SpringHouse Country Store, Creamery and Eatery opened in 1975 on the Minor family’s real working dairy farm in 84 PA. Over the years, the business has grown to include a buffet style restaurant and Sun Porch In our old-fashioned country store you can enjoy the yummiest family-recipe meals, goodies in our from-scratch bakery, a smokehouse for old-fashioned hickory smoked hams, classy catering, ice cream concoctions galore, and of course farm fresh milk and famous rich chocolate milk.

Come on out to the farm for a step back in time with old-fashioned food and fun.

1531 Rt 136 Washington PA, 24-228-3339, www.springhousemarket.com.

Monday - Saturday 9am - 9pm; Sunday Noon - 9pm. 7 Let us share a little of our farm with you!

The Walnut Grill is a fresh, casually unique dining experience fit for the entire family. We offer a diverse, Chef driven menu in a very comfortable and inviting environment. We have a traditional dining room, a large, comfortable bar with multiple large, flat screen TVs and private dining facilities for your party and event needs. We are open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner and offer a Sunday Buffet Brunch from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Mt. Lebanon, 660 Washington Road, 412.668.0951 Bridgeville, 1595 Washington Pike, 412.564.5746 www.eatwalnut.com Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m. to midnight Fri. and Sat.: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m.

To appear on this page contact your advertising consultant.

724.942.1517

neighborhood I spotlight

Bridgeville An easy drive to Pittsburgh International Airport or Downtown Pittsburgh, Bridgeville is home to 5,300 people just off of Interstate 79. The borough got its name from the first bridge built at the crossing of Chartiers Creek at the south end of today’s Washington Avenue. text and photos by david singer

Shouf’s Cafe

Kizmit Boutique

La Bella Bean Coffee House & Eatery 30 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

Antiques on Washington

Shouf’s Cafe feels like home. Serving up traditional Lebanese food, chef-owner-operator “Ruby” Rabih Fahed remembers your name, and it’s those kinds of touches that have earned his establishment a loyal following and a near perfect rating on Yelp.com, as well as four years’ worth of gold readers’ choice awards in the ethnic food category.

Weekends offer brunch, with savory cheeses, hummus and other appetizers alongside traditional American favorites like raisin French toast and ethnic specialities like lamb and eggs with pine nuts. A full bar with seasonal specials mixed up by Rabih’s wife, Alexia, features drinks like pomegranate margaritas, blueberry mojitos, in addition to traditional favorites like Bloody Marys. Shouf’s is located at 200 Washington Ave. Antiques on Washington, located in the oldest building in Bridgeville (built in 1830), has a misnomer of a name. “Since we opened nine years ago, we’ve really switched to focusing on building custom-made farm tables,” says co-owner Susie Cherry. She and her husband, Burt, make old-fashioned farm tables out of reclaimed barn wood that can stretch up to 15 feet long. The couple still sells period pieces and furniture, but say two years into their business, they realized customers really wanted something new and built to spec while still maintaining an historical and antique feel. “We work mainly with yellow pine because it takes stain so well, but we also have some really unique wood grain, like the spalted maple and walnut boards that have these little holes and splotching from worms getting in them,” Burt says. The couple just finished a new workshop in June, and say every table has interchangeable legs for height and looks.

The shop, located at 423 Washington Ave., is open on weekends or by appointment.

Venetia Torre is back. The fashion and style consultant who had shops in Upper St. Clair and the Galleria of Mt. Lebanon for nearly a decade has brought her expertise – and Kizmit Boutique – to Bridgeville. “This time I’m focusing on simplifying women’s wardrobes, and updating it affordably with just an item or two,” she says. Handbags and other accessories start as little as $8, and almost no items exceed $100 at 510 Station Street. “I try to get women to think about their own classic style, and don’t really pay attention to trends or fads, but classic and modernlooking styles that can compliment a lot of different wardrobes.” Denim and leather are prominent in the store, as Torre said they are classic styles that can evolve with outfits. “You just don’t get this kind of personal attention in a department store. I don’t want to sell you something and push you out the door. I’m looking to work with you, and make you a returning client that’s happy every time you walk out.”

Those looking for a cup of dark house roast without the bitter, burnt taste some critics say is typical of national chains can find it in La Bella Bean Coffee House & Eatery’s freshly made French roast. “It’s smooth and strong, but not bitter,” says co-owner Debbie Massetti. During the summer, Massetti sells plenty of inspired beverages to keep customers cool, like fizzy Italian sodas made with club soda and fruit flavorings topped with cream, or iced coffees, frappuccinos and fruit smoothies. Light summer fare also comes in the way of chicken and mozzarella sandwiches, made fresh daily and available hot or cold, as well as a crispy apple-chicken salad,

Bridgeville Appliance

E2 Toys 2 Try

cooking. Other versatile appliances, like a microwave that doubles as a convection oven, save space and open up creative opportunities for home cuisine. The store offers face-to-face customer service, meaning it’s the same tech and sales team servicing appliances if issues arise. Customer service and satisfaction are Pelino family promises. Bridgeville Appliance is located at 532 Washington Ave. There are no electronic toys anywhere in the indoor-outdoor playground space at E2 Toys 2 Try, located at 426 James Street. “All of our A third-generation family business run by Ed Pelino Jr. and company, toys are interactive, so they actually have to play with the toy, instead Bridgeville Appliance has been offering both professional-grade and of pushing a button and watching what happens,” says co-operator Ron budget-minded kitchen, bath and living appliances since 1947. Name Glass. He and his wife, Meredyth, moved from Los Angeles eight years brands sought by professional chefs and house builders like Viking, Jenn ago, and after designing play spaces for special needs kids there, the couAir and Capitol are all on-hand, with most offering extended warranties, ple sought to serve all young children in Bridgeville. “Kids learn through while the budget buyer can find Whirlpool, Amana and Capital on hand play, interacting with the environment. It’s the basics of staying fit as well, with six months same-as-cash financing. Perusing the store is walking with all the jumping and running around,” Glass says, as he toured the past state-of-the-art home technology, like Jenn Air’s in-wall coffee maker, various play areas that included a sandbox, an art area, play kitchens, which also brews espresso and cappuccino. The brand’s stoves feature markets, a ball pit, slides and houses. More information for the day-play high-quality brass burner caps, which maintain quick, even heat when area can be found at www.toys2try.com.

typically served up with the signature homemade “Nunny’s Dressing,” a mix of balsamic vinegar, canola oil and spices. “Nunny was my mother-inlaw and one of the original owners. She passed away eight years ago, but we try to keep her memory alive with her recipes, like the dressing and Nunny’s wedding soup, one of our most popular menu items,” she says. Nutella lovers can try the “Amoreccino,” which has espresso and the namesake hazelnut spread blended in. La Bella Bean is located at 609 Washington Ave.

neighborhood I spotlight

BRIDGEVILLE

BRIDGEVILLE’S HOT NEW BOUTIQUE

BOUTIQUE

FEATURING

VENETIA

by

BRING IN THIS AD AND RECEIVE A FREE GIFT WITH A PURCHASE OVER $100.00

412-221-5151 510 Station Street, Bridgeville, PA 15017 (N ext To Rusm ur Floors)

Hours: Tues. - Wed. - Fri 11:00 AM - 6:00 PM • Thur. 11:00 AM - 7:00 PM Sat 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Sa les& Service Ca ll 4 12-221-73 13 532 W a shin gton A ve., Bridgeville,PA w w w .b r id g evillea p p lia n ce.com

KizmitBoutiquebyVenetia • www.kizmitboutique.com • KizmitBoutique@gmail.com

M on .-Th u rs.9a m -8p m F ri.9a m -5 p m •Sa t.10a m -5 p m July / August 2015 SOUTH HILLS LIVING 31

Check out the newly redesigned, easier to navigate website for all of your South Hills news!

www.thealmanac.net

Read articles by community

New Quick Links

Now see what news is trending

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Nicely Heating & Air Conditioning

COMMERCIAL • RESIDENTIAL GAS • OIL • ELECTRIC Humidifiers • Air Cleaners • Heat Pumps

GEOTHERMAL Financing Available

724-225-7549

thomasfleeher@aol.com

724.263.2503

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isimingerauto.com FOR COUPONS & MORE

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY ely’s

Pant

GREGG MASONRY &

CONCRETE

New & Repairs

Brick, Block, Stone, Drives, Walks, Patios, Pointing Basement Wall & Chimney Repairs Cleaning & Sealing PA-024106

724-225-9051

Primitive & Colonial Hours: Sun 11-4

by Chance Offerings Tues.,Mon. Weds., Fri. 10-5 588 E Maiden St. Washington, PA 15301

Thurs. 10-6 Sat. 10-4

724-225-6485

NDSCAPING A L FO R LE $ $

• Design & Installation of Landscapes, Lawns, Sprinkler Systems, Retaining Walls • Landscape Maintenance - Mulching, Pruning Fully insured, 31 years experience, free estimates PA#012144

Commercial & Residential

724-746-8779

W alther’s Hill House Pizza Corner of Park & W. Maiden Streets, Washington, PA

20 Slices - Pepperoni Pizza $17.00 Tax included Expiration 12-31-15

724-225-8858

202-213-5237 25 Pine Run Road Amity, PA 15311

We’ll Beat Any Written Door Quote ProVia Door Quotes Only

Producing Quality Beef Through Sustainable Agriculture No Artificial Ingredients

•Cut to Order •Plastic Wrapped

Sales & Installation

Residential Replacement Windows & Doors

412-835-4899

Treat Your Home to the Best Replacement Doors &Windows Replace your old, ugly energy wasting doors with our Premium Quality ProVia Entry Doors Smooth & Textured Steel Heritage & Signet Fiberglass

Replacement Windows Vinyl, Wood & Fiberglass All Styles Available Insured, PA #7107, BBB A+ Rating

historical FLASHBACK

Bethel Bakery looks back on 60 years When Bethel Bakery opened in 1955, Dwight D. Eisenhower was president. To celebrate 60 years in business – second generation owners John and Christine Walsh took over in 1991 – Bethel Bakery is counting down “60 days to 60 years” with throwback treats and prices, entertainment, and a special celebration Sept. 1-5.

1

2

3

5

1. A photo from Bethel Bakery’s sixth anniversary in 1961. Some of the people in the photo are identified as Dolores Smith, Cathering Miller, Dorothy Bathwell, Stephanie Slabe, Mildred Davis and owner Morris Walsh. 2. Another photo from the sixth anniversary shows owners Anna and Morris Walsh. 3. An unidentified bakery employee in the 1980s. 4. This undated photo shows a view of the second (and current) Bethel Bakery store. 5. A 1963 newspaper ad for the bakery.

35 SOUTH HILLS LIVING July / August 2015

Photos courtesy Bethel Bakery

4

AUTO DEALERS DIRECTORY ARNOLD MOTOR COMPANY Home of Guaranted Credit

BORTZ SUBARU CHEVROLET I CADILLAC

Robert S. Arnold III, Manager 122 N. Main Street, Houston, PA 724.745.2800 arnoldpontiacgmc.com

Richard Bortz, Jr., Owner 249 E. Roy Furman Hwy., Waynesburg, PA 724.627.6171 bortzauto.net

BOWSER CADILLAC

FIKE CHEVROLET I JEEP

2670 Washington Road, McMurray, PA

Dave Plaski, New Car Manager 213 North Main Street, Masontown, PA 1.800.464.0305 fikechevrolet.com

724.745.7400 bowsercadillac.com

PREMIERE AUTO SALES PRE-OWNED VEHICLES 667 East Maiden Street, Washington, PA 724.223.0600 premiereauto.com

SOUTH HILLS LINCOLN Jeff Innes, New Car Manager Route19, McMurray, PA 724.941.1600 southhillslincoln.com

THREE RIVERS VOLKSWAGEN John Bauer, General Manager 3694 Washington Road, McMurray, PA 724.941.6100 3riversvw.com

BUDD BAER BUICK GMC I MAZDA I SUBARU

Mark Baer, Owner 71 Murtland Avenue, Washington, PA 724.222.0700 buddbaer.com

BILL GRAY VOLVO 2897 Washington Road, McMurray, PA 724.949.1555 billgrayvolvo.com

SOLOMON CHRYSLER I DODGE I JEEP Brownsville 724.785.8000 Carmichaels 724.966.2600

SOLOMON FORD

Brownsville 724.785.5500 solomonauto.com

STAR LAKE FORD

SOUTH HILLS AUDI 453 Race Track Road Washington, PA 15301 724.229.9000 southhillsaudi.com

SUN CHEVROLET

1212 Main Street, Burgettstown, PA 724.947.3381 starlakeford.com

Roch Curinga, General Manager Washington Road, McMurray, PA 724.941.5160 sunfamilyauto.com

TOMSIC MOTORS

TREGEMBO MOTORS

SALES & SERVICE

PRE-OWNED VEHICLES

Frank Valencic, Owner 150 Racetrack Road, Washington, PA 724.228.1330 tomsicmotor.com

Barry Tregembo, Owner I-70, Exit 32B, Bentleyville, PA 724.239.2200 tregembomotors.com

WASHINGTON CHEVROLET

WASHINGTON HONDA

Intersection of Rt. 19, I-79 & I-70, Exit 19A Washington, PA 724.222.2800 washingtonchevy.com

Rt. 19, Strabane Square Washington, PA 724.222.2213 washingtonpahonda.com

WARNE MOTORS PRE-OWNED VEHICLES John Warne, Owner 100 East Pike Street, Canonsburg, PA 724.745.5956 johnwarnemotors.com

WYSOCKI, INC WASHINGTON HYUNDAI Rt. 19, Strabane Square Washington, PA 724.222.2213 washingtonpahyundai.com

PRE-OWNED VEHICLES

WASHINGTON TOYOTA I SCION Rt. 19, Strabane Square, Washington, PA 724.222.2213 washingtonpatoyota.com washingtoscion.com

2070 Smith Township State Road Burgettstown, PA 15021 724.947.9720 wysockiinchasyourcar.com

If you are interested in advertising on this directory, please contact Mauriann Curtis at 724.222.2200, ext. 2504