Back in the early 1960s, every town and city was spreading its shopping district out of downtown to the outskirts. Shopping centers were built at every community of any size.
So, Tyrone was no exception. A group of local people decided that there was an opportunity to expand the number of retail stores in the Tyrone area.
CPA Harry K. Sickler Jr. became the driving force that brought a group of local people together, including Gene Johnson, Tony Androski, Dr. Carl Babe, Ed Hagg, and “Bun” Panasiti. While these five were the major stockholders, it was a community effort as there were a total of 137 investors involved.
A natural place to locate was along busy Route 220 as it departs the borough. Land was secured from the George Wilson Estate and filled to bring it up above flood level. The building was constructed by Ed Hagg and his crew and opened in 1965.
Malls had not yet been invented, and shopping centers had no enclosed space where people would walk. Stores opened to the outside of shopping centers. Harlan Wall, of State College, was the architect; he designed the front canopy, which was and still is a unique and practical trademark of the center.
Ty-Penn Department Store
And, as with every shopping center, Tyrone’s had two anchor stores. At the northern end was the Ty-Penn Department Store. Several years earlier, Gene Johnson and Harry Sickler had purchased Lykens Ben Franklin Variety Store on Tenth Street, which had occupied the main storeroom of the former Lugg & Edmonds Department Store. Gene and Harry needed more space, and the area missed the old Lugg & Edmonds Department Store. Perhaps this was the impetus that drove the creation of the Tyrone Shopping Center.
The Ty-Penn Department Store became popular as a place to find all of the items typically found in any department store. Even Gardners Candies had an area in the store.
Jay’s Foodland
The other anchor store would be a supermarket, to be located at the southwestern end of the large structure. Baker Daughenbaugh had recently retired and S. Justin (Jay) Harris, his longtime partner in Daughenbaugh & Harris, a leading downtown grocery store, was interested in expanding from a grocery store to a supermarket. Jay’s Foodland occupied the large room at the left as one would drive into the large parking lot.
Other supermarkets at the time were somewhat sterile and colorless. But the interior of Jay’s Foodland was decorated with warm colors and the signage was pleasant to the eye. Jay brought his employees from downtown. “Tommy” Smith was a genial greeter to everyone who came into Jay’s Foodland, but Jay Harris seldom missed waving or chatting with their customers; it was a throwback to their grocery store days. Norm Tubo was the butcher and always tried to please customers. Louise Foust was another longtime staff member, as was Doug McCartney, who now owns the Tyrone IGA.
Jo-Mar Restaurant
Between the two anchor stores, the shopping center had a group of businesses to cater to various needs of the public. One of the main “draws” was the Jo-Mar Restaurant, which was operated by Joe and Margaret Zang, located just across the way from the Ty-Penn. This was a small eating place that quickly gathered a regular clientele, especially family groups. The Jo-Mar was the forerunner of today’s Bull Pen Restaurant.
George’s Barber Shop
Along the walkway between the Ty-Penn and the Jo-Mar was George DelBaggio’s Barber Shop, which had relocated out of the Wilson Theater Building downtown. George had a lot of regular customers who were loyal as he made the move to the outskirts of town. Later, he would move across Route 220 to the Centre Tire Building, where today Doug Baney operates the barber shop.
Doug’s Dugout
Next door to the Jo-Mar was Doug’s Dugout, owned by Doug Panasiti, who later was to achieve an excellent reputation as an auctioneer. Doug offered men’s clothing and his store was decorated in a stained wooden manner. Later, the clothing store was operated by Harry Sickler. The dark-stained wood walls still are the decor of that area of The Bull Pen Restaurant.
A & M Flowers & Gifts
Another business in the Shopping Center was A & M Flowers and Gifts, operated by Wilbur Miller and Bud Anderson. Bud also offered information on cemetery monuments and markers at the A & M.
Maser’s Pick & Pay
The Maser family operated “Pick & Pay,” or “Maser’s Variety Store,” which was located in the corner storeroom between Jay’s Foodland and the other stores. Bob and Shirley Maser had a large supply of small items and it was the equivalent of a “five-and-ten” in offering convenience items.
Steel’s Drug Store #2
A pharmacy was located immediately in front of Pick & Pay and immediately adjacent to Jay’s Foodland. Earl Collins and Bob Herriman, who had purchased the longtime downtown pharmacy, Steel’s Drug Store, from the Steel family, brought another pharmacist to Tyrone to work with them when they opened Steel’s #2 in the shopping center. Ted Primas quickly became a part of the Tyrone community, along with his wife, Jackie. Earl’s wife, Yvette, was Ted’s sister.
The Primases, as well as the Collinses and Dottie and Bob Herriman, were important community assets for many years. Earl was president of the Tyrone Borough Council and also challenged Congressman Bud Shuster during one heated campaign. Earl also was a Lieutenant Governor of Kiwanis International. His family still operates Med-Center Pharmacy, in Tyrone.
Evelyn Branstetter was behind the counter at Steel’s #2, and later at the Med-Center.
Shopping Center Beauty Parlor
For a number of years Estelle Rorabaugh, of Williamsburg, operated a beauty shop in the room originally occupied by A & M.
“Bloomie”
The Tyrone Shopping Center continued for many years with very few changes in the store ownership. Beginning in the sixth year of existence, an interesting addition was made.
Some people will remember when the right-hand show window of the Ty-Penn Department Store was a radio studio. Lynn Bloom, a well-known radio announcer, broadcast his daily radio show from the Ty-Penn window. WGMR-FM was just getting started, and there was not enough room in the building of sister station, WTRN, located a short distance away. So, “Bloomie” was on the radio from 10 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 6 every day. Lots of people would come to the Ty-Penn studio to make requests, or to meet Bloomie, who had worked in State College, Lewistown, Altoona, and in Minneapolis/St. Paul. But, his heart was back here in central Pennsylvania, and he always enjoyed waving at fans who would walk or drive by his show-window studio.
Bank Next to Shopping Center
It was around the same time that First National Bank of Altoona opened a branch just up the hill from the Tyrone Shopping Center. Later, the bank became Central Counties Bank and now Mellon Bank. Some of the friendly folks who have worked there are Stanley Ayers, Joe Shoemaker, Adelaide Zerbe, and Donna McFarland. This facility brought drive-through banking to the northern end of Blair County. Construction was amazing; the entire building was prefabricated, including vaults, counters and all, and was moved in two sections and put together in only four days.
Jay Retires from Foodland
Jay Harris decided that he should not continue the stressful ownership and management that was required by operating the supermarket, so he sold to Paul Mann, who had been with Bayer Brothers, the wholesale grocer located for so many years in downtown Tyrone. The name was changed to Tyrone Foodland, and for many years people shopped there, not just because Jay and Tommy had been so friendly and had built up a regular clientele, but because Paul and his family of workers continued this friendly attitude. After Paul retired, Save A Lot, a national retail-grocer chain, took over the supermarket space.
Ty-Penn Becomes Ziff’s II
Sidney Ziff, one of the members of the family that for many years had operated the leading clothing store in Philipsburg, had opened a small downtown store, Ziff’s Tots to Teens, and liked the Tyrone area. The family was expanding to Clearfield and State College, and Ziff’s II was the successor to the Ty-Penn and for many years was well-patronized. Ruth Elder and Nancy Kost were among the Tyroners who worked at Ziff’s II. Later, GeeBee Jr. would be located in this store space as a part of the chain operated by Glosser Brothers of Johnstown. Norma Holtzman, of Altoona, was the manager. The company was disbanded and now Family Dollar fills the space.
The Bull Pen Restaurant
Harry Sickler purchased the Jo-Mar and expanded the restaurant from its small corner space to include the area used by Doug’s Dugout, and later, added the next room, too. And finally, the drug store area became a large meeting and banquet room. Today The Bull Pen Restaurant has a popular bar, a pool table recreation area, and a large eating area that accommodates lots of diners.
A number of names you’ll be familiar with at The Bull Pen are Louise Soellner and Eileen Wilson Dearing, who served the dining public for many years; Bob Broadwater, who was manager for a period of time; and currently, Tim and Kerry Sickler are the persons in charge.
Offices Added at Northern End
Because the tenants of the large department store room didn’t need as much space, a portion at the northeastern end of the shopping center was rebuilt into a series of offices. Today one of these houses the Tyrone office of Rep. Larry O. Sather. Also located here are the accounting offices of Harry Sickler Associates. And, last but not least, the Tyrone Area Historical Society has a large room to which Society members and visitors may come and enjoy the many artifacts housed there along with the documents in the research library.
Thirty-Four Years and Counting
It hardly seems possible that thirty-four years have gone by since the Tyrone Shopping Center was added to the Tyrone area. A visionary group of local people conceived of the idea, and we are pleased that it was done this way. It is a marvelous contrast to the out-of-town developers who have been responsible for the shopping centers and malls in surrounding communities and whose basic interests are as out-of-town landlords.
Because it has always been locally owned and operated, the Tyrone Shopping Center has been well-maintained and has reacted to changes, such as the consolidation of the small shop areas into one big restaurant/bar/social center, and the revision of part of the space into offices.
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