I had the house to myself Saturday afternoon upon waking up. The rest of the family took an end of summer road trip to Shawnee. It’s a little tradition we do for BariSax before she goes back to school. Down to one hand now for the 7th and 8th graders. Less than that for everyone else. This summer is flying by.
To make up for not going for coffee on Friday (because of the roads getting milled and not sleeping much as I did it at an irregular hour), I went to Caleese in WestPoint. Original plans had me going to Export but I’ll eventually get out there. I ordered off the Around the World menu and got a Pizelle Latte. It was good and it woke me up. First drink of the day. While there I finished yesterday’s blog. I asked about the new business going in next door. It’s kind of like a marketplace of sorts.
Afterwards I went to Westmoreland Mall. I passed that driving range that Pappy and BariSax were at the other day. The mall is doing well thanks to the new Dick’s House of Sport. That wing had been struggling since Sears closed in 2019 so it’s been a breath of fresh air. I visited a few stores including Old Navy. I was tempted to do a little shopping but decided to wait or may shop online later. I also stopped in the discount bookstore on the casino side of the mall. Some nice reads I remembered from my childhood were in there. There were craft books that I remember Mom and Gram owning as well. I also went in JCPenney as well before getting something to eat. The short sleeve sweaters at both Old Navy and JCPenney caught my eye as did the team apparel at JCP. I liked both the Penn State and Pitt selections, even though I root for the Scarlet and Gray too. Maybe I should have some new purchases, as it would jumpstart the housecleaning.
I decided on Chick Fil A for dinner. The food court doesn’t look too bereft of choices on where to eat. I may not have bought anything, a contrast from my old ways. I am interested though, and I do plan on keeping a few nontraditional ‘fits.
The cheetah sweaters are staying.
The shopping mall is becoming a rare luxury in 2026. Most malls have since met the wrecking ball and online shopping has done a number on them as well. Many remain abandoned or don’t have many shops left. Not to mention, the pandemic did a number on malls too. In the Pittsburgh region, there are three malls that are still doing well in the present day. But let’s highlight the other malls that have fallen on hard times or are experiencing transition.
The Mall at Robinson is still an OK mall, but it’s starting to struggle.
Monroeville Mall has been around before malls were a thing. It’s where Dawn of the Dead was filmed in 1978. But it’s on the way out as Walmart has other plans. Perhaps things would be different if they followed the lead of my hometown mall.
The Galleria at Pittsburgh Mills was a mistake from the start, and now it’s pretty much an abandoned mall. Unless you’re going there for karate. The malls just north of Pittsburgh have since lost anchors. Beaver Valley Mall recently lost its JCPenney and has been hurting for a while. Clearview Mall doesn’t have a lot left except for Boscov’s and Rural King. People have posted in the comments what these malls should become.
Century III Mall has since been demolished, and we will see what the future holds.
That leaves Ross Park Mall, South Hills Village, and Westmoreland Mall as the remaining shopping destinations in the Pittsburgh region. Ross Park just celebrated its 40th birthday. They were the location for the Pittsburgh area’s first Dick’s House of Sport. South Hills Village opened the same year as my former hometown mall, Greengate Mall. It’s still standing and the mall celebrated its 60th anniversary last year,
The Pittsburgh area malls I mentioned are doing well, but hey now Westmoreland Mall deserves a holla too. Despite losing a few of its anchors due to bankruptcy (The Bon Ton in 2018 and Sears in 2019), my other hometown mall has held its own. Live! Casino and Dick’s House of Sport were the shot in the arm the mall needed, and perhaps Monroeville might still be around if they followed the lead of my hometown mall. Foot traffic has since improved on the Sears side of the mall since House of Sport opened a few weeks ago. We’ll see what the future holds as Westmoreland turns 50 next February.
Recent visits to South Hills Village occurred between June 2024 and December 2025. During the holidays, I also stopped at Market District to buy things for Christmas. On my most recent visit, I looked at a display highlighting the mall’s 60 years.
So which mall do I like better and what does my big three look like? Westmoreland has been reinventing itself and has added a few of the stores that South Hills has. Its food court still looks good, though not as nice as South Hills Village. A place to sit at and charge your electronics would be nice. I think Westmoreland Mall could also benefit from having an Apple Store. If I had to pick one, I’d go with South Hills.
My top three in order: South Hills, Westmoreland, Ross Park
Having a mall close to home that is thriving helps me appreciate Westmoreland County a little bit more as well.
Stylish 🍒 