Historical artifact
April 1, 2018
The above picture is probably dated 1956. North Hills Village Shopping Center (with Gimbels as the anchor) opened in 1957. That, of course, is not why this is being posted. Look in the background and see towers 1-4 of KQV’s 5-tower array! Here they are not quite 10 years old. Of course, while they still stand (for now), they fell silent as 2018 began. KQV is to return before the end of the year from the WEDO tower in North Versailles.
What happened to Gimbels? The store that was at this site was supposed to go to Ross Park Mall in 1986, but the company shut down instead. Horne’s moved from Northway Mall to take the place Gimbels was going to occupy. Kaufmann’s moved from the Southeast corner of McKnight and Peebles Roads. Sears moved from Allegheny Center Mall, and JCPenney opened for the first time in the North Hills after long having a catalog at the McKnight-Siebert Thrift Drug. But this site isn’t about the history of Ross Township retail… now back to broadcasting.
