Hills snack bar coming back as food truck in Pittsburgh
4 min read
A local man is trying to revitalize Hills Department Store’s snack bar to bring back memories for people who live in the Pittsburgh area.Proudly wearing a shirt with the old “Hills” logo, Jason Powell said he’s bringing the nostalgic snack bar with a food truck that will travel to former locations of Hills stores.Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Chandi Chapman asked, “What is your favorite Hills memory?”Powell said, “The snack bar, of course. Buying those pretzels and getting that popcorn, the glory days.”Powell spent a lot of time in the former Hills store, which is now a Big Lots store, located in Green Garden Plaza in Hopewell Township, Beaver County.”This is the Hills that my grandparents and I shopped at, parents and I shopped at,” he said. “Unfortunately, I can’t take my kids there because Hills is no longer there.”Powell is keeping the tradition alive. He showed a picture of his children posing outside of the old Hills location.Powell even bought real “Hills” shopping carts — or as Pittsburghers like to say, “buggies” — so people who visit the new mobile snack bar can have their own photo shoot.”The response has been nothing but positive,” he said. “Everybody that I’ve ever talked to has nothing but great things and memories about Hills, so to be able to bring that back to the community, it’s heartwarming.”Heartwarming is how Carol Rzewnicki describes the store with a hometown feel, where she worked for 30 years.”The snack bar especially,” she said. “They were the first to have Slush Puppies and cotton candy, and on Memorial Day, they would have hot dogs for 10 cents.”Powell said Hills is a memory he’ll cherish forever.”It drew you right in. The popcorn, the hot dogs, the pretzels, all just mixed in, and it’s unforgettable,” he said.Unforgettable, like Hills memories and mementos.”Hills is where the toys are!” Powell said.A picture shows a toy basketball hoop that got plenty of playing time when Chapman was 3 years old. Of course, her mom bought it at Hills. And Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 anchor Shannon Perrine still has an official Hills pencil after all these years.Powell hopes to have the mobile Hills snack bar up and running by the spring.—
A local man is trying to revitalize Hills Department Store’s snack bar to bring back memories for people who live in the Pittsburgh area.
Proudly wearing a shirt with the old “Hills” logo, Jason Powell said he’s bringing the nostalgic snack bar with a food truck that will travel to former locations of Hills stores.
Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 reporter Chandi Chapman asked, “What is your favorite Hills memory?”
Powell said, “The snack bar, of course. Buying those pretzels and getting that popcorn, the glory days.”
Powell spent a lot of time in the former Hills store, which is now a Big Lots store, located in Green Garden Plaza in Hopewell Township, Beaver County.
“This is the Hills that my grandparents and I shopped at, parents and I shopped at,” he said. “Unfortunately, I can’t take my kids there because Hills is no longer there.”
Powell is keeping the tradition alive. He showed a picture of his children posing outside of the old Hills location.
Powell even bought real “Hills” shopping carts — or as Pittsburghers like to say, “buggies” — so people who visit the new mobile snack bar can have their own photo shoot.
“The response has been nothing but positive,” he said. “Everybody that I’ve ever talked to has nothing but great things and memories about Hills, so to be able to bring that back to the community, it’s heartwarming.”
Heartwarming is how Carol Rzewnicki describes the store with a hometown feel, where she worked for 30 years.
“The snack bar especially,” she said. “They were the first to have Slush Puppies and cotton candy, and on Memorial Day, they would have hot dogs for 10 cents.”
Powell said Hills is a memory he’ll cherish forever.
“It drew you right in. The popcorn, the hot dogs, the pretzels, all just mixed in, and it’s unforgettable,” he said.
Unforgettable, like Hills memories and mementos.
“Hills is where the toys are!” Powell said.
A picture shows a toy basketball hoop that got plenty of playing time when Chapman was 3 years old. Of course, her mom bought it at Hills.
And Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 anchor Shannon Perrine still has an official Hills pencil after all these years.
Powell hopes to have the mobile Hills snack bar up and running by the spring.
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