This week, I was able to spend some time in the Mall at Robinson Christmas shopping. While my wife shopped with my daughter and sons, my son Frankie and I moved from store to store looking for the perfect gift. Walking around the mall this week made me think of all the fun I had as a kid at our local mall, Steubenville’s Fort Steuben Mall.

My parents would drop me off, usually by the theater, and I would meet up with my friends to hang out. We would spend hours going from store to store, eating at one of the restaurants and walking around. There was so much to do at the mall in those days and many stores to visit. One of my favorite stores, not surprisingly, was Walden Books where I often found a great book to add to my library. In those days, there were three anchor stores in the mall: Kaufmann’s, J.C. Penney and Sears. Kaufmann’s became Macy’s and eventually closed along with Sears. Today, Penney’s is the only one left.

When the mall opened on March 5, 1974, there were Kaufmann’s, Sears, and later, Carlisle’s as anchors. All together, there would be room for 65 stores in the space, in addition to acres of free parking. When the mall was built, it offered a one-stop destination for shoppers where one could find just about everything one would need. The developers of the facility belonged to a firm called the Goodman Co., and they had many other mall properties that they operated in the country. Goodman was out of Allentown, Pa., and up to that time, had a large portfolio of properties and interests. The Fort Steuben Mall, when it opened, comprised of around 650,000 square feet of space for retail businesses, but Goodman had opened far larger properties in other locations.

The first general manager of the Fort Steuben Mall was Robert Morgano, who had recently been the general manager of the Beaver Valley Mall just up the river from us. He certainly had his work cut out for him because the Fort Steuben Mall was a bustling place when it opened 50 years ago.

Among the features of the mall that I remember were the two fountains, one in front of Kaufmann’s and one near Sears. When the mall opened, special emphasis was put on the fountains as being the air cleaners and humidifiers of the building. An article in the Steubenville Herald-Star on March 4, 1974, goes on about the many jets (100 at the Sears fountain), lighting and uniqueness of these centerpieces. They certainly were a special feature.

Kaufmann’s, one of the three anchors, occupied about 132,000 square feet of space at the new mall, and on opening day, was full-to-the-brim with merchandise. Kaufmann officials were very proud of the store, as it was their sixth location, first in a major mall complex, and first outside of Pennsylvania. The store was furnished exquisitely with imported Italian chandeliers and marble floors. I remember the columns on the first floor being wrapped in floor to ceiling glass mirrors, a feature they were proud to showcase in 1974. According to the reports of the time, this newest Kaufmann’s would need between 250 and 300 employees to staff the store and work the many departments therein.

Sears, which according to sources of the time was the largest retailer in the world, would occupy another large space in the mall and offer a wide range of merchandise. They also had a car shop which offered car repair services while you shopped. The unique thing about the Sears store at the Fort Steuben Mall was that it had a computer and a dedicated room to house it in. Fred Shaw, manager of the new store, explained in an article in the paper that the new computer “will record all purchases made in the store, either cash or credit. All data will be transmitted to a master computer in Washington, D.C.

The computer will keep exact records of all transactions. It will be able to identify immediately when a stolen credit card is being used or when a closed account is attempted to be used. In addition, it will be used for payroll and other in-store work. Eventually, the computer will be programmed to keep a running account of all stock, in addition, the computer is able to generate reports transmitted by the master computer.”

This certainly was cutting edge technology in 1974.

Department stores weren’t the only attraction. M&M Bank opened in the mall, and they were proud to be the only banking establishment in the facility at that time. In 1974, M&M had its anchor location on Fourth Street in downtown and a location in Wintersville. Hours were long at the mall. It took two managers and between 12 and 15 employees to operate the location.

Another popular store was Hickory Farms, which sold smoked meats, cheese and specialty foods in an old-time store atmosphere. Rodgers Jewelers opened at the mall, occupying 2,500 square feet of space. The establishment had been in Steubenville since 1929 and at the time the mall opened, still operated stores in downtown Steubenville and in Weirton. Marlinns Shoe Store opened in the mall, too, adding another store to the four they already operated in the region at that time. Shoppers who purchased shoes from Marlinns would receive a gift on opening day.

There were many other stores that opened at the mall according to the paper, including “Fashion Bug, women’s apparel; Kinney Shoes; Baskins-Robins; the Listening Booth, records and tapes; DeRoy’s Jewelers; Tweed Shop, women’s apparel; Zale Jewelry; Butler Shoes; Thom McAnn Shoes; Tobaccoland; Hot Sam, featuring giant hot pretzels; Cards and Things; General Nutrition, health food store; Cinemette Theaters; Nobil Shoes; Opticks, optical specialist; Der Dog Haus, featuring fast food; Rite Aid Drugs; Sweet William Restaurant; Bottom Half apparel; Standard Sportswear; Susie’s Casual, women’s fashions; Regal Shoes; Elby’s Restaurant; House of Cards; Constable Goodfellow, an amusement center; County Seat, offering unisex apparel; Just Pants; and Diana Shop for Women.”

Most of these stores were not still at the mall when I was going there with my friends in the 1990s but it was still a busy place. Going to malls like the Mall at Robinson and South Hills Village today, often reminds me of the booming days of our own Fort Steuben Mall. Those memories of crowds of people, long lines and my friends all spending time together, will certainly stay with me. As long as I pursue the perfect Christmas gift, my trips to our area malls will be far from done.

(Zuros is the director of Historic Fort Steuben)