Apr 13, 2016 5 min read

“Ghost signs” and talent shows are among the subjects on the minds of readers of Looking Back in the Mon Valley – and hopefully, elsewhere – this week.

The recent story by Barbara Miller of the Observer-Reporter, “Long-gone businesses leave a legacy of ‘ghost signs’,” rekindled fond memories for those old enough to remember the myriad businesses in their hometowns. Charleroi native Bob Beres, who now lives in Virginia Beach, Va., is one of them.

“That was a wonderful article,” said Beres, a 1956 graduate of Charleroi High School.

“It offered a great chance for us to reminisce and recall businesses in Charleroi and painted signs on some buildings calling attention to stores that prevailed many years ago.

“Our town and others in the Mon Valley had so many very good businesses that thrived for a very long time but have now faded away along with the signs on the walls of the buildings (Miller) wrote about.”

Beres recalled that in Charleroi, there was Collins Department Store at Fifth Street and McKean Avenue.

“It wasn’t exactly a Saks Fifth Avenue but it was a very well-rounded and nicely priced store for the average Joe,” he said.

Just a few steps down McKean Avenue was Wolf’s Men’s Store with “nice clothes at a fairly high price but worth every penny of it,” Beres continued.

Close to Wolf’s was S.A. Meyers Jewelry store, which was “a class act,” Beres said.

“I bought my first watch at Meyers for $50,” he recalled. “My good friend Gary Strelick and I each paid a dollar a week for about 50 weeks to get our watches. They were really something, and I still have mine.”

Might’s Book Store also was in that block of McKean Avenue and was the place “where you could buy the daily newspaper or the latest of novels or magazines and a wide array of office supplies and many other items,” Beres said.

Down the block and closer to Sixth Street was Frank’s Men’s Shop, which was owned and operated by brothers Frank and Prosper Gilli, who later became the proprietors of Might’s Book Store. Frank’s featured “quite a selection of men’s wear of equaling the quality to what was available at Wolf’s.”

Those businesses, Beres emphasized, “were on just one side of a city block (McKean Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets) of the downtown area of Charleroi.”

“There were so many other stores and businesses and restaurants in town,” he said.

“It would be impossible to list all of those that existed when we were growing up there in the 1940s and ’50s. But I cannot forget Haas Shoe Store, Miller’s (Famous for Fashions) Department Store, Orange’s Department Store, Murphy’s 5 and 10, McCrory’s 5 and 10, Ace Auto Supply, Montgomery War, The JIB restaurant, Rego’s restaurant, Kirk and Clark, the Red Bull restaurant, Gene and Boots, Grant and Bliss Hardware, Dub’s Cigar Store and of course the four movie theatres – Coyle, Palace, State and Menlo. And those were just the tip of the iceberg.

“The many great businesses truly gave Charleroi the title of the Magic City. I’ll bet the story by Ms. Miller brought back similar memories for people in other towns.”

A woman in Carroll Township sent a photocopy of a newspaper clipping about a talent show in Monongahela. She isn’t sure about the date but thinks the event may have been held in the early 1950s and was won by Dee Galiffa.

You’re right, dear reader, the amateur show was held May 7-8, 1953, at Grace Lutheran Church in Monongahela. A story about the event appeared on May 11 in The Daily Republican and read as follows:

“In a very close ballot, winners were selected at the amateur show held in conjunction with the ‘Old Tyme Movie Nite,’ which was held at Grace Lutheran Church last Thursday and Friday evenings under the sponsorship of the Men’s Brotherhood of the Church.

“Cash awards were given to the winners, with the first prize going to versatile Dee Galiffa for his fine exertion of two piano numbers – ‘Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2’ and the contrast number, ‘Spaghetti Rag’

“Second place was earned by the well-organized numbers sung in good time harmony by the Three T’s, better known here as The Davenport Sisters.

“Third place went to the excellent footwork in tap dancing by Bobby Brake.

“The remaining acts were Homer Gaut, with an original piano composition; Ronald Christopher, who sang popular songs, and Darrell Klingensmith, in a hillbilly presentation.

“All were well received by the large audiences both nights.

“Maxwell Otley emceed the shows.

“Wilbur Scott was the pianist accompanist.”

If you have memories to share or story ideas, contact Ron Paglia at ronpaglia@verizon.net or c/o the Observer-Reporter, 122 South Main St., Washington, Pa. 15301.