Changes around Tarentum

There have been a number of changes around Tarentum while I have been blogging less frequently over the last couple of months.

The biggest of the changes is that the James E. Wolfe Skatepark is open. The VND published a few pictures of skaters doing tricks on the new equipment at the park, but the few times I was able to drive past the park, I was not able to get in to park my car and take any pictures. Finally, I have some pictures, and here they are.

It is great to see the kids having a place to skate.

They have done a nice job of putting a street-level facelift on the building at the corner of Lock and Fifth where Russellton Pediatrics has their offices.

And across Lock Street, Superior Sports Cards has some new artwork in the window. Superior Sports Cards is becoming one of the places where some of the young people in town stay out of trouble by playing card games like Yu-Gi-Oh.

Another recent change around Tarentum is that the Tarentum Exxon is now being run by the Exxon company. Gone is the sign that announced for months "WE FILL PANE". Now there is a sign announcing a "Tobacco Outpost."

I am not sure what the "Outpost" name is supposed to convey. Does it say something to smokers arriving inTarentum from Westmoreland County to suggest that they are now deep in a tobacco-free wilderness and these are the last cigarettes they'll be able to buy for forty miles or something?

Meanwhile the family that used to run the Tarentum Exxon has opened the "Tarentum Mart" just a couple blocks away on 6th Avenue in the building that used to house Tarentum Uniform. They have plans to open an ice cream shop in the left side of the building.

The Tarentum Mart is also advertizing cigarettes at state minimum pricing. Does this competition to sell cigarettes in Tarentum have something to do with Allegheny County's smoking ban? Will sales of cigarettes in Tarentum outpace the sales of motorcycles? Stay tuned.

Last year Tully's closed. That was the bar that used to have a neon sign in the window announcing "Where beer is good food."

In its place a new bar, Winston's, has opened.

File under : Tarentum, business, skateboard park