Penn State University - La Vie Yearbook (University Park, PA)

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 ==S Speaking with Pat Cahalcn, Executive Di- rector of the State College Chamber of Commerce: How do you respond to student claims that downtown State College businessmen charge higher prices to a captive Penn State audience? Outside competitor: Transportation is available to outlying areas. Buses leave from the downtown State College area throughout the day. Downtown merchants have felt a downward pressure on their prices because of this development. Overhead: Most Downtown retailers lease their premises. For a small storefront in town, rent is S400 a month. Larger stores pay up to $4,000 a month. Unawareness of prices: Many students do not have to purchase items when at home. Parents do it for them. Students from urban areas are not accustomed to small town prices. Merchants in State Col- lege do not experience rapid inventory turnover and cannot buy in quantity, there- fore the prices tend to run higher. Shoplifting: State College has a high rate of shoplifting, although store managers re- fused to quote loss figures. McLanahan's, which employs a private surveillance firm to monitor their stores, catches about one shoplifter a day at their East College Ave- nue store. That’s only a minute fraction of the offenders; we find empty makeup boxes all the time. Returning items: Most stores will not give cash refunds, only credit at their estab- lishments. State College store managers were forced to implement this system to combat the return — of — the — shoes — that - were - worn - to — a - weekend - formal — and — then — returned — on — Monday — morning — syndrome. Cahalen commented. But don't tell me that State College stores aren't making a substantial profit. Not all of them are. Really, there are several stores downtown that are marginal. 1 can't understand why they stay open. Cahalen said. Yet, State College can be a place to make money and there is outside interest in the area's potential. Clockwise, from lop loft: Shopping downtown: Student Book Store: Corner Room: Colder Way: Route 322. 17

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 o n As rapidly as the University seems to increase the number of students which swell its ranks, downlown State College grows to accommodate them, their appetites and their interests. One of the most obvious and most recent expansions is the addition of a large restau- rant section to The Train Station on College Avenue. This new area will seat about 300 people, according to a restaurant spokes- person. A classy red caboose is parked in front, used as a lobby and waiting room for hungry clients. At the time of this writing, consideration is being given to the estab- lishment of a banquet room. Speaking of food. State College has made several other additions to its list of eating establishments. Wuv’s Restaurant. Bell's Greek Pizza, and Tippy's Tacos have all brought their cuisine to the College Avenue area, while Patriot Steak house opened on South Atherton Street. And for evening enter- tainment. Gatsby's, a 20 s style speakeasy bar, opened its doors as part of the Corner Room complex. Other diverse structures have been built in State College in 1977. The Sheraton Hotel on Pugh Street added a new wing of luxury rooms. Central Counties Bank opened a drive-in office at the corner of Garner Street and Beaver Avenue. A senior citizen's hous- ing project was constructed on Belair Avenue and Bell of Pennsylvania on South Allen Street added a tall dishlike structure to its roof which makes use of microwaves in com- pleting long distance telephone walls. Clockwise, from lop left: Dunk's second floor addition: ruins of Cut's Luncheonette; painted wall on Corner Street: Wiener Kind's sign; Train Station; Wuv's. 19