Memories of Northwest Indiana ~ TRI-CITY PLAZA SHOPPING MALL in Gary, Indiana

[@ManuelGonzalez-mz2sz]

We moved to Gary in 1958.It was beautiful. There was a bowling alley right there next to try city plaza

[@Lopezflies888]

@@ManuelGonzalez-mz2sz was it safe back then ?

[@cuddzilla]

Many nights watching my Dad league bowling there at Tri-City. Such an incredible history in Gary. Sad to see it in anything less than the glory of what it once was.

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

I feel the same way you do Brother. Our bowling place was the dunes on route 20. Many good memories of being on a bowling league with my cousins.

[@johnhamilton9284]

Thank you for sharing this. Mid-20th-century industrial Midwest especially the Detroit-to-Chicago span since that's where I grew up, was an incredible time/place to experience. A time when factory workers could drive new cars, own homes, some of them with a cottage "up north." A shining moment in American history. Also a time when people practiced manners and civility.

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

I really enjoyed your comment. It is definitely the industrial belt feel to all these different places. I am so glad that I grew up in time for so much fun in the city was bustling. I remember the money was good and everybody was happy when I was younger and then by the time I got in high school I remember the late 80s all the way through the 90s things just got turned upside down with gangs and crack cocaine. Gary will always hold a special place in my heart and it’s good people like yourself John they keep me doing what I do. I really do mean it when I say I enjoyed reading this and I hope to hear more from you soon 🫵😎⛈️ I hope you’re enjoying the channel. There’s so much to see.

[@bryansimpson8694]

Being a former resident of Gary, Indiana, it truly breaks my heart to see a once bustling city reduced to only a skeleton of what it used to be.

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

I am right here with you, Bryan that’s why I do this. I felt that somebody had to get out there and document this stuff before it’s gone forever. It’s sad to see but the memories never go away brother. At least we were fortunate enough to grow up in a time when Gary Indiana was the place to be. I love it being there. I never thought it would come to this.

[@Lopezflies888]

Me too

[@babaoreally8220]

I lived and worked in the area for 45yrs,and watching this happen in slow motion was a head shaker to why there was no Federal effort to address its root cause.After all,it is their Constitutional prime directive.Thanks for bringing greater awareness,as this process is still ongoing,and hopefully,soon to be addressed.Maybe can be turned around and we can recover good jobs ,lost.

[@babaoreally8220]

There’s a somber song I ran across that expresses the sadness of loosing the area we once loved,by a former member of Styx,Dennis DeYoung.It’s “Good Bye to Roseland”.Ran across it on a drone video of my old hangouts in the 60’s,US30 Dragstrip.Almost made me cry.

[@lindabradford9591]

​@babaoreally8220 it's sad that they closed U.S. 30 dragstrip. We spent a lot of time there watching races and top dragsters there.

[@Lopezflies888]

Oh man😢 thank you for documenting these before their forever gone 🙏🤙

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

You’re very welcome thank you 💯‼️ That is exactly how I see it. I thought it was important to get them before they are gone forever. Especially with so many good memories attached to these sites.

[@lindabradford9591]

I don't really remember going to TrCity plaza much but i do remember going to Colonel Sanders across the street from TriCity.

[@Aetnaboy73]

Mom and Dad always went to Shoppers Fair back in the day. It was always busy

[@Diamondlady77]

@@Aetnaboy73 I remember Shoppers fair also, so many memories.. Gary was a great place to live back in the day. I pray it makes a comeback 🙏🏼

[@jackoshaw]

My mom use to bowl at Tri-city bowl on Friday nights... My buddy and I would go along with her and bring our Roller Skates... We used to skate all over Tri-city while she was in Bowling! There was a pond behind the bowling alley. I caought two Gold Fish from the pond and had them in a fish bowl in out living room.... My sister worked there at W.T. Grant for a while..

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

Sounds like a lot of good memories. This is exactly why I do these kind of videos. When people leave their memories of these places, I love reading them thank you for sharing your memories. I appreciate you and hope to hear more from you soon.

[@pattymichellebell6871]

Thank you for the videos and informative explanation. Born and raised in Gary and now living in Minnesota. Thanks for your great works. 😊

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

Thank you for your kind words Patty , it’s always great to hear from a Gary native. 🫵😎🌺

[@bigbub5219]

Gary was so fun in my days. So many show to go to.

[@lindabradford9591]

Gary was fun. I hated that we had to move from Gary to the sticks of Crown Point back then, lol.

[@Diamondlady77]

I shopped there back in the day..always went to The Lure across the street for a burger and fries before heading home.

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

You must have a lot of good memories attached to those places that is why I do these I know it’s sad to see, but they open up old memories of when times were much better and we were fortunate enough to be in the city when it was the place to be. I never thought I would ever move out of Gary until it got too bad where we were forced to move.

[@bryansshow8279]

I had a neighbor that had a house built on our street that owned and operated Ray's shrimp house in that are. He passed, sadly after he fled Hammond right before we did. That area looks more desolate than it did 24 years ago. It was not very good then. But it was still active.

[@tedslocum7746]

I remember my mother, brother and I would shop over at this plaza. I remember my mom would sometimes shop at a jewelry shop in that plaza. I remember before then a old man would try to talk to my mother. I would get mad because I knew he wanted to do more than just talk to my mom. The place however, was nice to me because the mall had Brunswick Bowling alley in that area. I use to always like the bowling alley fries. My brother was around six years old and I was around 10 years old. So were talking around the early 1970s. I will miss this mall.

[@Lopezflies888]

I remember the Lure😢

[@mildredmerrell3482]

AMEN BROTHER LEW WALLACE WAS ANOTHER HEART BREAKER CLASS OF 82 😢​@@TheSteelCityStorm

[@michellejenkins230]

I remember shopping here back in the day 😢 thanks for showing us!

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

You’re very welcome, Michelle. I know it’s sad. I feel the same way, but at least we have our good memories. We really did grow up in a time that was so much different than today. I’m glad we did not have all that technology back then.

[@jeffwalton4540]

​@@TheSteelCityStormStorm, I see your point about technology. But look at the good stuff you are doing with it, preserving this history for people to remember and enjoy. People just a few generations ago could never have documented the changes in their community the way you have. I love the content you share. It reminds me of my hometown in the Upper Ohio Valley. Not counting all of the big mills in and around Pittsburgh, we had at least a half dozen fully integrated steel mills. There's nothing left. And the downtowns are just shells of their former selves. But as you say, the memories are still there. As a young boy, I loved the heavy industry there. The mills, the trucking, barge traffic on the Ohio River, giant cranes used in the coal strip mining out in the country. It was a cool time to grow up. Plus all the family, parents, siblings, aunts uncles cousins and grandparents. It was a fine time. I've gone on long enough. Peace to you, Storm.

[@carjon46320]

Oh my goodness 🙂 it has been awhile Storm since been pass there. My first job in Medical was Firstmed In 2006. Thanks for the update today, Storm! I appreciate you 😊

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

It’s always good hearing from you, my friend and it has to be crazy looking back. I remember talking to my mom when she worked there in that mall. She said it was so beautiful at one time. You are very welcome for the update and I appreciate you very much also. ❤️🫵😉💯⛈️‼️

[@carjon46320]

@ it was great working there as a medical assistant! Continue to do the great work 😊 ☔️

[@bjrazumi73]

When I was in high school in the early 70's I bowled in a youth city tournament at Tri City Bowl. That bowling center closed up I think in the late 80's, and certainly before the turn of the century. I can only guess which of the larger building/store fronts was where the bowling alley used to be.

[@GeraldBrookins]

Great Content 👍

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

Thank you, Gerald. I’m glad you’re enjoying the content. 🫵😎✌️💯⛈️‼️

[@GeraldBrookins]

Yeah your show is outstanding and helps older residents resolve some of the trauma and loss from what happened, it’s like Looking at Growing up in Berlin Germany and returning after the War in 1945 after the cessation of the hostilities,same feelings Gary looks like Berlin in 1945. You’re doing work totally outstanding 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 Jerry Brookings

[@hdeejones6646]

Love the vids im a hobart local i remember shopping at citi trends like seven years ago seems like Gary's really changing. You've also done some really good ink on my mother over the years great art work 👍🏼

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

Thank you so much. I’m glad that you’re enjoying the videos. I’ve been working on these for 7 1/2 years now. My heart is always been attached to Gary unfortunately as we all know, it’s not safe to be out there anymore. Also, you have my younger brother Steven Confused with me. He is the tattoo artist I’m just a good looking one. 😆😄🤣 Much love to you and Gary is definitely changing for the better. It’s good to be around the area so I can record all this stuff. Hopefully I will hear more from you. I enjoyed reading your message very much.

[@martinneuliep6133]

Well. I grew up a few blocks from there. We’d shop there of course. I remember that funny out building in front of the stores although I can’t remember what was in it. And I remember riding my bike there with my dad when I was a little kid. Definitely sad but thanks for capturing this. Maybe shoot some video down Willard street near there someday? (Between 10th and 11th on the east side of the street 😉)

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

I have shot some videos around that part of town. If you look at my driving playlist, you will probably find a video of that area. However, I will definitely keep your request in mind and probably do some more videos and I will go around that area for you so I cannot promise when but I will definitely do it down the line. I understand how you feel. I grew up in Gary myself in Glen Park and deceive my schools and old neighborhood looked the way it does. It’s definitely said. The one thing that never goes away is those memories every time I ride up and down Broadway or my old neighborhood it always puts a smile on my face and my brain races of my younger years when Gary was the place to be

[@martinneuliep6133]

@ thanks! Yeah one of the first videos of yours I saw was of Washington school which I used to walk to. Fkd me up for a couple of days after I saw that. But looking at Google street view Willard still looks in pretty good shape, at least whenever that was shot. As I remember it, the neighborhood was called Gary Heights back then.

[@OnTheGoWithFlo-Kid22]

It's just sad to see all of these businesses go under. I am hoping that at least a couple of them only moved and not went out for good. I think the overabundance of strip malls, the big box stores, and online places like Amazon were all part of their demise. I can't believe there's even any malls left outdoors or indoors. Too bad we all can't see into the future before we ever start something so we would know the outcome before we start. I imagine so many shop owners put their blood sweat and tears into building up a business and cliental just to have the big guns show up to smash their dreams to smithereens. Just something that bothers me a lot because I always loved going to small businesses to shop and spend my dollars at. It's a much more personal experience which I love. Oh well, RIP to all of these places. If there is such a thing as reincarnation, then I hope they can all come back bigger and better than before.

[@mildredmerrell3482]

Use to walk down 5th Ave pass the Lure Restaurant coming from Taney St pass the Budd Company down Chase St to get to the grocery store there because I had THE BIGGEST crush on a guy that worked there and he never knew 😂 I remembered Lytons department store, the record shoo, Tri-City Bowling and if memory serves me right the first time I ever had Subway 😃😍

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

Thank you for sharing that story Mildred. I really enjoyed reading this. They put a smile on my face. I know exactly where you are talking about with the Blood company on Chase Street is. Such good memories of Gary. That is how I feel nobody can ever take away my good memories of when I learned All of our life in the wonderful city that it used to be. Once again, I really appreciate you sharing your story and I hope to hear more from you soon 🫵🌺😉

[@mildredmerrell3482]

@TheSteelCityStorm God's continued blessings sir you are bringing back memories some had long forgotten ❤️🙏

[@lindaosika7648]

I worked a couple of times at that Fifth Third Bank office in the 1990's.

[@bryansshow8279]

@@lindaosika7648 that is a cool memory. Do you remember when it closed?

[@lindaosika7648]

@bryansshow8279 no I retired ten years ago. I remember Fifth Third had a beautiful light blue carpet in the lobby. So many of the customers worked in the mills,refinery and all kinds of dirty jobs. So the guys would come in after work with work shoes full of grime and stuff. That carpet never looked the same.

[@FixIt1975]

Is people driving on the sidewalks an issue there? Couldn't help but notice the bollards surrounding all the sidewalks

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

That’s a really good question. I have no answer for you on that one. It would not be a surprise at all thinking that they do have that problem with people driving on the sidewalks. 😄😆🤣 People’s driving skills have gotten so bad the last couple years this area I swear I almost see an accident every other day

[@kristeltorres5613]

my mom said this was a popular place to hang out in the 70s

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

My mom said the same thing she used to work over there at the restaurant

[@KenKocur-xs4md]

Wow it is just so depressing to see the way Gary is.

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

I feel the same way Ken

[@philc.5569]

Was Work One located in this plaza?

[@TheSteelCityStorm]

I don’t think so but I think there was one at the village on Grant Street. I could be wrong about that, but I’m pretty sure I seen that one over at the village shopping mall

[@justsayin1900]

IMHO Gary would be better served to accept the immigrants being bused into "sanctuary cities" and accept the money the Government is providing. Build a training complex for blue collar jobs that would be open to anyone interested in learning a skill. A quick way to rebuild your population, get the City cleaned up and generate a tax base.