O'Shea's Candies, Vantage Physical Therapy making exits from Westwood Plaza

Dec. 29—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — O'Shea's Candies is not renewing its lease on its store at the Westwood Plaza, ending more than 30 years at that location and marking another loss for the Lower Yoder Township shopping plaza.

"It was a very tough decision," O'Shea's owner Matt Brubaker said. "The sales were not declining, but one of our key managers retired, and we always said we'd consolidate after she retired."

Brubaker said he is considering opening a new location, but for now, he added, all of O'Shea's sales will be conducted at the business' Geistown and Ligonier locations.

Brubaker's father opened O'Shea's Westwood Plaza location during a time when businesses including grocery stores anchored the plaza at 1910 Minno Drive.

The final candy sale at the store was made at 4 p.m. Saturday, Christmas Eve, Brubaker said.

"You can see there is no anchor there at the plaza anymore," Brubaker said, "and they are not investing there."

Spinoso Real Estate Group manages the plaza, which is owned by 1910 Minno Drive Holdings LLC with an address linked to CW Capital Asset Management LLC in Washington, D.C., Cambria County records show. Spinoso Real Estate Group did not return calls for comment on Thursday.

According to the Cambria County Recorder of Deeds Office, ownership hasn't changed since bank lenders received the plaza through a sheriff sale in 2022 after foreclosing on the original owner, Zamias Services Inc.

Blake Fleegle, who opened Westwood Plaza Theater & Cafe in 2009, said the plaza's ownership has been quietly at work.

"While it's sad to see so many storefronts close up over the years, I'm always hopeful for new ones opening up soon," he said. "I know the ownership is working hard to take care of some much-needed maintenance."

A roofer conducted some leak repairs on Thursday on the former grocery store location at the plaza. That anchor suite hasn't been occupied for about a decade.

'It's a good business decision'

O'Shea's Candies' departure will be followed by the exit of Vantage Physical Therapy in 2024.

Faded parking lot lines, potholes and incremental rent increases at the plaza are some of the reasons that spurred Vantage Physical Therapy to purchase a new location less than half a mile away, Clinical Director Blythe Wechtenhiser said.

By mid-2024, Vantage Physical Therapy plans to relocate from the plaza to its newly purchased property at 1761 Goucher St., across from Ace Hardware.

"It's a good business decision," Wechtenhiser said. "The plaza is run-down, and they aren't doing much to make it better. We own a building now. We can decide how we want to use the space, and we can better control inflation."

Conemaugh Health System's financial offices have also recently moved out of a large suite in the plaza. Conemaugh's former offices have been cleared out by the plaza's management, sparking rumors of new tenants.

Eleven of the plaza's 17 contiguous suites are vacant, including O'Shea's.

O'Shea's departure makes Westwood Plaza Theater & Cafe the longest-running full-time tenant at the plaza, followed by the Just Breathe yoga studio, located in the suite next door to the theater.

Lynne McQuillan, owner of Just Breathe, was shocked at hearing herself say she now owns one of the businesses that has been at the plaza the longest.

"We've seen more things going out than coming in," she said. "It's been 12 years for me. I plan on staying. I signed on for another year. I'm one of the tenants that's been here the longest now — that's so weird to say."

Part-time plaza tenant Pete Gallo, owner of Westmont News, a Pennsylvania lottery outlet, has been open at the plaza since 1980. At that time, the plaza's tenants included Radio Shack, a grocery store, a department store, and hair salons, he said.

Among the businesses continuing in the plaza's suites are Capri Pizza, a liquor store, Dollar General and H&R Block. The plaza's tenants also include fast-food restaurants located in separate buildings apart from the plaza's contiguous suites.

"This is a good plaza. It just needs a grocery store to bring traffic," Gallo said. "If they get a grocery store, it will fill up."