Grove City College - Local Atmosphere

College Prowler Take

Grove City is a safe, small town surrounded by the rural landscape of Western Pennsylvania. Well protected from the bustle of an urban environment, it has existed as a dry town since the prohibition days. While the town recently decided not to re-introduce alcohol, it does plan to beautify a somewhat shabby Main Street. Understandably, the few students who are desperate for a little nightlife or bar life find Grove City a bit of a drag. Likewise, Grovers who need a taste of arts and culture sometimes jump in the car for a short 60-mile road trip south to Pittsburgh.

Despite the deficit of local hotspots, students can find a myriad of banks, beauty shops, and churches within walking distance from campus. Grove City businesses, especially local beauty shops, target their temporary neighbor-patrons and often mail students special discounts. Student shop-a-holics discover early on that the Grove City area will support their habit. The Grove City Prime Outlets, just a couple miles down the road, offer shopping at 140 outlet stores. Students should try at least one movie at the Guthrie—a retro single-screen theater just a 10-minute walk from their dorm rooms. While campus security discourages students from jogging unattended, Grovers frequently take advantage of nearby running paths without any qualms. Students also explore local service opportunities at nursing homes, schools, and a juvenile detention center. Sometimes, Grovers get to enjoy a home environment—usually through their local church or friendly professor.

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Students Speak Out

Anonymous says:

A nice, small-town feeling, and it... A nice, small-town feeling, and it is usually very quiet and peaceful. Members of the community have been helpful and considerate, whether it was for a drive or some other community service project. There are not many places to stay away from, but when visiting, there are a couple of places that you shouldn’t miss. Wendell August Forge has a great gift shop and produces some pretty amazing decorative plates. Also, the outlet malls attract people from all over the area, and their prices and selection can rarely be beaten. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

As far as the town itself, Grove... As far as the town itself, Grove City is extremely small—it seems as though the school is the main landmark. However, it has a comfortable small-town feel—students can walk from campus to Main Street just below to go to small stores or study in the coffee shops. Farther down the street (within walking distance) are the essentials for any college student—the Salvation Army, Wal-Mart, and Dairy Queen. And not too far away is a huge outlet mall that becomes very convenient during the holiday season. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Grove City has a population of... Grove City has a population of around 2,000 Anglo-Americans who are asleep by 10 p.m. Nearly everything in town closes early and never opens at all on Sunday. Those that enjoy a lively nightlife would consider Grove City part of the purgatorial cleansing process. I lean more towards this viewpoint. There are no other universities present, and to be honest, there’s not much of anything else present either, except maybe large fields of grass. Visitors come to Grove City to shop, period. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

Grove City is a small town, and it... Grove City is a small town, and it definitely has that small-town atmosphere. No other universities are present in Grove City, but there is another university less than half an hour away. There’s not enough stuff in Grove City for there to be something to stay away from—except the tattoo parlor on the downtown strip—I hear that’s not the place to go for a tattoo, or anything else for that matter. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Anonymous says:

I would say that Grove City... I would say that Grove City definitely has that small-town atmosphere. The college is pretty much the lifeblood of the town. Main Street in Grove City is a fun place to grab a cup of coffee, get an ice cream, or catch a weekend movie. The Guthrie (the town movie theater) is unique in that it is old fashioned; it only has one screen unlike the 20-plexes we are used to. Grove City is a small town so you can’t expect much out of it. It lacks in things to do, but it has the necessaries—movies, food, and shopping. 12345 Local Atmosphere Report

Facts

Did You Know?

5 Fun Facts About Grove City:
• In the past, Grove City was a leading manufacturer of carriages, gas engines, foundry products, motor trucks, and steam engines.
• As of the 2000 census, Grove City Borough has a total population of 8,024—25 percent of which are Grove City undergrads.
• Grove City was home to one of the first “Odd Fellows” homes. In modern times the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs have been in the forefront of nearly all organizations in helping to make this world a better place in which to live. They are associated with the free masons, but not as underground. The houses are located on Orchard Drive.
• The Grove City outlet mall is rated as one of the top 20 outlet centers in the United States by Value Retail News (August 2004).
• Grove City is home to one of the most spectacular Fourth of July celebrations in the state of PA.

Local Slang:
Gumband – A rubber elastic band.
Fives – To call “fives” on one’s seat would entail that someone wishes for their seat to remain occupied for the next five minutes until they return.
Pop – What many locals call their soft drinks.
The Rock – Neighboring Slippery Rock University, just down the road from GCC.
Switch me spots – Verbal shorthand for “trade seats with me for a while.”

Most Recent Contributing Author

Name: John Kloosterman
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI
Major: English

Fun Fact: John likes to spend odd moments doodling dragons on the backs of assignments.

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