by Christine Lorraine Morgan, March 27, 2026

In 2016 I started taking pictures to post on googlemaps. Thus I inadvertently created an extensive collection of local images in my computer and online that are fun to review 10 years later.

The collection is composed primarily of businesses and popular places, and I wanted to share a small handful of them in a nostalgic presentation with memories to match.

Here’s a quick tour of some of the West Millcreek neighborhood places that were open and operating in 2016 but aren’t there any more.

Some of the structures are gone, some are still standing.

Taki’s Restaurant, 2933 W. 12th Street. This was a favorite go-to place for many hungry partiers in the middle of the night. It was often packed at 3 a.m., and steak and eggs was the most expensive thing on the menu for around $5. In Erie, bars were open and bands performed until 2 a.m. for decades, which changed dramatically after 2020’s onset of Covid. Now bands play from 6 til 10 or thereabouts and some bars close at midnight. Several restaurants are open all night, one of them being an eastside McDonalds, but that’s not quite the same as a Taki’s or Dominick’s in the city which is also closed.

No longer standing.

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Grasshopper, West Lake Road near Peninsula Drive. This sturdy 120+ year-old former schoolhouse was razed by the Township to make way for an empty lot. It gets worse…This was one of the oldest structures in the sprawling Millcreek Township, it was in good condition and was in use, and it was located near the entrance to Presque Isle State Park. And people actually do flock from miles around literally to visit Presque Isle for 5-6 months out of the year (depending on weather).

No longer standing

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The Pittsburgh Inn, 3725 West Lake Road. This was a snug and cozy bar/restaurant with dark wood trim and bar that just made you feel like you belonged there. Last time I dined in this Steeler-esque spot I ordered a perch dinner and it was so sumptuous I have not forgotten it to this day. Its unusual yellow-painted adobe-type exterior and gorgeous stone chimney made it a standout favorite from the street and beyond.

Still standing

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Van Tuil Photo, 2254 W. 8th Street. Still haven’t quite gotten over the loss of this store. Wonder if it was displaced by all the online ordering that goes on in today’s magical at-your-fingertips society. This brick-and-mortar outlet carried that high quality paper on which you could print your on high-res photos, and it’s where I purchased my first digital camera, a Canon, in Y2K. Plus it was also nice to walk into a place and interact with humans occasionally.

Still standing

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El Patio Motel, 2850 West Lake Road.

The El Patio Motel started out in the mid-20th century as a romantic getaway destination and was especially popular with honeymooners. It was located just west of Peninsula Drive which placed it in a very high traffic area, especially during the summer season when the masses flock to Presque Isle. Its lounge was named Choo Choo’s and was shaped like a train locomotive, and people enjoyed the motel’s very nice swimming pool.

No longer standing

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Schickalay’s at the corner of West Lake Road and Peninsula Drive.

This was an outdoor venue for live music performances, something that Erie doesn’t have very much to offer to either partygoers or local talent. There are outdoor shows like 8 Great Tuesdays, but that’s not a stage that local performers get to perform upon weekly. Smaller places such as Schickalays presented an alternative between nothing and huge shows. As of this writing, there is nothing at this super busy corner except grass and a handful of trees.

No longer standing