In 1967, the Logan Valley Mall hosted its grand opening with a total of 22 stores. The mall was so popular people from over 50 miles away would come to shop. Over the years, the mall has continuously gone downhill. Where do kids go now to spend their time off? State College seems to be a popular hang-out spot for various reasons. There are better stores, a bigger variety of places to eat and a friendlier environment overall. 

Snap Custom Pizza: Snap Custom Pizza is a pizza and salad restaurant located at 132 W College Avenue. They are open Monday through Sunday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. They have a variety of pizzas, salads and more. There are signature foods that are pre-made and popular, or there are customizable features. With a customized pizza, there are six building blocks. Pick the dough, sauce, cheese, proteins, veggies and any additional sauce. For the salads, there is a choice of greens, grain, toppings, dressing and crunch. They also have grain bowls and breadsticks as an option. This is a perfect place for all pizza critiques.  

Plato’s Closet: Looking for name-brand items at a cheaper price? Plato’s Closet at 1526 N Atherton Street is the place to go. They buy used clothes that are in good condition from stores like Nike or American Eagle. Once they buy the clothes, they mark them down for as much as 70% off of the original sale price. You can find just about anything at this consignment store whether it be shoes, shirts, pants, or even dresses. Plato’s will take unwanted items from anyone and they will give money for the things that they decide to buy. They are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day, except for Sunday when they are open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Crumbl Cookies: It’s a surprise every week at Crumbl Cookies. Located at 19 Colonnade Way is an assortment of cookies. Their hours are flexible, Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and closed on Sundays. They announce their six new flavors every Sunday. The cookies can be bought in packs depending on how many are wanted. There are singles, four-packs, six-packs, party boxes and cream singles or carriers. To go along with the cookies, milk or water is available for purchase. Who wouldn’t want a store full of special cookies?

Raising Cane’s: Head to 228 E College Avenue to find a restaurant based solely on chicken fingers. They serve combos, tailgates and extras from 10 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Sunday through Thursday. Friday and Saturday they will open 10 a.m. to 1 a.m. The kind of combo is what determines the amount of food for each meal. Five different combos range from two chicken fingers to six. The tailgates are trays of chicken fingers that can be purchased for parties. Each tailgate is in a 25-finger interval and there are four sizes, the highest being a 100-finger tailgate. The sides here are kind of odd. They have fries, coleslaw and toast as some of the normal sides. A chicken finger or sandwich can be added as well. This restaurant is the staple for every picky eater out there.

Love-it Boutique: Right after a trip to Plato’s, a visit to Love-it Boutique is right around the corner. Literally. Come to 1524 Atherton Street for some more consignment deals. Love-it Boutique is similar to Plato’s because they have the same idea. However, Love-it’s Lululemon rack does not disappoint. Plato’s Lululemon rack is lacking for so many reasons. On top of that, Love-it has cute Lululemon items. Check it out from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Don’t plan on going Sunday because they are closed that day. 

Grab a group of friends and head out to State College for a day full of fun. Make sure to check out these four places.