Shopping on the Street Where You Live: Hillendale Shopping Center

We tend to overlook the things sitting right in front of us. A few weeks ago, I profiled the Belair Professional Beltway Center for Patch—by accident I had discovered shops in that shopping center that I’d overlooked in the past. When I took the time to look at the many shops in the Belair Professional Beltway Center, it felt like finding the Christmas present I’d missed under the tree.

So, this week, I decided to take a close look at the Hillendale Shopping Center, located on Loch Raven Blvd. at the intersection of Taylor Ave. Nestled in this shopping center are eateries, services and specialty shops you’ve probably never noticed.

If you are making a lunch run or picking up something for dinner, you'll find many restaurant choices in the Hillendale Shopping Center, covering every genre of food: New York Fried Chicken, Crackin Crab, Giorgio's Restaurant & Carryout and Hunan Szechuan Restaurant.

Giorgio’s features subs, wings and pizza deals, but it offers that little added extra we all need at the end (or instead) of the meal: Giorgio's Dairyland counter is the perfect place to enjoy an old-fashioned sundae or soda float. You can opt for breakfast fare between 7 and 11 a.m.—N.Y. strip steak, Belgian waffles and chicken waffles.

The Hunan Szechuan Restaurant offers a signature dish, the house hot pot, which features a little bit of everything—shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef, roast pork, black mushrooms and mixed vegetables.  

If you’re looking to cook something different for the family, Mount Everest Groceries specializes in items you may not find elsewhere. This family-owned shop includes a mix of Indian, Asian, Mexican and traditional American goods, including produce.

No one wants to spend a lot of time running errands. It’s even more depressing to run errands on Saturday, so if you can squeeze a few in during the week as you’re waiting to pick up your food, that’s always a plus.

Whether you are looking for a tool for a spring gardening project or a big-screen TV to watch a sporting event or season finale, you can find it at Rent-a-Center.  Convenience is the key here—the store offers payment options, no credit checks, pickup or delivery, as well as a selection of items that cover most major name brands.

Drop off your dry cleaning at the Hillendale Dry Cleaners, for pick up later. Don’t forget clothing that you’ve set aside meaning to repair. They can do that, too. Then, pick up a bottle of wine or a microbrew beer from Bottle & Cork Liquors.

If you’re from Maryland, and you’ve needed something for your car, odds are you already know about Salvo’s Auto Parts. It’s been around since 1935, and the Hillendale Shopping Center location is one of the largest in the chain. If you need an auto part, this is the place to find it—and at rock-bottom prices, that little “wow” factor people from Baltimore appreciate. If the auto part you’re looking for isn’t available, or if you’re not sure what you need, they’ll track it down.

On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays, bring in your dog or cat for grooming at Hillendale Pet Grooming. This grooming salon also works with birds, clipping their wings. 

The Hillendale Shopping Center has a few spots for more leisurely shopping. Bargains o’plenty await shoppers at Dollar Buys. Inventory changes regularly, so each week you’ll find a different deal, including health care items, cleaning supplies, arts and crafts and more.

If you’re in the market for new furniture, take a look at the free online room planner at the Home Furniture Center website to plot out dimensions and layout before you visit the Hillendale store. Inside the store you’ll find living room, dining room, family room/entertainment layouts, as well as youth bedroom options, among others.

Make a point to revisit the shopping centers you go by on a regular basis. Businesses open and close all the time, inventory changes and restaurant owners revamp their menus. You may discover something new.