124 Sixth St.
Pittsburgh, PA 15
222
Alihan's is a family owned restaurant which brings the authentic taste of Turkey to Downtown. Alihan is not only the owner, but he is the head chef as well: using family recipes, making sure all meals are prepared in a traditional way, from fresh ingredients, and of course, in healthy Mediterranean style.
Come to experience the hospitality of a Turkish family who welcomes every guest with a smile and cares of every customer's needs.
We are BYOB, so don't hesitate to bring a bottle of your favorite brand to accompany our fresh meals.
We are open every day from 11am-11pm
, Fridays and Saturdays until midnight
, serving lunch specials, dinner, and brunch on weekends. Also, we offer kids' specials, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and dairy-free menus.
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3 New Businesses and Why They Moved DownTown
In last week's newsletter we highlighted three businesses that rooted themselves in our community long ago. This week, we will look at three businesses that are relatively newer to downtown and what attracted them to our community.
The first business, and also the newest, is Dallas Beauty Lounge at 23 Market Square. Owner Dallas Sauers is a Point Park University graduate and a lover of the downtown area. Dallas Beauty Lounge's HQ location is in Bridgeville, but in September 2018 they opened up for business in downtown as well.
"I had been looking for commercial space in the city for about a year before I found this location. I knew I wanted to be in the city because it keeps growing with our great businesses like restaurants and boutiques. I wanted to fill a void I thought the city was lacking by providing upscale, trendy services" shared Sauers.
The restaurant Forbes Tavern opened on July 1, 2018 at 310 Forbes Avenue. Co-owner David Namestnik and his business partner have owned and operated Lot 17 in Bloomfield for 18 years. Now, with an added business partner, they are taking on a new venture in downtown with Forbes Tavern.
A great neighborhood feel is important to Namestnik and his partners, so the downtown area fit just right for them. "We like the way that the Forbes Avenue corridor is changing with the addition of the playhouse and all the residential buildings. We are trying to implement what we have created in Bloomfield, which is a friendly neighborhood tavern" shared Namestnik.
A resident of downtown for a bit longer than the other two, Rock 'n' Joe Coffee Bar has been at 524 Penn Avenue since opening in January 2015. The coffee shop is a franchise company with various locations, but this is their first store in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Whether you're new to coffee or a coffee aficionado, Rock 'n' Joe Coffee Bar will have something you'll enjoy. CEO Shawn Levine shared his love for the downtown area and why the company decided to franchise here. "For us it is the energy of downtown with its mix of people living and working here. The atmosphere here is vibrant and we thought that would go well with coffee," explained Levine.
As the downtown area continues to grow, it is essential to attract new businesses like the ones mentioned above and retain the businesses that have paved the way. If we work together as a community we can create the downtown we all want to live and work in.
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"Fastest Lunch in Pittsburgh"
In July of 2018, Moe's Southwest Grill in Market Square temporarily closed its doors for renovations. When the restaurant reopened, it offered not only a fresh new look, but a completely reinvented customer experience.
Franchise owner Mike Geiger, who has overseen the Market Square Moe's since its 2008 opening, knew that the location was due for a revamp. "We only had 30 seats in the place, so it was very cramped," he says, "between 2008 and 2017, we had built our business tremendously. Our biggest complaint was that there was too long of a wait, and not enough seats." These complaints were addressed by the renovations, which included a 1500 sq ft expansion. With the extra space, Moe's was able to increase the number of seats from 30 to 58, and reposition its salsa bar for easier access.
The renovations also brought unique aesthetic changes to Moe's. "We completely rehabbed the exterior working with the historic review commission," says Geiger. The project embraced the site's interior architecture, as well. "We found exposed brick and 100-year-old timbers, and we made the decision to expose everything original that we possible could."
Once decisions were made regarding the restaurant's appearance, Geiger and his team worked to improve the customer experience. The previous decade had seen the rise of online food ordering, and pre-renovation Moe's was not equipped to meet the new demand. Now, the Market Square Moe's is #1 in the region for online orders, thanks to a complete overhaul of the mobile ordering system.
"We essentially have two operations," says Geiger, "We have two build lines, and if you make an order on our app, there's a separate operation that assembles that meal." Customers are able to pick up their online order at the restaurant's Forbes Ave entrance without waiting in line. "Regardless of the time of day, if you place [a mobile order], you can be in and out in under 60 seconds" ... "This is unheard of. We want to be the fastest lunch in Pittsburgh."
The renovations were a huge success for Moe's, which now serves a prototype for how other franchises can improve and expand their locations. Customers can stop by their location at
210 Forbes Ave to experience the improvements (and a delicious meal!) for themselves.
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There's an endless cycle of music that spins around the city: people starting bands, performing, and getting big. But what about the people who stitch those parts together? Kevin Saftner is a premier booking agent in Pittsburgh and has been invested in the business since before he could drive. With both a keen ear and eye for musicians, Saftner knows what to look for in booking a band, which in return gives that band the step up they need to enter a larger arena.
Saftner's love for the music industry began when he was young and started hosting Battle of the Bands at a local community hall. He's continued to work and grow his musical connections and is now in charge of booking for James Street Gastropub, which hosts almost 500 performances a year. But that kind of dedication can only come from someone who has a passion for what music does. "I could never play an instrument, but always understood how to get people to come together," Saftner says. "The biggest reward in this industry is when you see a packed room and everyone is nodding their heads and smiling with a beer in their hand after a long week of work."
Thanks to people like Kevin who facilitate the musical process in Pittsburgh, more and more musicians are getting chances to become part of the music scene. Last month, the DowntownCDC announced its 'Music City Downtown' initiative to try and open up more venues for rising artists to perform.
"Talking about things won't always change them. Doing things is what has to happen and hopefully 'Music City Downtown' is a catalyst for the music scene to do even more," Kevin said, and hopefully he's right. It is important to make concrete moves towards providing more opportunities for Pittsburgh bands to shine and more venues to bring in and share talent.
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The Vietnam War at Heinz History Center
Beginning on April 13, the Senator John Heinz History Center will host a groundbreaking exhibition on a controversial conflict that profoundly shaped American society - the Vietnam War.
Developed in partnership with the New-York Historical Society,
The Vietnam War: 1945-1975 exhibit takes visitors on a journey spanning the duration of U.S. involvement in Indochina, using compelling storytelling, powerful photography, and artifacts that tell the deeply personal stories of the men and women who were impacted by the war.
The Vietnam War exhibit's centerpiece is a 20-foot UH-1H "Huey" helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopters in 1966 and used by the U.S. Army from 1967 through 1970 during the Vietnam War.
The exhibit will explore themes of patriotism, duty, and citizenship through key artifacts, including a troopship berthing unit, vibrant anti-war posters, artwork by Vietnam vets, a Viet Cong bicycle, the Pentagon Papers, and historical film footage.
The History Center exhibit will also examine Western Pennsylvania's role and impact on the Vietnam War, featuring the stories of the thousands of local soldiers and citizens who fought in combat, served in support services, and participated in the political protests and humanity initiatives during and after the war.
Highlights include cots graffitied by Pennsylvanian soldiers aboard troopships obtained through the Vietnam Graffiti Project, a Viet Cong rocket launcher on loan from Soldiers & Sailors Museum, and striking photographs by Vietnam War photojournalist Eddie Adams, a New Kensington, Pa. native.
A recreated 1960s living room will showcase why the conflict is often referred to as the first "television war."
Throughout the exhibit, visitors will experience the soundtrack of a generation with music by legendary artists like Buffalo Springfield, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Marvin Gaye, and Aretha Franklin.
Part of the History Center's
America 101 initiative,
The Vietnam War exhibition looks closely at the Cold War, the draft, the growth of the anti-war movement, the role of the president, and the loss of political consensus.
The exhibit runs from Saturday, April 13, through Sunday, Sept. 22. It is included with regular museum admission.
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More Than Just Downtown: Weekly Roundup
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Music City Downtown Weekly Calendar
Andys @ Fairmont Pittsburgh
Thursday, April 11 - Mary Kay Riley -
7:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Friday, April 12 - Tania Grubbs -
8 p.m. - Midnight (DJ J. Malls 5 -7:30 p.m.)
Saturday, April 13 - Chantal Joseph -
8 p.m. - Midnight
Eddie V's
Tuesday, April 9 - Symmetry - 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10 - George Heid 3 - 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Thursday, April 11 - Reggie Watkins Quartet - 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Friday, April 12 - Symmetry - 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 13 - Alex Peck Trio - 6:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 14 - Alex Peck Trio - 5:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Monday, April 15 - Maria Becoates-Bey - 6:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
Nola on the Square
Friday, April 12 - Benny Benack - 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 13 - Richard Zabinski Trio - 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Backstage Bar @ Theatre Square
Tuesday, April 9th - Dwayne Dolphin - 5:00 p.m.
Howl at the Moon
Live music on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at
8:00 p.m. and Fridays at
6:00 p.m. For more information, visit Howl at the Moon's website
here
.
Olive or Twist
Live music every
Thursday,
Friday, and
Saturday at
9:00 p.m.
Wolfie's Pub
Friday, April 12 - Elias Khouri - 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Redbeard's on Sixth
Billy Schneider live acoustic music every Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Free JukeBox every Saturday from 7:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.
Rivers Casino
Friday, April 12 - MCG Jazz - 9:00 p.m.
Saturday, April 13 - Tres Lads -
9:00 p.m.
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Downtown Events this Week:
Check out our DowntownCDC Website for this week's events. Don't miss out on what is happening in your area! For more information and events, click
here.
Worth New York and W by Worth collections for women sizes 00-20 in The Diamond Building. Text style strategist Bear Brandegee for your appointment at 412-877-0464.
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220 5th Ave.
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
412-394-3400
An enticing menu comprised of Vallozzi family traditions such as homemade pastas (including Helen's gnocchi) and the pizza that made them famous, as well as fresh steaks and seafood. The menu also boasts a number of Italian meats and cheeses flown in from Italy weekly and served from their 'Fresh Mozzarella' bar.
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