Pittsburgh Public Market Also Serving As Business Training Center
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- You can find all sorts of stuff at the Pittsburgh Public Market in the Strip District.
A new booth opened for business Friday and it's set up to be a mini general store featuring local products.
From black and gold chips to syrup for making your own soda, the booth has a little bit of everything and most of the products are produced right here in Pittsburgh.
For the workers manning the general store stand, the experience is more than just selling local items, it is also about learning.
"It's bringing in individuals either on welfare benefits or unemployment or disability, to get them in here, give them training, so they are able to go out into the work force and have their own business in the future," said Marie Garda-Knoche, of Neighbors in the Strip.
Thanks to a grant received by Neighbors in the Strip, a non-profit group, over the next year up to 20 trainees will be educated on retail and how it works.
"They are going to be doing everything from the beginning, from the setup, from the marketing, ordering products, purchase orders, working with quick books," said Garda-Knoche.
It's vital information for anyone wanting to enter the work force.
Tish Dolby, a trainee, has been looking for work for a while.
"I'm real thankful because without this I would probably still be struggling, trying to figure out the ins and outs and what I need to get the qualifications, to get the knowledge of working with vendors or making those contacts, vendor contacts," said Dolby.
Each trainee will go through 12-weeks of job training, receiving stipends along the way. At the end, they'll have help either setting up their own booths at the market or finding work at other businesses in the Strip.
Some of the trainees already have a plan in place.
"The experience that I'm hoping to gain at this market is something that can help me with my own business in terms of how to order and be a better business woman on my own," said Dawn Jackson, another trainee.
The market is open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
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