With Unusual Features, Market Street Grocery To Open Next Wednesday
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Finally -- at long last -- a grocery store in Downtown Pittsburgh.
"It's been a long time coming -- both for Downtown and we. The partners have been plugging away at it for close to two years," co-owner Julian Vallozzi told KDKA money editor Jon Delano on Thursday.
It's called the Market Street Grocery, and it's set to open to the public on Wednesday, April 22.
Dave Priselac, one of the co-owners, lives Downtown, and he knows the need for a Downtown grocery store.
"At the time I moved down here, it was pretty much Primanti Brothers and this pizza shop behind my condo building," noted Priselac.
But the owners know that to be successful the market needs to be used by the thousands who commute downtown to work,
So look for food you can take home, says Executive Chef Michael Lamantia.
"You could come over, let's say, on your way home. You could get some fresh cut deli meat to take home. Come over and get retail meat, retail poultry to make for your family. We're also going to offer some hot foods, some prepared foods if you don't feel like cooking that night," says Lamantia.
Now, of course, this isn't your standard grocery store.
For example, there's only one kind of toilet paper, but when it comes to cheeses, there's dozens and dozens of varieties and they come at all kinds of prices.
Besides a bakery and breads, fresh produce, and selected seafood items, the grocery features its own coffee bar.
"Pretty much we'll be able to make anything you can get in another coffee shop," said Lizi Gallagher, the coffee bar manager.
And while you can start your day with coffee, you can end it at the Italian wine bar.
"Right now we're starting with 10 wines," noted Sally Swiss, the wine bar manager. "The boat from Italy is on its way with more wines coming."
As for grocery pricing, the owners concede it's not as cheap as some large stores but, added Priselac, "Our goal is to kind of have a low, medium, and high priced item for any category."
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