Tag Archives: pghretail

Historic Deutschtown Business District

Recent developments in the Northside for retail are growing with new urban mall re-branding, lofts, hotels, breweries, and more. Local groups collectively developed a marketing video to highlight one of the most prominent business districts in the Northside community, East Ohio Street, which is part of Historic Deutschtown.

Learn more about the neighborhood and business opportunities from the links highlighted at the end of the video:

deutschtown.org/

pittsburghnorthside.com/

nscdfund.org/

northsidechamberofcommerce.com/

This video was also sponsored by The Buhl Foundation‘s #onenorthside campaign and The Sprout Fund.

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Register for October 28th Square Workshop

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NEW! CAM: Building Micro-Entrepreneurs

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SUPPORT OUR FREE WORKSHOP SERIES
As a big THANK YOU! to everyone who donates, we will send you an email report after the workshop series with what was shared, what we learned, and what’s next! So, even if you’re unable to make a workshop, you’ll still receive a part of each class.

https://www.ioby.org/project/cam-growing-micro-entrepreneurs

Our local sponsor, The Sprout Fund, will match your donation up to $1,000.  Your contribution is greatly appreciated!

Monthly workshop series beginning in September through December 2015.

Location: Crazy Mocha (Northside of Pittsburgh)
2 E North Ave, Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Wednesday’s from 5:30PM – 7:00PM
Arrive early and grab a warm tea latte, or enjoy a handmade sandwich, to support our local venue for hosting these free micro-workshops.

Limited seating to 12 people, first come-first serve basis.
Workshop Series Registration Here

October 28th:  “Square Reader; Outside the Box”

November 18th: “Minimal Prep to Maximize Your Write-Offs: Utilizing Google Docs”

December 16th: “Open Help Session & Holiday Party”

2016 Workshops
“Hobby-to-Home Business Prep”
To be held in early 2016. If interested, fill out the registration form to get on the mailing list. Workshop Series Registration Here

Crowdfunding For Free Skill Sharing Events

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As of today, we need just $96 more dollars…

to unlock our matching funds and reach our ultimate goal. Each donation, no matter how large or small, will receive an emailed report on all events in the series that you get whether you can attend the workshop(s) or not. Support this programming by donating a small investment of your own at:
https://www.ioby.org/project/cam-growing-micro-entrepreneurs

NEW! CAM: Growing Micro-Entrepreneurs
Register for the first workshop here: http://goo.gl/forms/wuCWnFRlMG

growing-micro-entrepreneurs(5)

Pittsburgh Retail worked with community groups on the Northside of Pittsburgh to bring another year of Cedar Arts Market to Allegheny Commons East Park.  With the help of a supporting grant we were able to sponsor and introduce the first Pittsburgh VegFest this past August.

When offered the opportunity to raise funds for an extension of the program, it was a great time to begin a different series of events that offered skill-sharing for organization and fundamental bookkeeping by using the best available mobile and tech applications out there.

Micro-entrepreneurs aren’t a new thing, what is different though, is the latest technology.  Now more than ever are individuals easily able to make a quick investment with rewarding outcomes.  Software companies are releasing new partnerships daily that overlap functions to streamline user access, time, and return value on often free programs.

That is where CAM’s new series, Growing Micro-Entrepreneurs, is focusing on and highlighting specific applications, benefits, and tips to streamline the back-end of your retail business.  Hey Baby! Boutique owner, Karyn Pope, who creates, markets, and sells her wares throughout Western Pennsylvania has set up a system based on her knowledge and past experience as an accountant.

These workshops are open and free to the public, are intended for beginners and seasoned retailers.  If you are new to, or interested in learning more about, mobile POS systems,  preparing business taxes, utilizing applications and updated features of favorite office tools like, Google and Excel, then this workshop series is for you.

Summer Sponsored Markets 2015

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PGHRetail has been organizing and sponsoring community events and markets since 2011.  It’s gratifying to be a resource for opportunities and networking to grow our local economy in a multitude of ways.  When groups of people come together for a similar mission, great things happen and attract future prosperity by nurturing those endeavors. Your support means the most to each individual involved, and for that I’d like to thank anyone and everyone who’s been part of this five year journey.  To many more moments together for our mutual dreams that no amount of money can buy.

Our organized events will be held in the North Side of Pittsburgh in Allegheny Commons Park.  Check out the Events Page for more details about the Cedar Arts Markets.

For more local on-going summer events around the city, there are a few resources PGHretail has worked with in the past below. Many other resources are out there if you’re not seeing events in your neighborhood. Check with your businesses and community groups for their events and opportunities to partner.

Second Shift Crafters
I Made It! Market
Neighborhood Flea
CitiParks Farmer’s Markets

Augmented Reality for Retail Advertising

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Featuring Layar, a scanning app for print media, adding more digital layers to your shopping and reading experience.

layar logo v2

We were excited to try out our print advertising for Designer Deals Downtown in the November and December editions in the first local magazine in Pittsburgh, and nationally, to use this new technology in their printed media.

Find NightWire every month at a local distributor and download the app to view more to the ads: videos, websites, and deals!

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Want to know more about how to use this new technology for your retail business? Email pghretail [at] gmail.com for your first free consulting meeting.

Second Shift Crafters

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PGHretail is delighted to work with Second Shift Crafters, a new local shopping event group, bringing makers, bakers, crafters, designers, and artists to your neighborhood.

Their first show is on Small Business Saturday, November 29th from 12:00p – 6:00p featuring 30+ crafters, bands, Maggie’s Farm Rum, Most Wanted Fine Art, East End Brewery, and kids activities!

NEXT Pittsburgh: California Markets

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I was delighted to talk to Traci Cierto earlier in August about the the California Markets and it’s future in the California Ave. Business District in Brighton Heights. 

You can read more about ourBiz Buzz project and others here ===>> nextpittsburgh.com/

New! The Cedar Arts Market

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Cedar Art Markets in the Northside of Pittsburgh this summer!

cedar-nsc-ad-quarter

Join us for the new Cedar Arts Market in the Allegheny Commons Park East every Second Saturday this summer beginning on June 14th.

In partnership with the Community Alliance of Spring Garden and East Deutschtown, the Cedar Arts Market will be joining the annual Allegheny Commons Flea Market from 10:00am – 4:oopm.

Early birds can begin their shopping at the Allegheny Commons Flea Market from 8:30am – 2:00pm

Markets are located on the corners of Cedar Ave. at E Ohio St. at the end of East Deutschtown Business District.

Special TRIPLE EVENT on July 12th with the 2nd Annual Deutschtown Music Festival! Check out the Cedar Market page for more details.

Interested vendors can apply at the Become A Vendor! page.

Visit PGHretail Facebook to join and share the events with your community:

June 14th
July 12th
August 9th
September 13th

Connect Card Rewards

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ConnectCard

The Port Authority of Pittsburgh has made leaps and bounds by activating the Connect Card program to make bus fare more efficient and data collection to adjust routes.

PGHretail was able to sit down with Port Authority directors to discuss retail marketing initiatives, primarily, the rebranding of their Riders Rewards.

The Port Authority is moving as quickly as they can to meet demands of public transit riders and partner with local businesses to add value to users of the Connect Card.

You can see a list of current participants of Connect Rewards here.

What deals would you like to see on there? Any local businesses you frequent often on your bus routes you’d enjoy additional rewards at? Go ahead and let us know right here in the comments or by email at pghretail [@] gmail dot com.

The Case for Water Taxis

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After our sit down with the Port Authority back in October 2013, PGHretail began investigating water taxi’s more heavily.  We made a call in to Wandella Boats, Chicago’s premier commuter water taxi service.  The Director of Operations was very excited to talk to us and share information about the water taxi business.

Their business has been picking up to expand their boat fleet. Largest users were suburban residents coming to downtown through park-n-rides. They run their commuter business from March until November with competitive rates against bus fares.  Just by glancing at our river system, it was expressed that Pittsburgh has the ability to be successful in the water taxi business with optimal travel time to destinations within the three rivers.

CSERIES_WATER_TAXI_TN

How exciting! So, PGHretail began researching past water taxi initiatives and the current status.  It was mentioned by the County’s Economic Director, Bob Hurley, that in the past there was a water taxi service that didn’t quite catch on.  Read more about the previous project in the BizJournal article from Sept 2003, BizJournal article from May 2005, Post Gazette article from June 2008, and Post Gazette article from May 2009

We found that despite the lack of success then, Federal Funding had been given yet again to the Port of Pittsburgh in 2011 to develop a water taxi dock system and earmarked funding for commuter taxi boats.  Read more in the Post Gazette article from August 2011 and  Trib-Live article from October 2012.

PGHretail contacted Mark Schiller, owner of Pittsburgh Water Limo, who is the only ferry boat company who has publicly announced interest in pursuing the water taxi service.  He was adamant that water taxi service would thrive in Pittsburgh under a free-enterprise business. Ongoing discussions with the Port of Pittsburgh, URA, and other key players have been going on over the past three years.

Mr. Schiller directed PGHretail to contact another interested individual to partner in the investigation and lobbying of the water taxi project to the Allegheny County and City of Pittsburgh. This highly active and insightful guy is Dave Mansueto.  We can’t even begin to tell you all the awesome start-up projects Mr. Mansueto is in. His current project is a mobile Podcast app called bossjockstudio.com/.  You can follow him on Twitter @tacomancini.