Downtown Pittsburgh business owners feeling impact of renovation projects ahead of holiday season

PITTSBURGH — Downtown Pittsburgh’s Oktoberfest finishes this weekend but it’s really just the beginning of a busy season in the city.

Light Up Night is just around the corner, along with the annual Holiday Market.

However, businesses in Market Square are not seeing the revenue they expect.

The festivals that would normally happen there have been moved due to construction ahead of the NFL Draft.

“This is pretty bad, right now,” John Gorrell told Channel 11. He’s the General Manager at Pizzaiolo Primo.

“This time of year into the second week of January is by far our busiest time of year,” he said.

It accounts for about 40% of the year’s revenue.

Now, with the loss of festivals and persistent construction, profits are unlikely to come close to a typical year.

“I think I can speak for most of the people in this square because we all talk to each other. It has been a significant financial burden, bordering on ruinous.”

“The way this is going, we ain’t gonna be here for the draft,” Joe Parsons told Channel 11 back in June.

He was the General Manager at Whiskey B’s in Market Square. Today, Whiskey B’s is gone. The business didn’t make it.

Now, the High Table has taken over the corner spot.

“We’re confident after construction is done it’ll pick up,” Assistant Manager Chris Fuget said.

He told Channel 11 that business has not been what they expected.

“It’s disappointing. I do know we’re supposed to have this finished. Hopefully, the draft makes up for the lost Christmas Market, Oktoberfest.”

As for Gorrell, a time of year when he’s usually making seasonal hires has been quiet.

“I do like the vision. It’s going to be a tough six months,” he said.

Channel 11 did reach out to the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership.

We were told that more information for businesses would be forthcoming.

In the meantime, this is what they told us last June.

“The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership understands the challenges construction presents and is committed to providing responsive, proactive support. We’re in regular contact with Market Square merchants, sharing weekly updates and gathering feedback to guide our efforts.

To support these businesses, we’ve launched a two-part assistance package: financial aid for eligible merchants and marketing initiatives to drive visibility and foot traffic throughout construction.

We encourage all merchants to share feedback or suggestions. The PDP remains a dedicated partner throughout this process."

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