By SUSAN JONES
It’s been about 10 years since the University Store on Fifth had a completely renovation that brought it into the 21st century. This summer’s refresh won’t be as extensive as the 2012-13 project, but it will brighten up the store, which has been at its current location since 1960.
Monica Rattigan, executive director for the four University stores, said the main floor will get new carpeting, paint and graphics, along with a new food vendor in the café area. Live Fresh Juicery — a local, minority-owned business that has locations in Homestead, the North Side and Regent Square — will fill the space most recently held by Millie’s Homemade ice cream, which moved to a larger store on Oakland Avenue.
Most of the work will be done by mid-July, Rattigan said. Live Fresh will take residence on Aug. 1 and plans to hire students. “They’ve done some pop-ups on campus, and I know the students really like their product,” she said. “We’ve been trying to partner with a local business for that space. It’s been empty for a year, so we’re excited to have something in there.”
Rattigan said they’re tentatively planning a grand reopening for Sept. 6, “to reintroduce people in the space and show people what we’ve done in there.”
The store partnered with Champion apparel earlier this year and those products will be back in the renovated space, along with League apparel and a local vendor that does Pittsburgh-themed products. Rattigan said they’re always trying to grow the number of locally sourced products the store offers.
There also will be a living wall next to the dining area, with plants from local vendor Plantscape, and new furniture in that space. “We’re trying to create a nice comfy, attractive space for students to gather in,” she said.
For now, the work is only on the main floor. They are looking at different options for the lower level. Rattigan said the Center for Creativity has expanded some in the past year, but there’s still room to grow since course materials take up much less space because many are now digital.
Rattigan has been executive director of the four University stores — which include the Pitt Shops on Forbes Avenue and at the Petersen Events Center, along with Maggie & Stella’s on Fifth Avenue — for four years. She started with the stores 20 years ago as a temp, served as manager and buyer for Maggie & Stella’s for eight years and was director of the stores before taking her current position.
She hopes to have more events in Maggie & Stella’s now that the pandemic is over. At the Pitt Shop at the Pete, Rattigan said they’ve been working on expanding the product mix to appeal to the upper campus, “So not just event driven …, but med school, dental school, what do the students at Panther Hall and Sutherland need.” They also might add some seating options outside the store to draw more people to the lobby.
The stores have 35 to 40 non-student staff, working full- and part-time, then they employ 40 to 50 students per semester who work around 10 hours a week each.
Susan Jones is editor of the University Times. Reach her at suejones@pitt.edu or 724-244-4042.
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