Bloomfield barbecue spot in former Del’s location closes

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Jabo’s Smoque House and Saloon in Bloomfield has closed at 4428 Liberty Ave. It’s a barbecue spot that’s been open for just over a year in what had been a former neighborhood landmark, Del’s Bar and Ristorante DelPizzo.

Jerry “Jabo” Fedell partnered with the owner behind Pittsburgh icon Sammy’s Famous Corned Beef, Downtown, to purchase the property.

Before opening, the team apparently “traveled the country in search of the best meats, rubs, sauces and techniques. We have met a lot of amazing friends along the way that have shared their secrets, and a few beers, with us,” reads the website. “Jabo’s is the result of those travels.”

The 6,000-square-foot space includes a parking lot, patio and banquet room. The latter has its own dedicated kitchen and bar.

“The current owner has invested several hundred thousand dollars, including the addition of a custom bar,” Terri Sokoloff, president and broker for Specialty Group, writes in the press release. “It’s a turnkey business,” she says, “for a brewery, themed restaurant, caterer, sports bar or entertainment venue.” Specialty Group is spearheading the sale.

“The renovation at Jabo’s is impressive, to say the least, having erased nearly any trace of Del’s . ... The area that was once the bar was gutted and is now the dining room, and the area that was the dining room is now the bar — and it’s a beautiful one at that,” wrote Dan Gigler in the Post-Gazette in February. “Full of