STORE OWNERS LOVE DOWNTOWN
Call location perfect for their concept shop
If anyone is going to be a champion for Downtown, it’s going to be the owners of love, Pittsburgh. When a 900-square foot storefront became available on Market Street, Kelly Sanders and Monica Grunick knew “immediately” that it was the perfect place for their new concept store.
“We kind of look at Downtown as this excellent opportunity,” Ms. Sanders said. “I mean, there are so many places where businesses could start small and just be found. We can welcome that and it can bring more life to Downtown.”
In April, the co-owners opened their first concept store, love, in Market Square. The shop features locally made items from artists and workers motivated by the idea of loving oneself and others. Though owned by Ms. Grunick and Ms. Sanders, the store is not part of the love, Pittsburgh brand.
“It’s all things that we have curated and it’s really like we are our first customer,” Ms. Grunick said. “All the things in the store are really special to us. And they’re also just meant to be like reminders that you should take care of yourself first and show yourself love. So we’d like to think of it also as a way to self gift and just treat yourself a bit.”
A focus on local
Ms. Grunick and Ms. Sanders first got into business in 2017 after meeting at a Pittsburgh Technology event. Pittsburgh natives, they commiserated over the lack of stores that sell items from local artists and craftsmen. From there, they opened the first love, Pittsburgh location on Mount Washington.
“The whole idea behind it was that we wanted to be very clear of where things were coming from,” Ms. Sanders said. “And at the time we found it a little bit more difficult to shop on sites like Etsy and started to find local events.”
When love, Pittsburgh first opened, the store partnered with 40 local makers. It now works with over 120.
The business also expanded to new locations in the Strip District in 2021 and in Downtown in 2018.
The two say love, Pittsburgh’s Downtown location has helped expand the brand’s market.
“We still do get our local people, but it’s just kind of transformed out to the visitors and to the people who are coming in from out of town or spending the weekend who are doing something fun in Pittsburgh,” Ms.
Sanders said. “We’re so happy to be there for them and to be a thing where they can come to shop and take something home. Either at love or love, Pittsburgh.”
‘An advocate for Downtown Pittsburgh’
Things have changed Downtown, Ms. Sanders said, but only as a result of the pandemic. The owners acknowledge that the everyday hustle and bustle has quieted, although they still have a solid customer base during the week, Ms. Sanders said.
Even so, they believe Downtown remains a point of pride for the city, and they have no intention of skipping out anytime soon.
“We feel very strong and supportive of Downtown in general and we know that there’s a lot of efforts being made to keep it clean and safe, like the Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership,” Ms. Grunick said. “We have a very strong relationship with other small business owners Downtown. We support each other and recommend each other. And I think it’s just really important to continue to be an advocate for Downtown Pittsburgh in general.”
Ms. Grunick and Ms. Sanders are currently navigating the holiday season as they are getting “tons of foot traffic,” Ms. Grunick said. The business participates in the Peoples Gas Holiday Market this time of year, during which they sell items from both love and love, Pittsburgh.
Both owners are really looking forward to celebrating their first Valentine’s Day at the Market Square concept store.
“It’s something that is a mantra: fill up your cup first and what’s left you can spill over to others and share with the rest of the world,” Ms. Grunick said. “But you have to kind of make sure that you’re treating yourself really well to be able to do that.
“That’s really how we look at the store and what it represents. We hope that we can be a little reminder for people to do the same for themselves.”