Local Entrepreneurs Open Unique, New Businesses Across Neighborhoods

The last year has seen an influx of new businesses crop up all throughout the region. Although the businesses highlighted below could not be more different from each other, what connects them is their owners’ passion for creating a comfortable and inviting space for customers.

Owner of Domestic Witch, Brittany Leshen

Domestic Witch, West View

When returning home from trips to Salem, Massachusetts, Brittany Leshen always felt as if she left a piece of herself in the legendary witchy community. Leshen, a hairstylist by trade, decided to open a gift shop for the domestic witch in all of us, a term she associates with healing and whimsy. “I find a lot of my joy being at home and healing and being in my own space,” she said.

Leshen describes herself as a ‘weird and whimsical’ artist, focusing especially on Victorian and Edwardian vintage pieces and repurposing them. In fact, she describes her shop as “…a collection of everything you could possibly think of when you walk into a gift shop. I really wanted to provide a welcoming and safe space for local artists and customers.” For example, in her kid-friendly shop, she houses the works of many artists near and far and also carries candles, room sprays, stickers, body oils and altar items, like shells and feathers. “Aside from art, you can get some self-care items, like bath salts, and you can even make your own. It is really a space for healing and taking care of you,” she added.

DooBoo, East Liberty

Olivia Tang opened her Asian-inspired stationery store this past Christmas, though she said ‘stationery’ is a loose term, as she also sells pens, notebooks, highlighters, washi tape, ink pads, day planners, cute stickers and more. “It came about because I’d always see and visit different stationery stores back in Taiwan, where my parents are from. There are so many cozy spots that are calming and relaxing. While we do have a lot of gift shops here in Pittsburgh, there is not one dedicated fully to stationery, at least not one with that type of vibe,” said Tang. She said that she wants customers to walk in and feel that it’s a breath of fresh air, that they can spend hours finding little things in the corners of the shop. East Liberty has transformed greatly over the past decade or so, and Tang is happy to be a part of it, noting that the diverse and growing community has embraced her business. “I’ve been receiving a lot of love from the community, which I am so grateful for; I couldn’t have asked for more. People come in and are very excited to see what is in store,” she said.

Groove Gallery and Records in Bloomfield

Groove Gallery and Records, Bloomfield

A combination art gallery and record store, Groove Gallery is a love letter to art and music, and to the married couple who owns it. Dave Cee has been in the radio business for decades, including as a DJ on WYEP. His wife, Jennifer Quinio, is an experienced gallerist. Soon after the couple was married, they bought a collection of record albums. When they opened their shop a year ago, they realized their joint dream, and with more than 18,000 records, there is something for everyone. “Groove is pretty large. We have four large rooms; the first room is a gallery, then the rest of the rooms are divided up by genre: a rock room, a jazz room, etc.,” said Cee. Plus, every six weeks or so, Groove Gallery showcases the works of a local or regional artist and holds an opening at the store. Cee said that the shop was welcomed heartily by the community. “I’m surprised at the relationships and friends that we are making just by being open. We feel like we’re a positive part of this community, and that is all we really want to be.”

Passionate Pages, Lawrenceville

Passionate Pages is Lawrenceville’s first bookstore and the only one in the region dedicated to romance. Owner Joedda McClain, a lifetime lover of romance/fantasy books, fulfilled her retirement dream by opening up the inviting and whimsically decorated bookstore on January 31. Though there was a major winter storm that day, that did not stop curious customers. Since then, the popularity of Passionate Pages has only grown. “I’ve gotten so much great traffic from the neighborhood. Everyone is happy about a romance bookstore,” she said, adding that this is a magical job in her eyes. She also carries book-related candles, mugs and even vintage clothes and jewelry. “We definitely want to provide a warm, cheery atmosphere to hang out and talk to other book lovers. We have chairs to invite sitting down and reading a few pages; I’m looking to make it comfortable and inviting,” said McClain. In her first month alone, she held seven events and plans to continue along that path, hosting book clubs, author signings and events like a Wuthering Heights party and an Emily Henry trivia night. “We are really trying to become a community.”

Owner of Polly and Esther, Suzie Hauptman

Polly and Esther, Garfield

Owner Suzie Hauptman’s primary goal with her retail and resale clothing boutique is to make sure customers feel welcomed and comfortable in her shop. Hauptman, who left a career as a health care compliance officer, always knew she wanted to own a business and had even thought of the “Polly and Esther” name back in the 1980s. Hauptman would describe the clothes in her shop as ”…fashion-forward classics. There are so many different colors, blacks, whites and brights, but things you can wear for years. I try to stick with classic fun. I want everyone, no matter their body type, to be comfortable in what they are wearing or buying,” she said. “My prices range from $5 to $200, so you really can get almost anything in your wardrobe.” She offers resale items and has a unique resale program. On the retail end, she is careful from whom she curates clothes, with priority to local and women-owned, if possible. Her clothes appeal to a wide gamut of people from a wide age range between 25-75, the LGBTQ+ community as well as the local Garfield melting pot, and this was all purposeful on Hauptman’s part. The store also participates in events like Girls’ Night Out and Garfield’s First Fridays, which will be offering pop-ups both in the store and outside.

Pre Amp Coffee Studio, Squirrel Hill

With menu items like a pour-over from Colombia, Smokey Robinson latte, Mount Olympus tea and Kyoto cold brew, as well as a rotating food menu, it is no wonder that one of the newest coffee shops in town is becoming one of the most popular. Owner Danny Ryan partnered with Richard DeShantz Restaurant Group to create a vinyl-themed destination in the heart of Squirrel Hill. Since its grand opening this past November, Ryan can be seen behind the bar operating the Modbar, the under-the-counter espresso machine, while records spin in the background. Ryan, who came from the NYC coffee scene, felt that Pittsburgh was in need of an elevated coffee shop. “We took inspiration from Japanese vinyl cafes. We have vinyl playing every day, beautiful wood floors and ceilings, and this really cool diner-esque counter with barstools. We made it so you feel like it’s a regular bar but with all coffee-related drinks,” said Ryan. “Our goal is to make this a bright spot in people’s day. We do that visually with the attention-to-detail design of the space, with vinyl constantly playing, and for the taste of the coffee and food we’re offering.