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Old 06-01-2012, 05:54 AM
 
802 posts, read 1,321,492 times
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Two longtime Downtown Pittsburgh eateries close their doors - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

I guess Cherries will be the next to go. I am especially sad to see George Aiken close down. Their food was good and cheap.

Pittsburgh is losing the things that make it unique. I guess places like Smithfield Cafe and George Aiken don't appeal to the people who work downtown during the week.


In one day last week, 122 years of edible Pittsburgh history became, well, history. Last Friday, The Smithfield Cafe and George Aiken's both closed their doors for good -- victims of the highs and lows of the Downtown real estate market.
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:07 AM
 
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Never happy to see a place close, but the Smithfield St Cafe owner's continual challenging of the anti smoking laws here was not the best move.
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:11 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by UKyank View Post
Never happy to see a place close, but the Smithfield St Cafe owner's continual challenging of the anti smoking laws here was not the best move.
Yeah that probably didn't help. I don't think many people want to eat where there's cigarette smoke around them.
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:22 AM
 
Location: ɥbɹnqsʇʇıd
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Ugh this sucks. This is why downtown has little appeal, no one wants to go out of their way to eat at chains. Please keep Cherries around at least.
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:39 AM
 
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It's a little sad but not really surprising. The Smithfield Cafe looked like a bit of a dump from the outside and while I only ever ate there once, I don't remember the food being very special. There are so many great (non-chain) places to eat and drink downtown, it's not surprising that they couldn't compete.
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:39 AM
 
802 posts, read 1,321,492 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl View Post
Ugh this sucks. This is why downtown has little appeal, no one wants to go out of their way to eat at chains. Please keep Cherries around at least.
I agree. If this trend continues in Pittsburgh and other cities, then downtown areas will be just like the suburbs.

Fast food and chain restaurants like Olive Garden and Chipotle. Blah

Even though I like Five Guys, if you get their burger, fries and a Coke you pay close to $10.00. At George Aiken you could buy the same thing for about $6.00.
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:42 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,227 posts, read 16,821,015 times
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Aikens is closing because the ura is kicking him out. Personally I don't think the ura should own any downtown property as there is no need. There's a healthy real estate market and their services are not needed. Let the market decide the mix of buildings and businesses. It seems smithfield was unable to change and probably wasn't as good as it was in the past.
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:48 AM
 
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Outside of quick lunch places, I would not call Dowtown anywhere close to being overrun with chain restuarants, in fact I can't think of any at all there outside of fast food. Just because something has been around a long time doesn't de facto make it good. (though I would also peg alot of the Smithfield Cafe's problems being its location being nothing more then a crowded bus stop half the day).
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Old 06-01-2012, 06:52 AM
 
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I won't miss the Smithfield Cafe anywhere near as much as George Aiken. I was only at Smithfield once and what I had I really wasn't impressed with.
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Old 06-01-2012, 07:01 AM
 
Location: ɥbɹnqsʇʇıd
4,599 posts, read 6,719,253 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by UKyank View Post
Outside of quick lunch places, I would not call Dowtown anywhere close to being overrun with chain restuarants,
You're right, but that is not stopping them from trying. For example there are 5 Au Bon Pain's, 4 Bruegers, 3 McDonalds, 2 Qdoba's, 3 Sbarro's, 8 (!) Starbucks, 7 Subways, and 2 Wendy's down here.
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