When will Pittsburgh (if ever) begin having 24 hour amenities? (York: appointed, house)

[Neckbeard89]

I've spent time in a couple of cities. Some in the South are even worse, but I think Pittsburgh and Buffalo are the only cities I've been to in the northeastern part of our country that has almost nothing open past 11pm besides bars.

Now I do not mean Wal Marts and dennys and wawas (although those would be nice). For instance, in New York, I could drop off dry cleaning (the two times per year I need too!), get a bite at a decent restaurant or get a haircut all after midnight, any day of the week. I thought with all the industrial jobs (yes there still are a bunch here) and hospitals with weird swing shifts, that 24/7 places would exist outside of a couple gas stations and diners.

Is this a cultural thing, or is this just a drinking town and no one cares about much of anything outside of getting hammered and watching sports? (which are both very fun activities!)

[Pitt Chick]

Originally Posted by Neckbeard89

Is this a cultural thing, or is this just a drinking town

Neither, IMHO.
There just is not a market for that.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by Neckbeard89

I've spent time in a couple of cities. Some in the South are even worse, but I think Pittsburgh and Buffalo are the only cities I've been to in the northeastern part of our country that has almost nothing open past 11pm besides bars.

Now I do not mean Wal Marts and dennys and wawas (although those would be nice). For instance, in New York, I could drop off dry cleaning (the two times per year I need too!), get a bite at a decent restaurant or get a haircut all after midnight, any day of the week. I thought with all the industrial jobs (yes there still are a bunch here) and hospitals with weird swing shifts, that 24/7 places would exist outside of a couple gas stations and diners.

Is this a cultural thing, or is this just a drinking town and no one cares about much of anything outside of getting hammered and watching sports? (which are both very fun activities!)

Some of the Giant Eagles and other grocery stores are open around the clock. I haven't been out late that lately, but the smut stores on Smithfield in town and out on McKnight were always 24 hour operations as well.

Pittsburgh really doesn't have that much call for a lot of retail in the early a.m., but there certainly is some.

[jay5835]

The last time I visited The City That Never Sleeps, it was lights out on the Upper West Side around midnight. Seriously. Nothing open on Broadway.

[Neckbeard89]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

Neither, IMHO.
There just is not a market for that.

You don't think with a city of this size, and all the hospitals that their isn't some market? Heck, I'd be happy just being able to go somewhere to eat after 10 during the week. I'm getting tired of Primantis I am actually pretty shocked that I haven't found even a chinese delivery that is open till atleast 12. I guess it was because of drinking because usually when I eat out late, we are the only sober people in the place besides the staff.


I've also noticed a lot of places with hours like 8-4 or 9-6, too. Who the heck uses these? My only guess is the not employed and retired. So maybe its just because Pittsburgh still has too many geezers...although that doesn't explain why Pittsburgh has like 90% less donut shops than any other city I've been to.

oh well, guess I will go another couple weeks without a haircut

[Hopes]

I was disappointed in the city that doesn't sleep too. It does sleep! There really wasn't much open in the middle of the night. I'm sure I could have taken a taxi to accomplish whatever you want, but it's not like the entire city is hopping and you can just walk down the block to do X, Y or Z. You have to go out of your way to accomplish something there at night. I was also disappointed in how few things were open on Sunday.

To answer the OP's question, there just isn't a market for it in Pittsburgh. Shift work doesn't interfere with errands. If you work 3pm to 11pm, you can run errands before going to work. If you work 11pm-7am, everything is open when you aren't working. The people with the least flexibility for shopping are the people who work a normal business shift from 9-5. They have more limited hours available when things are open than the people who work other shifts.

[Hopes]

Originally Posted by Neckbeard89

You don't think with a city of this size, and all the hospitals that their isn't some market? Heck, I'd be happy just being able to go somewhere to eat after 10 during the week. I'm getting tired of Primantis I am actually pretty shocked that I haven't found even a chinese delivery that is open till atleast 12. I guess it was because of drinking because usually when I eat out late, we are the only sober people in the place besides the staff.

That's illogical. If drinking was the major focus of the population, MORE restaurants would be open late to snag those drinkers as customers. The reality is that your desire to be out late is more the schedule of drinkers. The majority of the population isn't out drinking. We're all at home while you're out with the drinkers looking for something to eat.

Originally Posted by Neckbeard89

I've also noticed a lot of places with hours like 8-4 or 9-6, too. Who the heck uses these? My only guess is the not employed and retired. So maybe its just because Pittsburgh still has too many geezers...

It's because small business owners like to set their work hours so they have family time. Maybe their customers are all of the hospital and industrial workers who work at night. After all, they are the ones who are able to shop and eat from 8-4 and 9-6.

Originally Posted by Neckbeard89

although that doesn't explain why Pittsburgh has like 90% less donut shops than any other city I've been to.

Thank goodness! I'm not a fan.

Originally Posted by Neckbeard89

oh well, guess I will go another couple weeks without a haircut

Really? You can't coordinate your life to get a haircut when you're not working?!?!?

[grep]

I know these are all food spots, but since you said you were getting tired of primanti's:

Fuel and fuddle (oakland): kitchen open till 1 or 2 am (I think) depending on the night of the week
Cambodican (south side): open past 2am on fri and sat, not sure about other days of the week
Ritter's (Bloomfield): open 24/7
Sandwich shop (Bloomfield): open at lunch and midnight to 4am Thursday, 1am to 5am friday and Saturday. Their hours seem to change, but I believe these are accurate as of a few weeks ago.
McDonald's (Oakland): 24/7
Anton's and sorrento's (Oakland): cheap pizza. I think both are open until three am on fri and sat, but be prepared to navigate through a sea of drunk college kids and possibly get high-fived. Antoon's has no seating. There is also some new Mexican place that grills on the sidewalk near the old India garden. They seem to be open late-- anyone got more details?

I know Oakland has other spots open after midnight, but I'm not sure what they are anymore.... Maybe pizza sola and leena's? I believe that sadly T-rav has closed up shop for good.

[grep]

The squirrel hill giant eagle used to be open 24/7 but sadly I believe that is no longer the case, although they still close late. Are any of the other locations open all the time?

I've heard that jack's in the southside is an "after hours" bar-- that is, it opens at 5am or something so that night shift workers can drink and socialize a little before going to sleep. Can anyone confirm or deny this?

[SteelCityRising]

For those who proclaim there's "no market" in Pittsburgh for late-night business ventures have any of you ever been to the Shadyside GetGo late at night? It's packed! I typically leave the house for work at 10 AM and don't arrive home until almost 10 PM six days per week, so I'm one of many here who would strongly prefer to run my errands late at night. Not everyone works a 9-5. Heck, the roads are packed here in the East End at 11 AM and 2 PM, meaning that either a lot of East Enders also work non-traditional schedules, as I do, or just don't work at all for whatever reason. Saying "at least you have Ritter's, Primanti's, Eat 'n Park, McDonald's, and GetGo..." is of little consolation because all of those places suck!