Pittsburgh, the city I love and live in, is changing dramatically and has been for a few years now. It's booming as a hub for commercial enterprises and medical innovations but its landscape is changing. Downtown, an area once known for its retail shops like Macy's and Saks Fifth Avenue, is being transformed into a residential hotspot with more condos being built into the skyline. And many surrounding neighborhoods are undergoing a facelift, like my neighborhood the North Side. This is a good thing but considering the recent closing of the Macy's in Downtown, there's a massive void of retailers in the area.
The only clothing stores now are Burlington Coat Factory and Brooks Brothers amidst discount stores. To get a satisfactory shopping experience, a Pittsburgher would have to travel to either Robinson, Ross Park Mall, Walnut Street, or the Waterfront. (I would include the South Side, but it's facing the same problems as Downtown.) Most of these locations are a good drive away from the city. We're really is in desperate need of some good clothing outlets, and it's clear with the recent departure of Macy's that the solution to this problem is not department stores.
Since the number of residents in that area will increase significantly in the next few years, I have a few ideas as to the retailers who should make a presence in Downtown Pittsburgh. This list is just a list of a few retailers that I know would see traction with boutique stores:
These retailers provide exceptional clothing at different price ranges that are affordable to many different types of consumers. They also provide a good range of clothing styles from work clothes to date night and so on. The point is Downtown has so many dead zones and empty areas that a few boutiques would really bring some much needed vitality to the city and make shopping more convenient for the many college kids who don't have a car.
These are really exciting times for the city and I cannot wait for what is next to come.
~Renee
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