Today was solid. Had class with Dr. Jones and learned about PESTEL. Then we had lunch with executive-in-residence Joe Pietropola and talked about his career and journey at Dick’s Sporting Goods. I think the coolest story he told us was when he and his team rolled out the curbside pickup system for Dick’s in under 48 hours after COVID shut everything down. He also helped us think through seasonality for Carrigart by sharing how, at Dick’s, he implemented systems to boost efficiency in the shoe departments. One of those included digital tools that let customers check whether a shoe was in stock before even coming to the store. Now we have a real example of how to maximize operations when foot traffic is at its peak…
After lunch, we regrouped in the classroom with Dr. Hnatkovich to go over all the pre-departure info and details for our travels to Philadelphia, Dublin, Belfast, and Co. Donegal. Once that was wrapped, we headed to Grapow Asian Street Food. I had the Grapow Burger and it was delicious…
We talked to the owner, Chef Nima Sherpa, about his journey, from starting as a dishwasher at his school to now owning his own spot. Pretty inspirational. Unlike other Asian kitchens in the area, he focuses solely on street food, using ingredients that make Asian diners feel at home without the long wait. When I asked how he handles the summer drop in foot traffic with students gone, he surprised us by saying this is actually his first full year operating the restaurant. He just opened last year. He said it’s a bit scary navigating this part of the business cycle, but he’s got some marketing ideas in motion, like working with Pittsburgh influencers to grow his online presence. He’s also thinking about hiring an artist to paint a mural on the front of the building. And even though his location is basically on Carnegie Mellon’s territory, he accepts Panther Funds, which should help bring in more Pitt students once the school year kicks off. Right now, he said 99 percent of his customers are CMU students, so he’s hoping Panther Funds will help expand that reach…
After meeting with both of these business professionals, the one thing that stuck with me is that I have to make my own journey. Both of them had other options but chose what they knew was right for them, and neither has any regrets. All around, today was a pretty inspirational day.
After our group dinner, we left the restaurant, and I walked across the street to What’s Good Thrift Store. I briefly talked to the owner about the seasonality of running a business so close to a university. She said it’s tough, but things usually pay off during the first two or three months after the academic year starts. Such a cool spot, and I ended up grabbing a vintage Pitt quarter-zip from the university section. I hastily unfolded the quarter-zip before I took this photo, so excuse the wrinkles and odd folds of the garment in this photo…
After the thrift shop, we went to Sennot Square to lock in on studying. We did more chatting than actual schoolwork, but some solid progress was made. Then, while we were still in the study room, we actually saw a smoke shop get robbed. We heard glass break, looked out, and saw guys sprinting away. When we left Sennot and walked over to Insomnia Cookies, we saw the aftermath. The shopkeeper was sweeping up broken glass…
I feel bad for that shopkeeper, but I guess that comes with operating in an urban location. After some vanilla ice cream from Insomnia Cookies, we headed back to the dorms and called it a night.