Today, our objective was to research the main street of Shadyside to practice talking to individuals and local businesses. My group, the business development group, strolled through the town to discover what steps Shadyside had taken to maximize its development within its community and businesses. The easiest lens to spot was the businesses. Walking down Walnut Street showed the abundance of stores that were easily accessible to the public. Ranging from Sephora to local cafes, the landscape was impossible to miss. What took more digging was community organizations. Unlike storefronts, resident groups and non-profits were harder to find. We had to take a trip to the Chamber of Commerce on Walnut Street to discover more about the town and what they advocated for.
As stated, we visited the Chamber of Commerce to meet Abby, an operator at CoHatch. We found out that the building was more of a coworking space; Abby was knowledgeable about what the Chamber of Commerce does for its town. She stated that she communicates with them, as she told us about the events they hold in Shadyside. For example, she told us the most popular traditional event they hold is Jam on Walnut. It runs from August to the beginning of September, with the streets packed with civilians and live music playing. This interaction showed us how Shadyside is supported by a mix of corporate spaces, local networking hubs, popular named-brand stores, and active community efforts.
Our next stop was meeting Sherree Goldstein, the owner of Square Cafe. Sherree has been in operations for twenty-three years, and six of them being in Shadyside. The cafe has an at-home feeling and is infamous for its popular breakfast and lunch. The Square Cafe is located in Shadyside, close to East Liberty. Through our conversation with Sherree, we learned that the Square Cafe has done more than serve happy customers delicious meals. She has been deeply involved in non-profit organizations and uses her business to help her community. The Square Cafe also collaborates with other local businesses, creating a funnel of revenue that both businesses can profit from. Through our conversations with locals, it has provided me with a sense of what to expect when headed to Carrigart, and how to ask questions that are meaningful to the people there. My only fear is not being able to get my words out, and miscommunicating with the locals.
