Ben & Jerry's to open Downtown in spring
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It's the repository for Bonnaroo Buzz, Chunky Monkey, and Chocolate Therapy. And before long you will be able to get a taste of it Downtown.
Ben & Jerry's, the ice cream maker that brought the world Cherry Garcia and Phish Food, will open its first store in Downtown Pittsburgh this spring at 936 Penn Avenue.
The store will be operated by Life'sWork, a Western Pennsylvania nonprofit that works with people with disabilities and other barriers to employment, in partnership with the Vermont-based ice cream chain.
Jessica Cox, marketing coordinator for Life'sWork, said the target date for opening the shop is April 3, when Ben & Jerry's stores worldwide offer customers free ice cream cones. But she added the opening could be delayed beyond that depending on how quickly construction progresses.
The 2,600-square-foot store will have tables and seating for customers, a bar seating area, and eventually a separate room that will be available for parties. It will sell ice cream, sorbet, low-fat frozen yogurt, milk shakes, smoothies and other items typically found at Ben & Jerry's shops.
Ms. Cox said Life'sWork scouted a couple of locations Downtown, but settled on 936 Penn because of the easy access to public transportation and the foot traffic generated in the Cultural District and by the nearby David L. Lawrence Convention Center.
She added the agency also thought it was important to expose the youth who will be working in the store to a more diverse customer base that typically comes with being Downtown.
Life'sWork helps youth and adults to achieve independence and dignity through employment opportunities. Those working at the Downtown store will be from the agency's youth program. They will be supervised by staff members.
The agency also has the franchise for the Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop in Squirrel Hill. The lease at that location expires in two years, and Life'sWork isn't sure whether it will be renewed at this point.
Rugby Realty owns the two-story building at 936 Penn. Larry Walsh, Rugby's senior vice president, said Ben & Jerry's will occupy the first floor. He hopes to convert the second into office space or perhaps a yoga studio.
In recent years, Rugby also has brought a Subway sandwich shop, Seviche restaurant, and the Sharp Edge Bistro into the 900 block of Penn Avenue. Mr. Walsh said all have done well, exceeding sales projections.
"I would say honestly that we've been on a mission with this district to provide amenities and services that will complement each other and also complement the growing residential population in the district," he said.
The foot traffic will be increasing when the Kaplan Career Institute moves to 933 Penn Ave. by the end of June. The school is now located on Wood Street near Fort Pitt Boulevard at the opposite end of town.
Kaplan, with 545 students, will occupy six floors of the eight-story building, which also is owned by Rugby. There will be 24 classrooms, seven computer labs, and an electrical stick house for training students to do electrical wiring.
First Published February 22, 2012 12:00 am
