Homestead Residents Hoping New Businesses Revitalize Community
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HOMESTEAD (KDKA) -- With new businesses and restaurants moving into the area, the people of Homestead are hoping for a revitalization in their community.
David Rodriguez, master brewer and owner of Enix Brewing Company, is ecstatic about having his business in Homestead.
"There's a lot of new stuff happening in Homestead now. We may be one of the more ambitious projects," he said.
In addition to a brewery, Enix has a restaurant and a refurbished bowling alley on East Eighth Avenue in the old Levine Brothers Hardware building.
"Everyone reminds the Levine Hardware building and the Levines and their whole legacy because they were here for a long time, and they're happy to see something new come in," said Rodriguez.
It's something that longtime Munhall resident and current employee Cassandra Zuger loves about the space.
"To have this building not torn down, and to be made into something that's going to bring revenue into my community that I grew up in, that my kids grow up in, is probably, I don't know, look I'm getting teary-eyed 'cause I love it," she said.
The businesses employ many Mon Valley residents.
"Help the community, you know, not just come here and bring people in from other places," Rodriguez said. "There's a workforce right here, willing to work, and it's convenient, both for them and us, 'cause they live nearby."
One of the few employees who is not a Mon Valley native is Chef Sean Skerrette. He's from St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"Pittsburgh has always been one of my favorite cities because I'm a big Steelers fan, so it was a really easy jump to make, and really, I have no regrets," he said.
Skerrette is serving food you might not expect to find in Homestead, but it seems to be drawing people in.
"They're going to find a lot of Spanish influence from Spain throughout the menu," Skerrette said. "I brought a little Caribbean flare to it with the oxtail, which everyone seems to love."
Meanwhile, Rodriguez hopes the revitalization will continue to other empty storefronts in the heart of Homestead.
"Put something together that, hopefully, people would come into Homestead for," he said.
