By Anna Yoder | Columnist I know I am not the first and most assuredly I will not be the last person to write about Eugene Thomas, the affable and successful Northside businessman and owner of a Northside staple, Quik-It Chicken. There is so much to write about Eugene Thomas, I quite frankly did not...

By Anna Yoder | Columnist “Lions and tigers and bears oh my” is a famous line spoken by Dorothy in the 1939 beloved movie “The Wizard of Oz” and often used to express fear or apprehension. However, it’s “dogs, cats, birds, rabbits, reptiles, pet rodents and ferrets, oh my” which describe the variety...

By Anna Yoder | Columnist An abacus, a book entitled “The Drunken Botanist” and a magenta-colored vintage velveteen couch are a few of the items that adorn the inviting sitting area of Scratch & Co., a multi-faceted, unique establishment owned by Don Mahaney. Scratch sits at the crest of Troy Hill a...

By Anna Yoder | Columnist My father is a gifted musician who shared his talent of playing the accordion with me. Regrettably, I did not inherit his level of talent. In 1972, he gave me a little porcelain accordion figure that I never knew anything about until, as an adult, I discovered it was an “Oc...

Drew Mathieson Greenhouse at Bidwell Training Center: Where education and the love of plants flourish By Anna Yoder, Membership Director - North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Photo: Drew Mathieson Greenhouse If there can be a silver lining to the pandemic, it is my rediscovery of the Drew Mathieson...

Allegheny City Brewing: Where community is as important as craft beer By Anna Yoder, Membership Director - North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Photo: Allegheny City Brewing owners Al Grasso, Amy Yurkovich, and Matt Yurkovich by Jeff Geisler It was late Fall of 2016 when my husband and I were on a s...

Priory Fine Pastries: It’s a sweet life indeed! By Anna Yoder, Membership Director - North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Photo: Banana Split, Rocky Road, and Orange Creamsicle cupcakes from Priory Fine Pastries courtesy of Priory Fine Pastries Years ago, I encountered the most delectable pastry at ...

Riggs Lounge: 'Where everybody knows your name' By Anna Yoder, Membership Director - North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Photo: Longtime bartender Rick Taylor and owner Marshall Riggs behind the bar at Riggs Lounge on Brighton Road, the 'best kept secret on the Northside.' by Anna Yoder You might r...

North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Membership Director Anna Yoder says 'SHINE puts the sparkle back in your car!' By Anna Yoder, Membership Director - North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Photo: Shamon Tate Walker, owner of SHINE, by Anna Yoder Sitting on a cold concrete curb in a church parking l...

North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Membership Director Anna Yoder says Fish On Bait and Tackle in Observatory Hill will “reel you in!” By Anna Yoder, Membership Director - North Side/Shore Chamber of Commerce Photo: Lauren Stauffer When I was growing up, it was common to find friendly neighborhood...