Volume 31 No. 1
January 2015
Buhl Foundation honors Stedeford’s keeping vinyl, One Northside initiative music alive in Northside By Justin Criado The Buhl Foundation hosted the One Northside celebration Tuesday, Dec. 2 at Heinz Field to recognize the initiative’s progress over the past 18 months, and announce future strategies and programs. “This has really been about working with residents on the Northside to shape what we want to do,” foundation vice president Diana Bucco said during the program. The initiative started with a general census asking Northside residents what areas they feel needs most improved throughout Northside neighborhoods. From the census information, three key areas were defined; education, employment and quality of place. “When we began this journey about 18 months ago a lot of people thought we were crazy because it was impossible to get the Northside to work together,” foundation president Fred Thieman said. “The last 18 months and in particular the last eight months have proven that the investment we made so far and the investment we’re going to make has worked so far.” Strategy and action teams comprised of community leaders and members started holding open discussions with the foundation and other community outreach programs to form missions and goals regarding the three areas of interest. “We learned that Northsiders were passionate,” Thie-
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man said. “Diversity on the Northside is embraced and celebrated. It’s considered an asset.” Steelers chairman and lifelong Northsider Dan Rooney and his wife, Patricia, attended the celebration and spoke of their affinity for the area they’ve called home for all their lives. “I’m certainly honored and we both are to be part of the celebration,” Patricia said. “I remember growing up and Lake Elizabeth was a swimming pool. We went to school at St. Peter’s school...Thank you for all the work you’re doing in your neighborhood and I want to thank all the people who I’ve had the privilege of working with.” Dan added: “It’s great and I just want to say that we really love the Northside. Trisha and I grew up here and it was fun all the time.” Chief Executive Rich Fitzgerald recalled a tour the Rooneys gave him of Manchester and surrounding areas. “He actually took me on a tour one day and I don’t know if he has more pride in the Northside than that other thing he does (with the Steelers),” Fitzgerald said. “It’s really great to see the energy. I know what’s talked about are the challenges, but what overwhelms them are the opportunities. There’s so many opportunities and so many great things that are happening on the Northside.” See One Northside, Page 6
-Auxiliary gives back, Page 5 STORIES, COLUMNS, -MF holiday art market, Page 12 FEATURES & MORE -Education, Page 22
Photo by Justin Criado
Stedeford’s owner Lon Leist holds up an old newspaper article that highlighted the history of the store and his grandmother, Dolores. By Justin Criado East Ohio Street in Northside’s Historic Deutschtown is as unique as any street in the city. The turn-of-the-century architecture mixed with modern businesses gives it a one-of-akind presentation, and thanks to Stedeford’s Discount Records & Tapes, the street has a signature sound as the shop has been providing free tunes and grooves, within reasonable volume, of course, since they’ve been allowed to. “We used to have a giant subwoofer out there,” current owner Lon Leist said. “You could hear it up by the hospital.”
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Lon, 34, is the third-generation owner of what is now Pittsburgh’s oldest record store. The business originally opened as a jewelry store in 1948, and began selling records exclusively in the mid-1950s. “Eventually they grew gradually into selling all music when 78s and 45s became popular,” Ron Leist said. After 35 years of working in the store, Ron retired as owner three years ago when he passed it along to his son, Lon, but what he’s most proud of is his mother’s, Dolores, legacy. See Stedeford’s, Page 16
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