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south hills living

July-August 2025

SAPLING PRESS TO OPEN NEW

MT. LEBO SHOP

CELEBRATING SMALL ARTISTS

LOCAL DAYCARE CELEBRATING 30 YEARS 'CARING, GROWING AND LEARNING'

July/August 2025

Fuel your body and taste buds at Toastique contents

Letterpress meets laughter: Sapling Press combines witty cards and community 12

Sunshine Kids celebrates 30 years

from the editor

The value of new experiences

I understand the importance of an internship in gaining valuable experience and establishing industry connections. In fact, I was an intern at the Observer-Reporter before I eventually landed a full-time gig here in 2017, and I've worked here ever since. That's why I was so excited to work with our summer intern, Haven Stetor, for our cover story and design! She designed all of the stories in this edition. Let's let her share some of her experience here at our digital marketing agency so far.

My name is Haven Stetor, and I'm entering my senior year at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, majoring in communications media marketing. I chose to pursue a summer marketing and events internship with Reimagine Main Street to gain real-world experience across all areas of marketing — from design and media writing to analytics — and to apply the skills I've developed in the classroom to meaningful projects that support local businesses and foster community engagement.

The skills and experiences I've gained throughout this internship have built a strong foundation for my future career, whether that path leads me toward design, marketing or photography. One of my proudest accomplishments during this time was being published in "South Hills Living." Every element of the Sapling Press story — from the initial interview to the final page layout — was my own work, and seeing it in print with my name on it was incredibly rewarding. It's an experience I'll carry with me throughout my professional journey. I cannot thank the team at the Observer-Reporter and Lisa Krowinski from Sapling Press enough for giving me this opportunity and bringing this story to life.

Thank you, Haven, for lending us your skills this summer! We will miss her terribly (and have asked to keep her more than a handful of times) once she heads back to school this fall.

Thanks so much for reading. Take care, and see you in the next edition.

TRISTA THURSTON

tthurston@observer-reporter.com

Advertising Director Carole DeAngelo

Contributors

Michele Gillis

Amanda Startare

Haven Stetor

on the cover

Haven Stetor/for the Observer-Reporter

Sapling Press owner Lisa Krowinski lines up a card in the Vandercook SP-15 letterpress. Krowinski is set to open a shop later this year.

FUEL YOUR BODY AND YOUR TASTE BUDS AT TOASTIQUE IN MT. LEBANON

STORY AND PHOTOS BY AMANDA STARTARE

Something new has popped up, and it’s all about toast — and other deliciously healthy snacks. Toastique, located on Route 19 in uptown Mt. Lebanon, opened its doors on June 7 and has been booming with business since.

In recent years, innovative cafes have been revitalizing communities and bringing new opportunities. Toastique is the community’s latest addition. Not only a place to grab a bite or drink a coffee, but a place to socialize, work and gather.

Toastique’s origins as a company are grassroots: a passion project for founder Brianna Keefe became so much more only two years after the opening of her first store.

Toastique, as a whole, is committed to using clean ingredients, both environmentally and for the body. Its goal is “to make healthy eating approachable, accessible and enjoyable for all.” And that is exactly what Brad and Chrissy Sileo, the owners of the local franchise location, are doing.

Toastique is an empty nest project for the Sileos, a project that they felt needed to be brought to Mt. Lebanon. Chrissy Sileo, while browsing the offerings on Toastique’s menu, had mentioned how she wished good, whole, healthy foods were offered around here. So, they made that wish a reality. Having already been in the entrepreneurial business, the Sileos dove headfirst into their new project and even had a record-setting opening for seven days straight. Needless to say, Chrissy Sileo wasn’t the only one in the area looking for something like Toastique.

Toastique has toast, as the name suggests, but the menu is much more extensive. With smoothies of all kinds, freshsqueezed juices, coffee with organic (and unique) syrups and artful bowls, Toastique’s dishes are as beautiful as they are nutritious. There are even various collagen lattes. Everything offered on the menu is as homemade as possible, even the nut butters. Raw ingredients are at the forefront, and menu items are made from scratch, bringing the community “quick, casual, good and healthy food,” says Sileo. It’s also very family-friendly, making it a perfect addition to the area. With the new kids’ menu (one that Chrissy Sileo was able to collaborate on), even young, picky eaters can enjoy what Toastique offers.

Toastique is a great place to visit to enjoy a deliciously healthy meal, but they will also soon offer catering beginning at the end of summer. They’ll have mini toasts and smoothie bowls, hearty salads and more. They are also collaborating with other businesses in the area this summer, like Mindfuel Method.

As the 41st location in the United States, the Toastique in Mt. Lebanon is still at the beginning of the company’s projected expansion, but hopefully not the only Toastique in the area. There are already ideas floating around about expansion within Pittsburgh, says Brad Sileo.

LETTERPRESS MEETS LAUGHS: SAPLING PRESS

COMBINES WITTY CARDS AND COMMUNITY

Story and photos by Haven Stetor

Letterpress printing is a technique that has been around for centuries. It involves arranging raised metal or wood type by hand, inking it and pressing it onto paper one sheet at a time. Inspired by this traditional method of print, Lisa Krowinski found a way to give it a modern twist, using it to handmake witty cards and clever knick-knacks. She opened Sapling Press in 2003 and has been using the business as a creative outlet to express her love for typography, humor and design.

Krowinski’s journey was not always straightforward. At Edinburgh University, she honed her eye for design and discovered a passion for visual storytelling in the graphic design program. After earning her degree, while working as a graphic designer in Baltimore, she connected with a letterpress professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art, who taught Krowinski the traditional technique through a hands-on class. This experience sparked her love for letterpress and inspired her to start printing greeting cards. She acquired her first press and began printing products for the Stationery Show in 2003, a major trade show that showcased art and design from small artists and businesses. She continued to print, attend trade shows and get her name out in the community, which she continues to do today as Sapling Press expands and reaches new audiences.

Today, Sapling Press is in over 1,000 stores, and Krowinski is working on their new brickand-mortar store called Sapling and Sons, which is located just down the street from their print shop in Mt. Lebanon. The store will be opening its doors at the end of June. It will have an edgy and modern vibe, featuring art and goods from a variety of small artists across the country. Krowinski wants the shop to have something for everyone and every occasion, whether it is a humorous and original card made by Sapling Press or a thoughtfully curated collection of gifts from small artists. The goal is to curate a space that reflects Sapling Press’s signature wit and charm but also supports a community of independent artists and designers. Sapling and Sons will offer a range of quirky home goods, small knick-knacks and other unexpected treasures.

Not only will the store offer a variety of goods, but Krowinski also hopes to give the community a hands-on letterpress experience through classes and parties. She hopes that the community will be able to create a product that they are proud of and can display for themselves or gift to others. Some events that she has hosted in the past include kids’ birthday parties, designing and creating posters, and typing a Valentine’s Day note on a vintage typewriter.

As Sapling Press continues to grow, Lisa Krowinski continues to embody the craft, creativity and connection that started her letterpress journey. Her work encourages people to slow down and appreciate the creativity and humor behind the products, whether that is through hands-on classes or her clever, pre-made designs. With the launch of Sapling and Sons, she is expanding that vision, creating not only a store but a space that encourages art, community and learning. In a world that often feels rushed and digital, Krowninski’s work serves as a reminder to take a step back and laugh or try something new.

SpringHouse Creamery, Eatery, Country Store and Catering opened in 1975 on the Minor family’s dairy working farm in Eighty-Four. In our old-fashioned country story, you can enjoy family-recipe meals, goodies in our from-scratch bakery, a smokehouse for old-fashioned hickory smoked hams, classy catering, ice cream concoctions galore and, of course, farm fresh milk and famous rich chocolate milk.

1531 Route 136 Washington 724.228.3339

springhousemarket.com

At CRUST! Café and Pizzeria we pay attention to quality and that starts with the dough. Our mission at CRUST! Café and Pizzeria is to give you the freshest product, made with the best ingredients, prepared by people who care. 509 Painters Run Road

A Pittsburgh family tradition since 1958. Our dough is homemade from scratch, our sauce is slow cooked from Italian tomatoes, our signature cheeses are hand grated daily... just as John Mineo did in 1958. We believe never change a great family recipe. 713A

Sunshine Kids Childcare Center celebrates 30 years

By Michele Gillis

When you drop off your child at a daycare, you are dropping off your heart.

Kimberly Peroni, president of Sunshine Kids Child Care Center, has made it her life goal to always treat the children in her daycare as if they were her own.

“When they drop their child off, I want them to be able to walk out that door and know what kind of care their child will be receiving,” said Peroni. “We try to maintain the best staff we can. To be the best, you have to hire the best. They are in the safest environment they can be in.”

She opened her first location in McMurray 30 years ago.

“I had a daughter, so I wanted to make sure she was in a safe environment,” said Peroni. “You always worry about where she is and what is going on. My degree was in early elementary education, so I decided that I was going to try this on my own.”

Peroni rented a space in McMurray and opened Sunshine Kids in May 1995.

Initially, it was her daughter and the two children of an employee at the daycare. The center was only licensed for 20 children, so when it reached maximum capacity, they expanded that location.

A few years later, she found a second location in Eighty Four, but it needed some work.

“My goal was to have two locations before I was 30,” said Peroni. “I purchased a building and renovated it, and we opened two days before my 30th birthday. We opened the Eighty Four location in May 1999.”

The third location in Finleyville was already a daycare, so she purchased it, rebranded it and opened it in 2008.

Tammy Main, operations manager of Sunshine Kids, has been with the company for 21 years and oversees operations at all three locations.

Peroni has moved away, but she and Main communicate every day, and she visits about four times a year.

In addition to handling the day-to-day operations, Main is also the director for the McMurray location.

“I greet the parents, do the schedules, handle tuition and do whatever I need to do to make sure the center is running smoothly,” said Main. “As far as the company as a whole, I can’t say enough that Kim has trusted me with her baby. I started 21 years ago as a teacher’s aide and worked my way up.

She has put so much of herself into me to make me the best person I could be in this company. I try to run Sunshine Kids as close to what Kim would do if she were here.”

The centers are only six miles apart, so if they need assistance, Main can simply hop in her car to help them.

Last month, Sunshine Kids celebrated 30 years in the business of caring, growing and learning, and also recently won the Observer-Reporter’s Best of the Best daycare award. They have also won many other awards over the years.

“We were ecstatic when we heard we won,” said Peroni. “It was so nice to have all our daycare directors together to go on stage and receive our award.”

Jessica Dugan said Sunshine Kids has been such a loving and caring place for her family.

“Over the years, we’ve grown right alongside the daycare, and it’s been a joy to watch our children form lasting friendships and develop together in such a supportive environment,” said Dugan. “Seeing them grow into their own little selves, side-byside with the same group of friends, has been an experience full of laughter, learning and connection and something we’ll always be grateful for.”

Over the past 30 years, the communication and technology world has evolved, allowing parents more access to their children while in daycare.

In the past, parents would receive a daily paper with all their child’s information, including diaper changes, behavior, snacks and such.

But now, all three locations use the Brightwheel app to communicate with families, share daily logs, send photos and help keep families up to date on information and events in real-time. “Parents can contact us as well,” said Main. “We put all the information in there in real time, and it has been a real game changer.”

Photos courtesy of sunshine Kids

Peroni’s son, Nickolas, has now become more involved with the business by working with Main to bring the daycares into the future, introducing ideas such as utilizing Brightwheel and creating QR codes to bring more up-to-date options for the parents.

“It is the most ever-changing field in the country,” said Nikolas. “Every two years, you are going to have something different. There is always something new and exciting. It’s never going to stay the same, which is what Tammy and I are so excited about. We’ve gotten to see it from the past, and we have my mom, who is absolutely an amazing resource who built this company over the past 30 years. We have some new fresh ideas and fresh faces that get to bring the new age stuff in there. Our clientele now are my age, young adults, 30-year-olds and people who use their phones.”

Peroni said another thing that has evolved and changed over the years is the educational component of her centers.

She said when she started her centers, she hired teachers who were loving and caring to tend to the children in her centers. But, today, in addition to that, the teachers she hires are also educated with a Child Development Associate certification or an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

“We use creative curriculum in all the classrooms,” said Peroni. “Sunshine Kids has found funding to allow our employees to go to school to further their education to make sure the children are receiving the most academic performance in the classroom. We coordinate it with the teachers in the schools in the area.”

Peroni and Main said they want to make sure the children are ready for kindergarten academically and emotionally by offering activities that will prepare them for school.

Some children may not have mastered self-help skills such as buttoning their pants, zippering their coat or taking off and putting on their shoes. So, they teach them life skills as well to prepare them for school.

“Thirty years ago, it was ‘Here, take my kid and keep them happy,’” said Peroni. “But, now we are actually preparing them for the world.”

Part of that preparation is through play.

“First and foremost, my girls are safe with Sunshine Kids and Ms. Tammy,” said Bethany Addis, parent of a student. “I have never had to question that, and what a gift that is to a parent. Second, my girls are loved by Ms. Tammy and the staff. They are role models for my girls. My girls frequently play “Ms. Tammy’s” with their Barbies. They repeat the phrases the staff say, resolve fake arguments and educate Barbie’s children. When I hear this play, I know they are being cared for with love.”

The ages accepted at Sunshine Kids range from 6 weeks to 13 years.

In addition to being a daycare, they also offer before and after-school care, no-school days and summer care.

“The teachers have a variety of activities for the school-age children as well,” said Main. “We can do more in-depth things with them. They can do cooking activities, scavenger hunts, models with clay, science experiments and more. We like to keep them busy.”

They coordinate with the food program in Pennsylvania and prepare meals for the children, including breakfast, lunch, and snacks that are nutritionally based.

They also offer the Early Head Start program in the Eighty Four and Finleyville centers.

Many of their employees have been there for 20 years or more, and many of the children who used to attend now bring their own children there or even work there.

Jess Holowko said there are not enough words or the right words to express how important Sunshine Kids is to her family.

“My family and I moved to Pittsburgh from the Philadelphia area with no family or friends around,” said Holowko. “We had no one. We walked into Sunshine Kids for a tour with our 9-monthold baby (at the time) and were immediately welcomed. Sunshine Kids didn’t just become our daughter’s daycare, they became our family.”

Holowko said the staff at Sunshine Kids provides nothing but love, smiles, comfort, happiness and a safe space for children.

“The staff prioritizes teaching, having fun and being happy,” she said. “Even on their worst days, they make sure to provide the absolute best for the kids. Every morning at drop-off, I felt at peace knowing my children were in the best care. The center and all the staff truly are a ray of sunshine. The lack of teacher turnover really speaks volumes and proves just how great the daycare and staff are. I am so proud of the center and staff for all their accomplishments.”

staff members Pam halinka, eighty four director, kimberly Peroni, President, tammy main, oPerations manager and amber bezy, finleyVille site director of sunshine kids, at the obserVer-rePorter

ceremony